If you’re looking for some new bands, we’ve got several you can get a taste for on the MusicIP/Speakerheart Virtual CD.

 Featuring music from The Guggenheim Grotto, Pan America and Crew, there’s sure to be something there for everyone!

Go to the Virtual CD, enter the password (”discover”), and you’ll find nine songs from nine different bands and musicians…you can even spread the word by sending a copy to your friends.

Special thanks to Blue Maze for putting the whole thing together!

At the recent Music 2.0 conference, an executive from one of the labels discussed ways in which digital music may eventually be embraced by the major labels. I must say, though, I’m not especially impressed by the idea of being able to pay 99 cents per track for lossy encoded music. Let’s take a quick history review (apologies for any sloppiness in the details - I’m shooting for the general overview, not a scholarly treatise).

In 1878, Thomas Edison build the first working phonograph, creating the medium of the phonograph cylinder. It’s safe to say those were very low quality recordings by any standards. Lateral-cut disc records came out 10 years later, in 1888. By the early 1900’s, people were enjoying double-sided 12-inch records (with perhaps four minutes of music per side). The first vinyl records date to 1930, with lower surface noise, although it took some time to gain market acceptance.

The first stereo recordings show up in 1958, although the technology was around for some time before then. Mass production of cassettes dates to around 1964, and fought a brief battle with 8-track cartridges. Compact discs came out in the early 1980’s, and started paving the way for digital music which we all know and love today.

At this point, my history tour branches. On the first path, we have the evolution of compressed audio formats. By making song files small enough to fit onto the storage media of the day, a whole new category of technology began to grow. The first MP3 player was released in 1995, Winamp in 1997, and Napster in 1999. Today we have multiple peer to peer networks, BitTorrent, iTunes, and lots of ways to use these digital files.

Meanwhile, technologies were being created to reproduce ever improved sound quality (things like Surround Sound). Super Audio CD’s were introduced in 2000, as was DVD-Audio. The record industry, which had been making a good living re-selling music on CDs which people had already purchased earlier, was banking on a repeat cycle with ever higher quality recordings. Of course, these technologies require more data to encode a song.

It turns out, though, that for most people, CDs were good enough. What people wanted was flexibility in how they enjoy their music. Portable MP3 players, home audio systems, things like that. The record industry responded with DRM, and the DMCA (passed in 1998).

So what’s my point? We’ve now reached the point, where we’re being asked to pay more, for less. For years, we’ve enjoyed DRM-free music on CDs, which can be easily place shifted, and used in all sorts of interesting ways. Now, we’re being offered lower quality recordings, with ridiculous restrictions and the message “See, we get it! Here you go!” Even if Steve Jobs got his wish, and DRM disappeared tomorrow, we’d be buying lossy files.

For me, when I buy music online from artists, I’m looking for lossless, DRM free music (like the FLAC version of The Vanity Project). I’d like to see even higher quality formats take off, which can really take advantage of the surround speakers on my computers, or a really nice set of headsets. Disk space is becoming less of an issue, and movies have much higher requirements on storage than even a surround sound audio file.

Is that too much to ask?

(Never one to pass up an opportunity to point out some good, free music… during the show, I also found a cool new music podcast, called The Plan Nine Rock Show. The host, Jasper, play mostly Punk and Rock music, and includes lots of local bands - in this case, that means Detroit. If that sounds like your thing, check it out.)

I love concerts. Who doesn’t love concerts? I don’t always love the price of admission though…and over the years I’ve grown wearier and wearier of nosebleed seats that empty my pockets.

The more I move away from what’s playing on the radio, and the more I pay attention to mixer recommendations, bands my friends mention, and the multitude of mix CDs that are a part of music festivals, trade shows, etc…the more reasonably priced the tickets become…the closer I feel to the band…

The more likely I am to spend money that actually ends up in the artist’s pocket - on tickets, tshirts, buttons, toques, etc.

Which is why I found Chris Anderson’s post today especially insightful. Well partially…

Music as a digital product enjoys near-zero costs of production and distribution–classic abundance economics. When costs are near zero, you might as well make the price zero, too, something thousands of bands have figured out.

