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Record Store Day 2015: Top Store Selections

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This Saturday might as well be an international holiday for music lovers. April 18th marks the official “Record Store Day” across the globe, with hundreds of stores participating and offering exclusive releases for the occasion. With massive turnouts each year around the globe, it is clear that the vinyl industry is alive and well. Record Store Day is also embodied by an aura of exclusivity with many releases being offered in limited pressings, and often times limited to a “one-per-customer” basis. Record Store Day has become an iconic novelty over the years for both fans and businesses alike, with people coming together for a love of the music.

Whether you’re on the hunt for a specific release, or just want to bask in the atmosphere of Record Store Day, here’s a list to help guide you to the right places. Read more

Soundcloud Releases Statement On Copyright Infringement

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soundcloud-featureSoundcloud has been in and out of the limelight for quite some time now; previously hailed as a sanctuary for DIY artists, underground has evolved into a platform shared by industry giants and up-and-comers alike. Recently, Soundcloud has been catching a lot of heat, both from thirsty music moguls who want their piece of the pie and from frustrated unsigned artists whose tracks have been removed. We have transitioned into an era in which dance music is incredibly profitable; this can be a blessing or a curse, depending on who you ask. Electronic music and hip-hop come from sampling cultures, although many artists that came up on sampling are now pressing for royalties from artists who sample their music. Just as Pioneer has developed Kuvo, Soundcloud is developing a way to work around these issues, in which the sample content and songs can be monetized for the original creator as well as the one reappropriating it. Soundcloud has released a statement on copyright infringement, both protecting themselves from liability and outlining their views and future developments, which can be found here

For several months, Soundcloud has enjoyed partnerships with major labels such as Warner Music and its subsidiaries; while it may be too early to tell how this will affect musicians, it is clear that both Soundcloud and the labels will benefit greatly. In fact, as part of the deal, Warner Music gained a 4% agreed to indemnify Soundcloud against all prior copyright infringement. The lack of prior protocol for remixes/bootlegs/edits has created an environment which encouraged free downloads of bootlegged content. New artists need an outlet to make these edits and remixes available before they can do original content, and Soundcloud has always been that for them; we only hope that these changes will be implemented successfully, therefore continuing as a platform for all artists while ensuring that the creators of sampled/remixed content are getting their fair share. “Fair” means something different to everyone, and it will surely take some time to explore that grey area and come to an aggreement.

To read the full statement, please click here

Pioneer’s KUVO As A Solution To Nightclub Performance Royalties – What Does It Mean For DJs?

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NXS-GW_angle_highFor the last three decades, collecting royalties from DJ performances has always been a nightmare for songwriters and producers. Pioneer DJ has made a major step towards helping copyright owners by agreeing to share data collected from its KUVO system with performing rights organizations such as ASCAP and BMI in order to collect royalties from the public performance of songs in nightclubs.

The KUVO system essentially starts with a small black box that connects to media player decks and pushes track information onto an Internet server. Fans and other DJs can then look up what is being played at nightclubs all around the world through the KUVO website or mobile app and discover the latest and hottest tracks. To date, 289 clubs, 137,394 DJs, and 4,412 clubbers have joined the KUVO network. Pioneer has built its network around 80 percent of the world’s DJ booths.

The decision is part of the newly-formed Association for Electronic Music’s (AFEM) “Get Played, Get Paid” campaign, whose goal is to steer performance royalties into the hands of songwriters and producers by streamlining the methods used by rights organizations to track music played in nightclubs. AFEM estimates that about $160 million worldwide was lost due to misallocated performance royalties in 2013.

But what does this mean for the DJs? The free exchange and use of songs has long been the custom and practice within the industry.

“DJs will have to start treating what they’re doing like a business,” says Gordon Firemark, a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer, “if they expect to get paid for it.”

Should the nightclubs take up the burden of forking over the royalties for the songs the DJs play? Will the performing rights societies start setting the DJ in its sights for royalties?

 

Sources: Billboard, KUVO

SFX Entertainment Stock Steady Amidst Bankruptcy Rumors

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SFX Entertainment’s (NASDAQ: SFXE) stock price bounced back to normal on Thursday morning after seeing a sharp decline attributed to an article published by Seeking Alpha. The article entitled “SFX Entertainment: Playing House Music In A House Of Cards“ heavily critiqued the EDM-focused event promotion company. The price currently  sits at $4.35 per share, a 23.6% increase from Wednesday’s low of $3.52 per share.

Seeking Alpha’s critique warned investors of imminent collapse due to Chairman and CEO Bob Sillerman’s failure to keep his promise to purchase stocks and the company’s purchase of $10 million of debt, and alleged misrepresentation.

Rich Tullo of Albert Fried & Co. promptly authored a note to investors reiterating his confidence in the company. SFX thereafter responded by announcing Sillerman’s acquisition of 575,000 shares of SFX stock in two transactions at an average weighted price of $4.91.

Source: Billboard

Pioneer’s DJ Equipment Division Sold to KKR

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Pioneer Japan has sold its DJ equipment division to U.S.A.-based investment firm KKR & Co. L.P.

Pioneer will retain a 15% stake in the venture, which will maintain the name “Pioneer DJ.” Pioneer’s president, Susumu Kotani, revealed that the sale was to further the company’s goal of concentrating management resources on its car electronics business.

Pioneer DJ is known to many as the industry standard name in professional-grade media players and DJ mixers. The company recently announced the production of its PLX-1000 turntable, which aims to fill the void created after the discontinuation Technics’ infamous 1200 series.

 

Source: BBC News