The “iCloud“, Apple’s long-rumoured iTunes cloud service, looks like it’s really coming together now with lots of well-placed whispers suggestng Warner Music and EMI have inked deals to support it with Sony and Universal poised to follow suit…
Tagged ‘emi’
Four major music labels have stepped up to the plate and announced that they’re supporting The Digital Innovation Contest, a comp that supports digital entrepreneurship in the UK, and kicks off a search for the music industry’s Holy Grail.
The iTunes deal with The Beatles is, unsurprisingly, a rather special arrangement according to loose-lipped industry sources who’ve been talking to Reuters. The report says Apple Corps, The Beatles’ record company, is receiving direct digital download royalties from iTunes while the “songwriting mechanical royalties” go to the catalogue owners Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Effectively, the Beatles iTunes deal is a licensing arrangement rather than the usual royalties split. Folk in the know says that means the royalty split is more lucrative for The Beatles than other artists. That’s a big deal because other artists including Cheap Trick and the Allman Brothers have unsuccessfully argued that digital download sales should be treated as licensing rather than straight retail purchases. Expect other major artists to start shouting the odds with Apple imminently once more details of the iTunes Beatles deal leak out.
Out now | £varies | iTunes (via AppleInsider)
In a last ditch attempt to generate some cash, EMI music has wheeled out Robbie to sing on his own Wii game. Groan. As if rolling out “Angels” at every tear jerking opportunity ITV can find wasn’t enough, we’re now going to be bombarded with tinnitus-inducing renditions of “Rock DJ” from every Lambrini-glugging mother, aunt, and 20 something who just can’t let go the length and breadth of the country.
It’s taken a while, but music labels are finally catching on to this “Internet” lark. First they ditched DRM, and now they’re using technology to recommend music, just like Last.fm has been doing for years.
EMI’s just launched its own music service at EMI.com, dishing up streaming tracks and videos, as well as letting visitors create playlists and fan profiles.
Fancy listening to EMI tracks without paying a penny? No, you needn’t resort to piracy, just tap into We7, where EMI’s just agreed to make its music available for free as long as you put up with some ads.