Meanwhile, the one thing that you can’t digitize and distribute with full fidelity is a live show. That’s scarcity economics. No wonder the average price for a ticket was $61 last year, up 8%–in an era when digital products are commodities, there’s a premium on experience. No surprise that bands are increasingly giving away their recorded music as marketing for their concerts, which offer something no MP3 can match.

I agree — make the music free, charge me for the show. But then again, I don’t have enough weekends to see all the bands sitting in my music library right now…so I’d settle for just making the music reasonably priced at the moment.

From his list of top 10 grossing touring bands in 2006, I’d only really coughing up the money for Dave Matthews…beyond that, forget it. Why would I pay for a decent ticket to a Madonna concert when for the same amount of money (not to mention a more intimate experience, and just speaking for myself here but better music…, sorry Madge)…I could get myself, Wendell, and Adam in the door for a show at the Troubadour? Twice. At least.

Take today for example…

Step 1. Listen to Academik podcast.
Step 2. Rediscover Paolo Nutini.
Step 3. Visit Paolo’s website…then Myspace.
Step 4. Find out that Paolo will conveniently be playing at one of my favorite Toronto clubs while I’m back in town in a few weeks.  
Step 5. Spread my delight to five friends.

I haven’t tried Tourfilter and SonicLiving yet (which were also mentioned in Anderson’s post)…but I’m intrigued by how the podcasts, promotional downloads, Myspace streams…etc., etc….all these digital music outlets are helping me to get out of the house, into the club and in front of the band.

Fine, yeah - people aren’t going to stop paying for Madonna tickets anytime soon…But isn’t it more interesting to see more people investigate, take risks, and check out the affordable other guys/girls/groups anyway?

We’re in a giving mood lately.

If you’ve run out of gift ideas for your friends, or missed the chance to get a free MusicIP Mixer key last week, don’t worry.

The first twenty-five people who send me their mailing address an email at rachel [at] musicip [dot] com will recieve a holiday card with a Premium Key as well as as super secret music sampler available exclusively from MusicIP.

Of course, we promise that we will never use your email address or mailing address to send you email or snail mail spam. We’re just feeling all warm and fuzzy (and a little too full from the amount of chocolate floating around the office) and want to spread the wealth.

From The Wall Street Journal:

Blue Note Records and its marquee artist, jazz-pop singer Norah Jones, are selling her latest single through Yahoo Inc. as an MP3 — despite the risk that it may add to piracy problems.

The move represents a small but significant retreat from one of the central tenets of the music industry’s digital strategy. EMI Group PLC’s Blue Note and other music companies are beginning to think they will have to sell some MP3-formatted music both to satisfy customer demand and to provide access to Apple Computer Inc.’s iPod for songs that are sold by online stores other than Apple’s iTunes Store.

We’ve all been saying it, predicting it, wishing for it…but could it really be true? It is exciting — if all the little guys (i.e. the companies other than Apple) banded together and shook hands with both the major and indie labels…could they change the direction of things? Make it better for all of us out there who are frankly a bit weary of the ‘we must DRM or everyone’s going to be stealing everything‘ mentality?

Yeah, maybe. See previous post for anecdotal hope.

Anywhoo…

What caught my eye about all this excitement is that I’m intrigued at the choice of guinea pig for this li’l experiment. I was enjoying Norah Jones’s first album right around the time I got my first iPod. That was also the first time I spent an afternoon ripping CDs and enjoying them on aforementioned shiny new iPod.

I could only get 8 seconds of each song off Norah’s album…

“Hi, nice to meet you DRM, my name is Rachel…”

My first introduction to “You bought it, but it ain’t really yours.”…Obviously I’m not holding Norah personally accountable, but I do find it adds to this announcement. And I’m glad to see that the attempt to do something for Jessica Simpson’s summer album release with a similar offer didn’t quash these kinds of strides…I mean really, even a personalized free mp3 couldn’t do much for that one.

I was checkin’ into Alexa for other reasons, but glanced over and noticed eMusic quietly sitting there on the side.

116%!! Check out the traffic jump in December, compared to the last six months.

Well done, guys - and on another unrelated (well, sorta related) note, how happy was I to hear that Teitur had quietly been added to their catalog…lovin’ it.

