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| WARNER MUSIC GROUP EXPECTS TO IMPROVE REVENUES IN Q3: When the Warner Music Group reports its financials for the three-month period ended Sept. 30, the company expects revenue to total of between $721-$741 million, an improvement over the $719 million reported in the corresponding period for the prior year. Of total revenue for the quarter, recorded music is expected to generate $598 million to $614 million up from $583 million the prior-year. Billboard.biz |
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NO SURPRISES: YOUNG CONSUMERS LEGALLY PURCHASE MORE DIGITAL MUSIC THAN ANYONE (STUDY): A preview of an upcoming study by the American Assembly at Columbia University aims to highlight a generational divide in attitudes toward sharing music — but ends up showing much more. For example, the post also examined the high rates of copying music, which the post argues “current internet-based enforcement proposals…do nothing to deter” and are likely to increase. |
CAN BEYONCE TOP MADONNA’S SUPER BOWL HALFTIME RECORD?: Now that Beyonce has been officially announced as the performer at the 2013 Super Bowl on Feb. 3, can she top Madonna’s record for most-watched U.S. telecast of all time? The Material Girl’s performance during this year’s Super Bowl reached over 116 million viewers, watched by more viewers than the game itself. Advertising and branding execs weigh in …
Billboard.biz
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APPLE IPAD MINI VS. MICROSOFT SURFACE: MUSIC TO THE EARS OF CONSUMERS AND RIGHTS HOLDERS: Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. appear poised to duke it out over the touch-screen tablet market this holiday — with the winners most likely to be consumers who will have more gadget choices than ever, as well as music rights holders whose songs will be an integral part of the new device lineup.
Billboard.biz
BEATS BY DRE ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH TRENT REZNOR, HINTS AT MOG’S FUTURE: At a press conference Tuesday, Beats by Dre principals Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre and president Luke Wood rolled out three new products, announced a partnership with Nine Inch Nails founder Trent Reznor and hinted at the future for the Mog streaming service, which it purchased earlier this year.
Billboard.biz
CHINA’S BAIDU MOVING AWAY FROM MP3 DOWNLOADS TO LEGIT MUSIC STREAMING: Chinese search engine Baidu is rebranding its music initiatives, moving to drop the MP3 Search name for its musical Web portal and fold it into its recently rebranded Baidu Music product. Moving away from the MP3 name should help Baidu cast off its former reputation for copyright violations, and move forward with its legal streaming service.
The Next Web
SMARTPHONES: OVER 1 BILLION TO BE SERVED: Strategy Analytics says that Q3 will be the quarter we hit a major milestone: there are now more than 1 billion smartphones in use worldwide – 1.038 billion, to be exact. It’s taken 16 years to pass 1 billion, but the analysts believe it will only take three years for the next billion smartphone users to come on board.
TechCrunch
INTERSCOPE GEFFEN A&M DEBUTS NEW WEBSITE: Interscope Geffen A&M has unveiled its re-imagining of the concept of a traditional record label website. Using real-time social technologies from Echo and Arktan, Interscope is trying to create a more immersive experience rooted in the social activities of its artists. The new site provides fans with a music resource attempting to foster deeper engagement.
Hits Daily Double
CMJ: IT BEGINS. BRACE YOURSELVES: The grass-roots music business spills out onto the streets of NYC this week with the 31st annual CMJ Music Marathon. From Tuesday through the wee hours of Sunday morning, it brings 1,300 acts – bands, rappers, songwriters, laptoppers and no doubt some ukulele players – in search of attention and its dividends.
New York Times
