Katie Weise
Time Line of Music Video Game Releases
2005:
Guitar Hero
2006:
Guitar Hero 2
2007:
Guitar Hero 3, Rock Band, Guitar Hero Encore Rocks the 80s, Guitar Hero Carabiner, Guitar Hero 3 Mobile
2008:
Guitar Hero World Tour, Guitar Hero: Aero Smith, Guitar Hero: On Tour, Guitar Hero: On Tour: Decades, Guitar Hero 3 Backstage Pass, Guitar Hero World Tour Mobile, Rock Band 2, Rock Band Track Packs: Vol.1, ACDC Live, Vol.2
2009:
Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Guitar Hero Smash Hits, Guitar Hero: Van Halen, Band Hero, DJ Hero, Guitar Hero on Tour: Modern Hits, Guitar Hero 5 Mobile, Guitar Hero Arcade, The Beatles: Rock Band, Rock Band Unplugged, Rock Band Mobile, Lego Rock Band, Rock Band Track Packs: Classic Rock, Country, Metal.
Showing posts with label Technology- music industry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology- music industry. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
DJ Hero Scratches into the Spotlight
Katie Weise
A family plays Rock Band with all the different instruments in their house.
Guitar Hero developed and is set to release it's expansion.
The release of Guitar Hero four years ago spawned a new era in the gaming world. From Rock Band to DJ Hero, interactive video games that allow players to shred on the electric guitar, bang on the drums, or belt out a killer solo have taken over the youth of America.
DJ Hero, a music video game that is an expansion of Guitar Hero is set to be released on Oct. 27. To score points, the player has to "scratch" the turntable on the in time to marks that scroll on the screen. It features some DJs such as the late DJ AM, DJ Shadow, and Daft Punk.
“It’s kind of funny how the gaming trend is starting to follow the ‘hip’ music scene,” said Ross Bennett, a public relations major and music minor, “Who ever thought Daft Punk would be on a video game?”
The release of Guitar Hero four years ago spawned a new era in the gaming world. From Rock Band to DJ Hero, interactive video games that allow players to shred on the electric guitar, bang on the drums, or belt out a killer solo have taken over the youth of America.
DJ Hero, a music video game that is an expansion of Guitar Hero is set to be released on Oct. 27. To score points, the player has to "scratch" the turntable on the in time to marks that scroll on the screen. It features some DJs such as the late DJ AM, DJ Shadow, and Daft Punk.
“It’s kind of funny how the gaming trend is starting to follow the ‘hip’ music scene,” said Ross Bennett, a public relations major and music minor, “Who ever thought Daft Punk would be on a video game?”
Bennett has played guitar for over seven years, along with piano for a year and half. He is the keyboardist in a regional “dance-punk” band called Zlam Dunk.
“DJ Hero doesn't look like it is anything similar to DJ'ing though,” he said. “Probably as similar as the guitar is to real guitar playing.”
The turntable controller includes a rotatable turntable, three “stream” buttons, a crossfader, effects dial and Euphoria button. Euphoria is the Guitar Hero equivalent of Star Power, an effect that gives the player extra points for not missing any notes.
“DJ Hero doesn't look like it is anything similar to DJ'ing though,” he said. “Probably as similar as the guitar is to real guitar playing.”
The turntable controller includes a rotatable turntable, three “stream” buttons, a crossfader, effects dial and Euphoria button. Euphoria is the Guitar Hero equivalent of Star Power, an effect that gives the player extra points for not missing any notes.
DJ Hero includes mixes by artists Black Eyed Peas, Justice, M.I.A., Beastie Boys and Gwen Stefani.
Dr. Casey O’Donnell, assistant professor at UGA with a specialization in the analysis of videogames, videogame technologies, videogame development production practices, pitch a similar game idea to Sony in 2004. His goal for “Virtual DJ” was to get inner city kids interested in math, but the company wasn’t interested.
