Digital Music News (digitalmusicnews.com)

Subscription Question Goes 2.0, Theoretical Possibilities Abound

January 6, 2007

Subscription-based formats sputtered once again last year, but visionaries remain attached to the possibilities. In the current terrain, consumers continue to lean heavily towards ownership of discrete downl... Read More...

Sony BMG Confirms Initial DRM-Free Strike, Retail Play Emerges

Alexandra Osorio

January 6, 2007

Sony BMG has now confirmed an initial step away from protected formats, an expected development. The major label disclosed an experiment that involves physical retailers to USA Today this morning. The plan ... Read More...

Napster Goes DRM-Free on Downloads, MP3s Ahead

Paul Resnikoff

January 6, 2007

Napster has struggled outside of an iPod+iTunes ecosystem, in part because of format incompatibilities. As the iPod effortlessly careened past 100 million units, the reincarnated Napster languished within a highly problematic, and frustratingly obscure, Pla... Read More...

Late-Stage Surge Bolsters Annual Paid Download Volumes

Paul Resnikoff

January 4, 2007

A record, late-stage surge helped to boost year-end download totals past 581.9 million, a 65% jump over 2005 figures. During the last week of the year, consumers grabbed 30.1 million downloads from outlets l... Read More...

US-Based Album Sales Drop 4.9% During 2006

Alexandra Osorio

January 4, 2007

Album sales in the United States dipped 4.9% last year, according to figures published by Nielsen Soundscan. The total tally, which includes CDs, digital album downloads, and LPs, moved to 588.2 million unit... Read More...

Napster Warns Users of Monthly Subscription Increases

Paul Resnikoff

January 3, 2007

Napster is bumping its monthly subscription price tag by 30 percent, and warning users in advance. The company alerted subscribers of the increases in a recent email. "We wanted to let you know about an important pricing change to your Napster membership,"... Read More...

Universal Flexes Dominant Marketshare Once Again

Alexandra Osorio

January 3, 2007

When Doug Morris speaks, other labels listen, thanks to the massive marketshare enjoyed by Universal Music Group. According to album-specific figures released by Nielsen Soundscan data, Universal Music grabb... Read More...

Major Label Readies Sizeable, MP3-Based Push, Source

Paul Resnikoff

January 3, 2007

Labels are increasingly considering MP3-based sales strategies, though most efforts been experimental and limited to specific tracks. But that stance could soon change abruptly, according a high-level major ... Read More...

German Labels Step Up Lawsuits Against File-Swappers

Paul Resnikoff

January 3, 2007

Major labels in Germany are now planning to increase the amount of lawsuits issued against file-swappers. The labels will deliver 1,000 lawsuits monthly, according to recent comments from IFPI Germany CEO Peter Zombik. “This year, the number of lawsuits wi... Read More...

British Labels Shed Serious Sales, US Figures Loom

Paul Resnikoff

January 2, 2007

Album sales in the United Kingdom dropped 10 percent last year, according to just-released figures from trade group BPI. The downturn represents a significant dent, though the organization withheld specific ... Read More...

MusicIP Gets Wordy, Brokers LyricFind Partnership

Paul Resnikoff

January 1, 2007

Lyrics have always been integral to the music listening experience, yet homegrown sites have dominated the landscape since the 90s. Now, bigger players are getting into the game, including Gracenote, Yahoo, ... Read More...

Online Music Community iLike Grabs Ticketmaster Investment

Paul Resnikoff

December 20, 2006

Ticketmaster has invested a healthy $13.3 million in music discovery community iLike, according to various reports. The infusion will give Ticketmaster a 25 percent controlling stake in iLike, and considerable strategic involvement in the property. The iLik... Read More...