Label:Life

We’ll be seeing a lot more headphones in the next three months, according to a survey of consumer household technology purchase intentions by Ipsos Insight, the U.S. survey-based market research group. Almost a quarter of respondents (22%) anticipate buying a portable MP3 player or lower-storage Apple iPod Shuffle or iPod Nano (to use primarily for music) in the next three months, and 14% are interested in buying a portable multimedia device, such as the 30GB or 60GB iPod, Sony PSP, Creative Zen, or iRiver devices.

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The record industry has long considered online file-sharing a serious threat to its livelihood. But a new study released Tuesday suggests that consumer-to-consumer music recommendations—a growing feature of online music stores and Web sites—will benefit the industry, artists and fans alike.

The report, released by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School and research firm Gartner Inc., surveyed 475 so-called early adopters, or computer users who are among the first wave of frequent music downloaders. The findings suggest the opportunity to give and receive recommendations could become an important force in the online music business.

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Multi-platform music network in the US Music Choice has announced that its on demand content on American cable television company Comcast has surpassed 200 million views.

It was launched in Comcast video-on-demand (Vod)-enabled markets in November 2004. The free Vod programming, which features hundreds of multi-genre music videos, concerts on demand and exclusive music shows, in-studio performances and interviews produced by Music Choice, averages over 20 million views a month.

More@indiantelevision

Juice Wireless, Inc., the market leader in award winning consumer mobile data services, applications and content, and Trans World Entertainment, the nation’s largest specialty music retailer, today announced the launch of www.mobilefye.com, a new consumer mobile content store featuring the latest in digital entertainment.

A milestone for the music retailing industry, the store was developed to provide users of mobile phones with instant access to the latest digital mobile games, ringtones and songtones available today. With the launch of mobilefye.com, the companies have pioneered a new way to distribute mobile content, combining an off-carrier Internet based technology platform with viral marketing aimed at an extremely large target market, music and gaming enthusiasts of all ages.

[Never seen anything like this before? Also an excellent way to get truetones for free, just save the previews… – Ed] (more…)

Rock legend Bob Dylan has signed up to present a weekly radio show in America.

The hour-long show will broadcast on the Deep Tracks Channel, which is part of the XM subscription-only satellite radio service, from next March. It will be the first time 64-year-old Dylan has DJ’d on the radio. (more…)

Prince, who has put out most of his music on his own record label over the past decade, is aligning himself with a major label once again.

The 47-year-old superstar has signed a deal with Universal Records to release his upcoming album, 3121, early next year. A press conference was scheduled on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Prince had a similar deal with Columbia Records in 2003; that label distributed his acclaimed comeback album, Musicology, for NPG Records, Prince’s label.

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Viacom Inc.’s MTV Networks and Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday said they would join forces to design and develop a new digital music service.

The service, to be called Urge, is due to launch in 2006, the companies said in a joint release, and will be integrated into a new version of Microsoft’s Windows Media Player.

Plans call for the service to offer more than 2 million songs for download from major labels and independents, as well as original content and MTV Networks programs.

Source:reuters

Germans may have Vorsprung durch Technik (progress through technology), but Britain leads Europe when it comes to the future of music, according to new research.

A survey conducted by Motorola into musical habits around the continent showed that the UK is more in tune with music downloading than any other European country. Britons spend an average of 75p a month on digital downloads, three times more than Germans, French or Italians. This reflects the widespread adoption of digital music in the UK, as well as a thriving legal internet music scene.

More@guardian

Once again, Apple’s iPod is expected to be the hottest gift of the holiday season. That should be great news for the recording industry, right? After all, many of the 10 million or so new iPod owners surely will rush to Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes Music Store to load up on songs.

Not necessarily. As has been true since the start, iPod owners mostly fill up their players from their own CD collections or swipe tunes from file-sharing sites. Now legal downloads may be losing their luster. According to Nielsen SoundScan, average weekly download sales as of Nov. 27 fell 0.44% vs. the third quarter. Says independent media analyst Richard Greenfield: “We’re not seeing the kind of dramatic growth we should given the surge in sales of iPods and other MP3 players.”

More@businessweek

Need a little new age music? How about a touch of feminist folk, a cool Celtic album or a copy of Cris Williamson’s 30-year-old “The Changer and the Changed”?

No problem, thanks to Goldenrod Music.

Founded 30 years ago by Terry Grant, the Lansing-based music distributor has made a national niche for itself by specializing in out-of-the-mainstream artists. It sells retail to walk-in customers and Internet surfers. It sells wholesale to independent and chain stores across the country.

Once, there were as many as 60 wholesalers around the country focused on women’s music; now only Goldenrod remains, lasting from the age of vinyl to the verge of the digital era.

More@detnews