Music Industry News

Music Industry

David Crosby's Reason for 1985 Golden Bear Show Cancellation Beats Them All

Source: Michael Ricci
September 25, 2009

When a concert venue cancels a show these days, nine times out of 10 the reason given is scheduling conflicts, a catch-all phrase that can mean “We couldnt sell enough tickets" to “The star attraction got a better gig."

Cancellation explanations dont get much better than the one issued by the Golden Bear back in 1985 when David Crosby bowed out of a booking at the Huntington Beach club whose legacy is being saluted this weekend with shows Friday and ...

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Music Industry

Lawsuit Claims Guitar Center, NAMM Fixed Prices

Source: HypeBot
September 25, 2009

A nationwide class-action lawsuit has been filed against Guitar Center and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) claiming the two conspired to fix retail pricing on guitars, allowing the music retail giant and other major retailers to reap higher profits and squash competition at the expense of consumers.

The suit filed earlier this week by the firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiroclaims that retailers met at NAMM in 2001 and voiced concerns that gross margins would erode from ...

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Music Industry

Who Says CD Sales Are Dead? Remastered Beatles Sell 2.25 Million in 2 Weeks

Source: HypeBot
September 24, 2009

Without the help of a single digital download, The Beatles have broken multiple chart records around the world following the 9-9-09 CD release of their digitally re-mastered catalog. In the major music markets of North America, Japan and the UK, consumers purchased more than 2.25 million copies of The Beatles' re-mastered albums during the first five days of release.

A 20 country breakdown new Beatles chart accomplishments:

US: During the first five days of release, consumers purchased more ...

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Music Industry

RIAA Chief Says the Music Industry Has 5 Reasons for Optimism

Source: HypeBot
September 24, 2009

Now that the RIAA is tiring of suing individual filesharers, its head Mitch Bainwol needs a new soapbox to stand on. Apparently he's decided that what's needed is a record label cheerleader to cut through all the doom and gloom indicated by the sales numbers. To kick off his campaign, he released an essay “5 Reasons for Optimism in the Music Industry". The 5 reasons behind Bainwol's optimism include:

Our product, music, remains as popular as ever. Long ...

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Music Industry

The Music Industry Pays the Price of Negativity

Source: HypeBot
September 24, 2009

It's Time For A New Conversation New calls for three strikes laws and P2P taxes in the UK have spawned strong reactions from high profile artists including Lily Allen, James Blunt, Muse and Elton John. Their calls to end piracy seem strange this many years after Napster changed the face of the music industry and only serve to widen the gap between music and the fans that love it.

Some within the industry have also seized on the new attention ...

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Music Industry

Guitar Center Searches for Next Great Blues Musician

Source: JamBase
September 24, 2009

Guitar Center Searches For The Nation's Greatest Unsigned Blues Guitar Player

Joe Bonamassa Has the recession left you with too much free time on your hands this summer? Looking for a creative outlet for your energies and possibly a new career path? If you consider yourself a pretty great guitar player (or serious blues guitar fan) - think about checking out Guitar Center's King of the Blues.

King of the Blues is a nationwide search for the next great undiscovered ...

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Music Industry

Leading Questions: Cuong Vu

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
September 22, 2009

Photo and Interview by Steve Korn

Someone once told me that “there’s no money in music!” That’s it. No follow-up to this “heaviness.” What a dumb-ass.

If I could do it all over again, I’d be more fearless in pursuing whatever I wanted. The first reason is that I’ve finally learned that the things I fear about myself…my insecurities…the things that I’ve spent time on in the past, worrying about what people think of what I musically put out, or ...

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Music Industry

Leonard Cohen Collapses Onstage

Source: Michael Ricci
September 21, 2009

The singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen is recovering after collapsing onstage in Spain.

Mr. Cohen fainted during a performance of his song Bird on the Wire in Valencia on Friday night, The Times of London reported. The concert was stopped, and Mr. Cohen, who turns 75 on Monday, was taken to a hospital. He was released early on Saturday after suffering from a stomach complaint, tour promoters said.

He is expected to perform the last show of his Spanish tour in Barcelona ...

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