Digital Music Consumption in 2010

This is a really interesting Music Website "Heat map" put together by the good folks over at Virtual Music. This represents overall usage of all of the major music websites where music is streamed or downloaded. The green color indicates growth where the red color indicates a decline.

The most interesting part of this visualization is the reality of where all of these services stand in comparison with Youtube and Pandora (see below). Be sure to go over to their site to see the actual usage numbers (hover your mouse over each section of the map for user numbers and other detail

Pandora Music Office Picker=attn BMI, ASCAP and SESAC

Check this sweet piece of gadgetry out...  Obviously this is pretty fricken sweet!... but I'm not too sure that Pandora was created as a replacement for muzak.  In any regard...  hopefully the PRO's are listening up.  Perhaps they could attach a natural blanket license to this thing and make some real dough assuming any business using this is over the minimum square footage requirements. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVrmRzIWM8&feature=player_embedded

Interesting way to allow everyone to weigh in on office background music though!

Ping... what's the point?

So anyone not living under a rock has most likely seen information on Apple's newest venture, "Ping" in the past few weeks.  Ping is Apple's answer to social media phenoms like Facebook and Twitter utilizing a new network from which we can share our musical tastes, see what our favorite artists are listening to, and see eachother's new <ahem> profiles.  I dont believe they are wrong in wanting to jump onto the social bandwagon, just flawed in their approach.  Other music services have integrated into these other platforms successfully... just look at iLike and Spotify among others.  they have utilized the tools (read: API) that are out there and integrated into the places we already reside rather than requiring us to create yet another new profile to participate.  Why must Steve Jobs always recreate the wheel?  Granted, his quest to "build the better mousetrap" usually yields righteous results- but I fear that this one may fall flat.

So how does this affect artists?  Well, if you are a Major Label talent with a huge following already it has been an easy transaction.  At launch, most of my favorite mainstream artists had pages...  Apple did a good job of making sure the the stud horses of the stable were included at launch but what about the others?  Will they get lost in the herd?  Initially, Tunecore was the only 3rd party mentioned loading content and now it has opened up to a few more aggregators such as the Orchard and CD Baby.  According to Digital Music News, Apple plans to open up to other labels and aggregators but at this point it is slow going.  As far as I can tell at this point, independent groups have no option for inclusion other than the use of a 3rd party.

In the end, will Ping be a game-changer?  Probably not.  Truth is, Apple should have accessed some of the already prevalent technologies in the marketplace to strengthen their launch.  I don't know if John Q Public is going to be willing to join yet ANOTHER social network.

Taco Taco! Texas Music Educators recap

Ok Folks, I am sorry.

I am the worst Blogger ever!  But in my defense, this has been a busy spring.  My next blog post will illuminate you as to what I have been up to... I originally typed this February 17 and forgot to post it... so here it is!!!

I just returned from the Texas Music Educators Association convention (TMEA)-  or to the uninitiated... the "everybody who matters and has anything of value for the world or music education" convention.

All I can say is WOW!  This was my first TMEA even though I am quite the legacy.  My Grandfather was President of TMEA in the 1950s!

TMEA is by all accounts much larger than TBA (Texas Bandmasters Association)- or any other conference I attend on Music Education for that matter.  Overall, despite a lousy economy the attendance was really quite good.  Many of my friends from education land were there and the overall picture I got from the state of budgets (at least in TX) was that most were actually doing alright (take a note California).  If Texans know how to do anything- it is play football and field a marching band- both of which they fund mightily.

TMEA was not only a time for me to catch up with my buddies, but also a great time to meet up with old and new clients to discuss current and future projects.  I decided rather than delivering a list of my clients as a recap, I would make a photo montage of them and spent one afternoon taking photos of their booths, products, etc.  These photos are on our Naxos Music Library facebook page here.  Other clients in attendance were Alfred Music Publishing, Hal Leonard, Ivasi, SmartMusic, Professor Carol, and a few I cant seem to remember.

All In All this was a GREAT conference.  The weather did not cooperate as it rained much of the time we were there and it was quite cold, however we made the best of it by imbibing in great Mexican food and our fair share of Margaritas.  Hopefully next year the weather will be better as this is going on my Educational conference list permanently.

Til next time, Over and Out!