“Really good games get put on the self for years,” he said. “Scratching is cool, but the downside is they are milking the ‘Hero’ platform.”
Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero’s originator, was released without much attention on Sept. 1. Even though it has new features, The Beatles: Rock Band stole the stage. Bands composed of any combination of available instruments, a Rockfest competitive mode consisting of several various scoring mechanisms, and both song-specific and general Challenges to unlock new avatars, clothing and other extras in the game were no match for the 1960s pop sensation.
The Beatles: Rock Band was released Sept. 9 and was the third in the series of Rock Band. Rock Band, a music video game that includes guitar, bass, drums and microphone, introduced the multi-instrument version of the game, along with downloadable tracks in 2007.
Dr. Casey O’Donnell, assistant professor at UGA with a specialization in the analysis of videogames, videogame technologies, videogame development production practices, pitch a similar game idea to Sony in 2004. His goal for “Virtual DJ” was to get inner city kids interested in math, but the company wasn’t interested.
“Really good games get put on the self for years,” he said. “Scratching is cool, but the downside is they are milking the ‘Hero’ platform.”
Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero’s originator, was released without much attention on Sept. 1. Even though it has new features, The Beatles: Rock Band stole the stage. Bands composed of any combination of available instruments, a Rockfest competitive mode consisting of several various scoring mechanisms, and both song-specific and general Challenges to unlock new avatars, clothing and other extras in the game were no match for the 1960s pop sensation.
The Beatles: Rock Band was released Sept. 9 and was the third in the series of Rock Band. Rock Band, a music video game that includes guitar, bass, drums and microphone, introduced the multi-instrument version of the game, along with downloadable tracks in 2007.
Rock Band 2 followed shortly after while Guitar Hero released two more guitar games. Soon, Guitar Hero released Guitar Hero: World Tour in 2008, including the multi-instrument settings.
“People associate themselves with guitar hero or rock band,” said Andy Slagle, a business management major at UGA. “It's sort of like Coke and Pepsi.”
With the new features in these games of creating your own songs to play on the game, the question of what the technology is doing to the art of creating comes up.
“How can you create a song with five buttons on a fake instrument?” said Bennett.
O’Donnell, who worked on developing Guitar Hero 2 and the subsequent Guitar Hero games, said that the music isn’t the only part of the game that is art.
“It is a non-trivial task taking music and making it into something playable on Rock Band,” he said.
Originality has recently caused a riff between some artists and the video games. Courtney Love and Dave Grohl expressed anger and disappointment when they found out Kurt Cobain’s character could be unlocked to sing on others other than Nirvana’s. On the new Rock Band, Ringo is shown playing drums on a song when it was actually another Beatles’ member life also bothered Beatles fans.
“You can’t expect these games to be perfect,” said Taylor Adams, a marketing major at UGA. “They are not a replica of real life, they are games.”
Sources:
Taylor Adams
Casey O’Donnell
Andy Slagle
“People associate themselves with guitar hero or rock band,” said Andy Slagle, a business management major at UGA. “It's sort of like Coke and Pepsi.”
With the new features in these games of creating your own songs to play on the game, the question of what the technology is doing to the art of creating comes up.
“How can you create a song with five buttons on a fake instrument?” said Bennett.
O’Donnell, who worked on developing Guitar Hero 2 and the subsequent Guitar Hero games, said that the music isn’t the only part of the game that is art.
“It is a non-trivial task taking music and making it into something playable on Rock Band,” he said.
Originality has recently caused a riff between some artists and the video games. Courtney Love and Dave Grohl expressed anger and disappointment when they found out Kurt Cobain’s character could be unlocked to sing on others other than Nirvana’s. On the new Rock Band, Ringo is shown playing drums on a song when it was actually another Beatles’ member life also bothered Beatles fans.
“You can’t expect these games to be perfect,” said Taylor Adams, a marketing major at UGA. “They are not a replica of real life, they are games.”
