Ultimate Chart (a/o May 20th):
Google just announced Google Fiber, which it believes is going to bring the internet and television to the next level. According to Google, Fiber will enable up to one gigabit of upload and download speeds. That is 100 times faster than average broadband. And in true Google fashion, it will be free (with paid options for TV and the gigabit speed). The service, which bypasses local cable and phone companies, will first be introduced in Kansas City. So if you’re there, you can preregister now.
Mood Media, parent company of Muzak and DMX, provider of in-store music and media solutions, recently announced plans to expand their presence in China. They have formed a partnership with Esprit, a multinational apparel retailer. Esprit will be implementing Mood Media's custom music program, via its IP based media player, throughout its stores in Mainland China.
Livewire Mobile just announced Rumpus, a new music discovery app for Androids. The app "hooks together the music, videos, biographical information and imagery so the music fan can immerse themselves in the navigation and discovery experience." It also seems quite interactive, as users can create bookmarks, build playlists, and share discoveries with their friends via API. The app can be downloaded for free on Google Play. Here's the link.
Algoriddim has recently launched vjay, an iPad app that lets users "create, mix, perform and share unique music video mash-ups." People utilize their own collection of artist music videos, personal videos, and music to create the mashups. The app is getting great reviews, and you can view sample videos on the Algoriddim website.
Bandsintown, a Facebook-based concert recommendation application, introduced updates to its platform that will make it easier for artists to promote their shows. "Artists who tested the new social features saw that the virality of Bandsintown's targeted posts was five times higher than that of traditional Facebook posts," reports the company.
Grammy award-winning artist Swizz Beatz has spoken up in defense of MegaUpload, the file-hosting service to which he served as CEO before it was shut down. In an interview with Torrentfreak, Beatz said, "I'm a fan of music, I'm a fan of people who work hard and I would never be a part of anything that's taking from artists when I fight so hard to give so much to the artist. You know what I was doing, I was giving artists 90% of the shit," said the producer. He was referring to Megabox, a project which sought to disrupt the old business model by giving 90% of ad revenue directly to artists, thereby cutting out the middleman.
Facebook continued its slide on Thursday. Shares fell by over 9%, and its initial valuation of $100 billion has dwindled down to $60 billion. This struggle is concurrent with slumps in other social-networking sites as of late, such as Zynga, Groupon, LinkedIn, and Pandora.
If you're one of the many who feels that today's pop music is insipid or formulaic, you now have scientific research to support your outrage. A group of researchers at the Spanish National Research Council analyzed half a million songs from the past half-century. What they discovered was an overall decline in the variety of content, both sonically and musically. The report states, "After peaking in the 1960s, timbral variety has been in steady decline to the present day". In addition, the 'pitch content' has narrowed, which translates to more recycled chord progressions and melodies. The scientists also discovered, as you may have already heard, that pop music has steadily gotten louder and louder over the years. Check out the actual report here.
jw Thursday, July 26, 2012
Rumpus was a huge letdown. A search for Metallica sent me to a store page to buy tracks from their Some Kind of Monster live documentary soundtrack... the absolute last thing I was expecting to get. Besides, who launches a store that also runs ads on a mobile screen?
Guess I'll just have to keep counting on Spotify to expand their offerings... Once they add album credits (esp. as searchable criteria) & when they can afford to offer lyrics, I'll be happy as a lark.
News Reeder Friday, July 27, 2012
Is there a link to the story/press release for that statement from BandsInTown?
paul Friday, July 27, 2012
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