Weekly Music News

We've already talked about a lot of the big stories this week, but let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we? And ok, there's some new stuff as well. Here we go:

1. Perez Hilton's record label has become a reality. Sheesh

2. Radiohead's manager and Nettwerk Music Group start new label. The label is called Polyphonic and will incorporate some "outside the box" strategies for its artists that Radiohead's manager and Nettwerk are so good at dreaming up. You like?

3. Interesting post from The Lefsetz Letter about the Tunecore and Universal deal. (If you don't remember the details of this story, check out the statement from TuneCore's Jeff Price over on hypebot.) How do you feel about the deal? The jury in my mind is still out. It sounds like TuneCore is preserving flexibility for the musicians that work with them, so no one has to take part in this if they don't want to. On the other hand, when will we get to the point that successful indie music businesses don't have to latch on to some major label to take it to the next level? If we agree that a lot of our problems in the industry have to do with outdated business models at the major level, then I'm not sure how we win by watching the successful "new" music businesses being absorbed into this old structure. I like TuneCore, but I hope this deal doesn't ultimately kill what they have going. Major label distribution can do that.

4. ASCAP now wants you to get a public performance license to embed a video on your blog. Of course they do. Musicians, think long and hard about how ASCAP preventing people from enthusiastically promoting your music for free helps you. Will the few pennies ASCAP throws your way sufficiently offset the money you could make if you develop a buzz in the blogosphere? See, ASCAP can afford to play it fast and loose like that because they will make money by sheer volume of licenses issued. Can you? Don't YOU want to have control over how your music is used - like, say, letting a blogger embed your video when they talk about you?

5. United Airlines breaks man's guitar and refuses to replace it. Man writes a song about the incident, posts it on YouTube and gets his sweet, sweet revenge. Ah, the power of music. Check it out.

6. Last, but certainly not least, the Indie Artist X Project launched this week! Woo! Learn more.

That's it! Got news of your own? Do tell!