Sources:
Taylor Adams
Casey O’Donnell
Andy Slagle
Ross Bennett
DJ Hero is set to be released Oct. 27
Zlam Dunk plays a show in Austin, Texas.
A family plays Rock Band with all the different instruments in their house.
2nd draft-katie weise
The release of Guitar Hero in 2005 has spawned a new era in the gaming world. From Rock Band to DJ Hero, interactive video games that allow players to shred on the electric guitar, bang on the drums, or belt out a killer solo have taken over the youth of America.
DJ Hero, a music video game that is an expansion of Guitar Hero is set to be released on Oct. 27. To score points, the player has to "scratch" the turntable on the in time to marks that scroll on the screen. It features some DJs such as DJ AM, DJ Shadow, and Daft Punk.
“It’s kind of funny how the gaming trend is starting to follow the ‘hip’ music scene,” said Ross Bennett, public relations major and music minor, “Who ever thought Daft Punk would be on a video game?”
Bennett has played guitar for over seven years, along with piano for a year and half. He is the keyboardist in a regional “dance-punk” band called Zlam Dunk.
“DJ Hero doesn't look like it is anything similar to DJ'ing though,” he said. “Probably as similar as the guitar is to real guitar playing.”
The turntable controller includes a rotatable turntable, three “stream” buttons, a crossfader, effects dial and Euphoria button. Euphoria is the Guitar Hero equivalent of Star Power, an effect that gives the player extra points for not missing any notes.
DJ Hero includes mixes by artists Black Eyed Peas, Justice, M.I.A., Beastie Boys and Gwen Stefani.
Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero’s originator, was released without much attention on Sept. 1. Even though it has new features, The Beatles: Rock Band stole the stage. Bands composed of any combination of available instruments, a Rockfest competitive mode consisting of several various scoring mechanisms, and both song-specific and general Challenges to unlock new avatars, clothing and other extras in the game were no match for the 1960s pop sensation.
The Beatles: Rock Band was released Sept. 9 and was the third in the series of Rock Band. Rock Band, a music video game that includes guitar, bass, drums and microphone, introduced the multi-instrument version of the game, along with downloadable tracks in 2007. Rock Band 2 followed shortly after while Guitar Hero released two more guitar games. Soon, Guitar Hero released Guitar Hero: World Tour in 2008, including the multi-instrument settings.
“People associate themselves with guitar hero or rock band,” said Andy Slagle, business management major. “It's sort of like Coke and Pepsi.”
With the new features in these games of creating your own songs to play on the game, the question of what the technology is doing to the art of creating comes up.
“The fear of loss of originality only reminds us that something new has to come,” said Daniel Vega, Sound Recording Technology major at Texas State University.
Bennett agrees, “How can you create a song with five buttons on a fake instrument?”
Originality has recently caused a riff between some artists and the video games. Courtney Love and Dave Grohl expressed anger and disappointment when they found out Kurt Cobain’s character could be unlocked to sing on others other than Nirvana’s. On the new Rock Band, Ringo is shown playing drums on a song when it was actually another Beatles’ member life also bothered Beatles fans.
“You can’t expect these games to be perfect,” said Taylor Adams, marketing major. “They are not a replica of real life, they are games.”
DJ Hero, a music video game that is an expansion of Guitar Hero is set to be released on Oct. 27. To score points, the player has to "scratch" the turntable on the in time to marks that scroll on the screen. It features some DJs such as DJ AM, DJ Shadow, and Daft Punk.
“It’s kind of funny how the gaming trend is starting to follow the ‘hip’ music scene,” said Ross Bennett, public relations major and music minor, “Who ever thought Daft Punk would be on a video game?”
Bennett has played guitar for over seven years, along with piano for a year and half. He is the keyboardist in a regional “dance-punk” band called Zlam Dunk.
“DJ Hero doesn't look like it is anything similar to DJ'ing though,” he said. “Probably as similar as the guitar is to real guitar playing.”
