Label:Life

Top of the Pops is set to be revolutionised after compilers of the official Top 40 charts took the first step to include single sales on the internet.

With downloading tracks becoming increasingly popular the record companies are taking the first step towards calculating sales in a bid to reflect better the popularity of pop bands, particularly relative newcomers who rely heavily on single sales and chart hits to make a lasting impact.

The Official Charts Company, which runs the chart on behalf of the record industry, is to begin compiling a separate weekly chart rundown of tracks downloaded using the service developed by OD2, a company backed by former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel. [more @ www.media.guardian.co.uk]

The singles fight-back has recieved official approval for the first time, in the form of a series of chart rule changes designed to make the single more attractive to consumers.

The Official UK Charts Company’s chart supervisory committee agreed a series of initiatives last Tuesday aimed at reviving the format, which has experienced a sales decline of almost 40% this year.

The Meeting Agreed :

-New rules for a two-track single, including a reduced minimum dealer price of around £1.20.

-A relaxing of content rules to allow other CD singles to include additional content.

The creation of a download chart committee to examine the prospects for the launch of a download chart in the next six months. [More in Musicweek, 04/10/03]

The recording industry says it has settled 52 of the 261 suits it filed against Internet users accused of illegally permitting others to download music from their computers.

The Recording Industry Association of America, which plans to file hundreds more lawsuits in October, did not specify how much it collected from the settlements it announced on Monday.

Defense lawyers familiar with some cases said payments ranged from $2,500 to $7,500 each, with at least one settlement for as much as $10,000.

The settlements, which do not include any admission of wrongdoing, require Internet users to destroy copies of illegally downloaded songs and agree to “not make any public statements that are inconsistent” with the agreement. [more @ www.cbsnews.com]

Turning the tables on record labels, makers of the most popular file-sharing network are suing entertainment companies for copyright infringement.

Sharman Networks, the company behind the Kazaa file-sharing software, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday accusing the entertainment companies of using unauthorized versions of its software in their efforts to snoop out users.

Sharman said the companies used Kazaa Lite, an ad-less replica of its software, to get onto the network. The lawsuit also claims efforts to combat piracy on Kazaa violated terms for using the network. Entertainment companies have offered bogus versions of copyright works and sent online messages to users.

Sharman’s lawsuit also revives its previous allegation that the entertainment companies violated antitrust laws by stopping Sharman and its partner from distributing authorized copies of music and movies through Kazaa. [more @ www.myway.com]

The Sanctuary Group plc (“Sanctuary” or the “Company”) is delighted to announce that it has today agreed in principle to acquire Music World Entertainment (“Music World” or “MWE”), from Mathew Knowles. MWE is responsible for the management of multi-million selling acts including Destiny’s Child, Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Solange Knowles, Blaque, and comedian Ricky Smiley.

In addition to the acquisition, Mathew Knowles will be named President of Sanctuary’s new Urban division – reporting to Sanctuary Group Inc. CEO Merck Mercuriadis – and will continue to manage his roster of artists. He will enter into an initial five year employment with Sanctuary, which can be extended for a further five years at Sanctuary’s option. Strategically, the deal also involves setting up a joint venture record label through Sanctuary Records Group/BMG Distribution to develop Urban and Gospel acts, along with music publishing, as well as the creation of an Urban tour agency in the US. [more @ www.mi2n.com]

Britain’s EMI Group Plc , home to the Rolling Stones and seeking to buy AOL Time Warner Inc.’s music business, showed it had strong investor backing on Monday when a bond issue secured well above the expected amount.

EMI raised 425 million euros ($486 million) in 10-year bonds, topping the 300 million euros the music company had hoped for when it announced plans for the deal on Sept. 15.

The bond, which moved EMI a step closer to completing an 18-month refinancing to strengthen its balance sheet, came a week after EMI said it had opened formal talks to buy Warner Music in a deal that could be worth more than $1.5 billion.

EMI moved to court Warner Music after talks between its U.S. music competitor and German rival Bertelsmann AG’s[BERT.UL] Bertelsmann Music Group floundered in their final stages—sources have told Reuters that BMG wanted to explore a rival deal with Sony Corp.’s Sony Music. [more @ www.reuters.com]

Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) has reached out to Sony Music executives to explore a possible merger after failing to pin down a deal with rival Warner Music, sources familiar with the situation said.

BMG, the smallest of the top five music companies which is home to pop queens Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, wants to hold talks with Sony Music, as Warner turns its attentions to a possible deal with EMI Group Plc, the sources said.

At a board meeting this week, BMG’s German parent Bertelsmann AG rubber-stamped a move to court Sony Music, other sources familiar with the situation said.

But the sources stressed that official talks had not yet started. BMG, Bertelsmann and Sony Music declined to comment. [more @ www.reuters.com]

Musicmatch Inc., best known for pioneering the category of computer music jukebox software, is releasing a new downloadable song service today that could become a formidable competitor for Apple Computer Inc.’s acclaimed iTunes Music Store.

The San Diego firm plans to kick off Musicmatch Downloads, an online music service that will offer more than 200,000 downloadable tracks for 99 cents each, or $9.99 per album, from all five major record labels and 31 independent labels.

And while Apple’s successful iTunes Music Store is still available only for users of Macintosh computers, Musicmatch Downloads can reach the 95 percent of the PC market that runs on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. [more @ www.sfgate.com]

Dell Inc. Chief Executive Michael Dell said on Wednesday that it has been talking to media companies in order to make it easier to listen to music and watch video on their PCs.

“We’ve been participating a lot in working groups to get agreements with the content owners and the artists. We’re going to do some things with music and I think there’s opportunity in movies,” Dell said at the Emerging Technologies Conference at MIT on Wednesday.

Dell did not specify the companies to which he was talking.

His comments come a day before Dell is expected to announce a push that takes the No. 1 personal computer company deeper into the consumer’s home with new digital products. [more @ www.forbes.com]

Rock singer Robert Palmer, known for his sharp suits and hits including “Addicted to Love,” died Friday in Paris of a heart attack, his manager said. He was 54.

Palmer was on a two-day break in Paris following a television recording session in Britain, his manager Mick Carter said from the French capital.

In the 1980s, Palmer became a superstar with singles which also included “Simply Irresistible” — accompanied by slick videos featuring the smartly dressed Palmer with a back-up band of attractive women, all in black outfits and glossy makeup.

A side project, Power Station, formed in 1985 with John Taylor and Andy Taylor of ‘80s supergroup Duran Duran, scored three U.S. Top 10 hits, including “Communication” and “Get it On.”

The son of a British naval officer, Palmer was a member of several British rock bands before he hit the big time as a solo artist. [more @ www.msn.com]