Great gift idea…

A few weeks ago, we launched our free music feed, which contains music posted by artists which they want to share with fans. In case you’re a little intimidated by RSS feeds, you can also access these tracks inside iTunes as a podcast - it looks like this:

To get to this page either search for MusicIP inside the iTunes store, or click on this link.

If you have problems with the link, let me know - this link came straight out of the iTunes store, but it seemed to work much better on my Mac than on my Windows box, which seems a bit confused at the moment as to where iTunes lives…

As you probably could tell, we like free music. 

Purevolume’s offering a promotional sampler for a limited time –  the file is big (almost 70MB), but you can preview all the music beforehand;  it’s worth checking out.

Thanks MOKB.  

I work with smart people.

Take this example. So, I do some notes about the free music happening on our website. I write up a little blog post about it, and press the “Publish” button.

Then I remember the iTunes part, which was added an hour or so later.

THEN I go over to the desk of the guy behind it all and see this:

Well, actually what I was reeeeeally looking at was this:

Still not sure what all the fuss is about? That’s okay, I wasn’t sure either. As I peered at the stars and asked “What’s the ‘Mix’ icon doing there?“, Wendell grinned.

“Oh those? If you press it, you’ll get a mix based on that song in the mixer.”

Quick….hinge jaw back together…

“REALLY?”

Here’s what you need to do to start seein’ stars. First, purchase the premium version of the mixer (yeah, it’s 20 bucks, but after the first 20 songs become available…and there’ve been over 20 so far…it’s more than worth it without even taking into account all the other added benefits…). Next you’ll need to have a MusicIP.com account. Finally, if you’re using IE7, you’ll need to use another browser, like Firefox (it’ll be fixed soon, but right now like a lot of applications out there, this one isn’t compatible with IE7 just yet).

Once you’re all set up, here’s what you do:

1. Activate the registration key after you purchase the Premium Mixer (Under File/Enter Registration Key… enter the key)
2. Activate Power Tools under File/Preferences…/Power Tools)
3. Under the new “Power Tools” option at the top of the mixer window (it’ll only appear after you have a premium key and have activated the Power Tools), go to MIP URLs/Register Protocol
4. Sign In to your MusicIP Account and enter the same registration key on your main profile page.
5. Once the page refreshes, you’ll see a check box that looks something like this — check the box and click Update Account.

Now, go back to the Free Music page, and hit a set of stars. MusicIP Mixer will open up, and you should see a new mix of songs from your collection that sound like that MusicIP artist. How will this new song fit within your collection? Now you know!

Like I said, I work with smart people.

Along with great new music, you might need some new clothes…right?

Well, here’s a place where music and outerwear collide — Threadless.

Here’s an example:

This is a t-shirt/sweatshirt with a design called Musical Meditation. On the page for this particular t-shirt you’ll see a close-up of the design, the photo above (real people, nice!!), sizing, a rundown on shipping time, how it ranks among people who voted for it (2.70 out of 5), and…

Music.

Now, I know what you’re thinking — this is Musical Meditation, so that makes sense. BUT…this is but one example (of a shirt I like, but it’s not my favorite…they’re having a sale right now, so I’m just throwin’ you off the scent of the ones I reeeeeally want). For this shirt, Bob Nanna has written a song. He also wrote a song for Unusual Gentleman, and Goldilocks and The Three Beers. N. Carroll wrote a song inspired by Imposter, and Autopilot drew on Mummy Cool for a song of their own.

So, there’s some free music…some inspired music, as well as some amazing clothes you can’t find at your local mass produced clothing chain (no need to single anyone out here…). Not to mention you really can’t beat the service, the sweet social aspect of seeing how people are voting and what the blogs are saying about the different designs. For aspiring designers out there, you can submit your ideas and immediately get an audience who will either embrace it right away and make you some money, or give you the feedback you need to improve for next time.

But the best part? If you find a shirt you love but they’re out of stock, you can press “reprint me” like the example below shows. If enough people ask, they will reprint it and you’ll get a nice little email that says “it’s available again!”

Sweeeeeeeeet.

So go visit Threadless, enjoy the unusual pairing of music and t-shirts, take advantage of the sale (!!!), and maybe send in your own design.