The turntable controller includes a rotatable turntable, three “stream” buttons, a crossfader, effects dial and Euphoria button. Euphoria is the Guitar Hero equivalent of Star Power, an effect that gives the player extra points for not missing any notes.
DJ Hero includes mixes by artists Black Eyed Peas, Justice, M.I.A., Beastie Boys and Gwen Stefani.
Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero’s originator, was released without much attention on Sept. 1. Even though it has new features, The Beatles: Rock Band stole the stage. Bands composed of any combination of available instruments, a Rockfest competitive mode consisting of several various scoring mechanisms, and both song-specific and general Challenges to unlock new avatars, clothing and other extras in the game were no match for the 1960s pop sensation.
The Beatles: Rock Band was released Sept. 9 and was the third in the series of Rock Band. Rock Band, a music video game that includes guitar, bass, drums and microphone, introduced the multi-instrument version of the game, along with downloadable tracks in 2007. Rock Band 2 followed shortly after while Guitar Hero released two more guitar games. Soon, Guitar Hero released Guitar Hero: World Tour in 2008, including the multi-instrument settings.
“People associate themselves with guitar hero or rock band,” said Andy Slagle, business management major. “It's sort of like Coke and Pepsi.”
With the new features in these games of creating your own songs to play on the game, the question of what the technology is doing to the art of creating comes up.
“The fear of loss of originality only reminds us that something new has to come,” said Daniel Vega, Sound Recording Technology major at Texas State University.
Bennett agrees, “How can you create a song with five buttons on a fake instrument?”
Originality has recently caused a riff between some artists and the video games. Courtney Love and Dave Grohl expressed anger and disappointment when they found out Kurt Cobain’s character could be unlocked to sing on others other than Nirvana’s. On the new Rock Band, Ringo is shown playing drums on a song when it was actually another Beatles’ member life also bothered Beatles fans.
“You can’t expect these games to be perfect,” said Taylor Adams, marketing major. “They are not a replica of real life, they are games.”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Live Nation Entertainment: The Emerging Giant
Live Nation Entertainment: The Emerging Giant
By Blakeney Spong
ATHENS, Ga. - What do you get when you combine the nation’s largest ticketing company with the nation’s biggest concert promoter? Answer: the Loch Ness monster of the music industry, not to mention a magnet for anti-trust legislation and a horde of consumer complaints.
In February of 2009, Live Nation and Ticketmaster began negotiations for a merger between the two giants, essentially creating one monster company called Live Nation Entertainment that combined their ticketing, marketing, data centers and back-offices, according to their press release.
“The companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals with a combined enterprise of $2.5 billion…Live Nation and Ticketmaster shareholders will each own approximately 50 percent of the combined company,” the press release read.
The clear problem with this merger is the monopoly it has forced on the music industry and on concert-goers and music fans. Ticketmaster was, by far, the most successful and well-known ticketing service in the country. Live Nation initially began as a company intent on providing consumers with an alternative, thereby generating competition in the market.
Live Nation seemed to be the company for the job, forcing Ticketmaster to perform at a higher level and prove itself to consumers. Live Nation quickly grew to be the nation’s largest concert promoter, owner of dozens of amphitheaters (including the House of Blues on a smaller ownership scale) and has made over 360 deals with major artists like Madonna, Shakira and Jay-Z. In addition, Live Nation was in charge of 161 of the 200 tours in 2001, according to Billboard magazine.
However, Ticketmaster re-established itself as the premiere ticketing service when it announced a plan to buy a majority of Front Line Management in October 2008. Front Line Management was one of the most powerful management companies in the world, according to Billboard magazine, and boasting touring acts such as the Eagles, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffet and Christina Aguilera.
Though Ticketmaster seemed to be on top again, two major ticket debacles (one involving Bruce Springsteen and Ticketmaster, the other involving Live Nation and Phish) produced major disappointment by consumers in both companies and drove down shareholder investments. Shortly thereafter, discussions of a merger between the two companies began to circulate.
