The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens Of The Stone Age and T.I. will play free shows Monday (Nov. 13) to celebrate the launch of Microsoft’s new Zune digital audio player. The Peppers will play in Los Angeles, while QOTSA will perform in New York and T.I. will appear in Atlanta. Venues will be announced on Monday by local blogs and media.
In addition, Lupe Fiasco will play at 401 Michigan Ave. in Chicago, while Secret Machines will play at Seattle’s West Lake Plaza. The Morgan Heritage Band and Richie Spice are booked for a Zune gig in Miami.
Yesterday, Microsoft agreed to share revenue from Zune sales with record labels and artists. Forcing the issue was Universal Music Group, which at deadline is the only label named in the program. UMG refused to license its music to the Zune unless it could receive a percentage of each device sold, in addition to standard music licensing fees for downloads and subscriptions.
“These devices are just repositories for stolen music, and they all know it,” UMG chairman/CEO Doug Morris says. “So it’s time to get paid for it.”
Microsoft is working with all major and independent labels to establish similar revenue-sharing agreements. According to published reports, UMG is expected to receive more than $1 for each $250 device and sources at UMG have confirmed that half of all the proceeds from the device’s sales will be shared equally among all its artists.