“It’s never a good thing when there’s a monopoly in any field. When there’s no competition, they can do whatever they want,” said Savannah Weeks, a 21-year-old Music Business student.
Weeks isn’t the only one with these same concerns. Senator Herb Kohl of Washington commented on the merger after it was announced.
“What does Live Nation’s decision to merge with its competitor rather than fight in the market tell us about the company’s ability to compete with Ticketmaster? If Live Nation can’t compete, who can?” said the Senator.
Bruce Springsteen also expressed his opinion about the merger in a letter on his Web site after the Ticketmaster disaster related to Springsteen’s Working on a Dream tour.
“The only thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing,” Springsteen wrote.
Not everyone has jumped on the bandwagon of disgust over the merger, however.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. The two companies are good at what they do, and from a business standpoint, the merger makes sense,” said Dustin Barrett, a 21-year-old Finance major. “Merger or not, I wouldn’t have been buying tickets anywhere else. All I’m saying is for me, it didn’t change anything.”
Artists in favor of the merger include Seal, Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen and Shakira (not a huge shocker considering her $70 million deal with Live Nation).
“Anything that can strengthen the link between music creators and music lovers has my support,” said Seal in a Rolling Stone interview, who has no stake in either company. “I believe the combined company will achieve that by aligning resources, talent and services.”
Live Nation Chief Executive Michael Rapino and Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff believe the merger “will help save jobs in the beleaguered music industry by forming a strong American company that can fend off foreign takeover threats.”
While this may be true, the central argument for opponents of the merger stand by the fact that concert-goers have no choice but to pay the prices and fees set forth by Live Nation Entertainment to see their favorite musicians. They have no legitimate alternative to turn to if they are unsatisfied with or overcharged by this ticketing conglomerate.
“I wanted to go to the Coldplay show this summer, but the tickets were $30, a $20 parking fee, a $13 convenience charge and there may have been another venue fee. I just couldn’t afford it,” said Weeks. “I feel like the real victim is unfortunately the music fan.”
The outcome of anti-trust legislation has yet to be determined, but you can bet the battle will be fierce.
“If nothing else, this controversy demonstrates another ailment of the music industry as the Internet and changing technology have taken over and transformed our daily lives,” said Haley Walker, a 21-year-old International Business major.
By Blakeney Spong
ATHENS, Ga. - What do you get when you combine the nation’s largest ticketing company with the nation’s biggest concert promoter? Answer: the Loch Ness monster of the music industry, not to mention a magnet for anti-trust legislation and a horde of consumer complaints.
In February of 2009, Live Nation and Ticketmaster began negotiations for a merger between the two giants, essentially creating one monster company called Live Nation Entertainment that combined their ticketing, marketing, data centers and back-offices, according to their press release.
“The companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals with a combined enterprise of $2.5 billion…Live Nation and Ticketmaster shareholders will each own approximately 50 percent of the combined company,” the press release read.
The clear problem with this merger is the monopoly it has forced on the music industry and on concert-goers and music fans. Ticketmaster was, by far, the most successful and well-known ticketing service in the country. Live Nation initially began as a company intent on providing consumers with an alternative, thereby generating competition in the market.
Live Nation seemed to be the company for the job, forcing Ticketmaster to perform at a higher level and prove itself to consumers. Live Nation quickly grew to be the nation’s largest concert promoter, owner of dozens of amphitheaters (including the House of Blues on a smaller ownership scale) and has made over 360 deals with major artists like Madonna, Shakira and Jay-Z. In addition, Live Nation was in charge of 161 of the 200 tours in 2001, according to Billboard magazine.
However, Ticketmaster re-established itself as the premiere ticketing service when it announced a plan to buy a majority of Front Line Management in October 2008. Front Line Management was one of the most powerful management companies in the world, according to Billboard magazine, and boasting touring acts such as the Eagles, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffet and Christina Aguilera.
Though Ticketmaster seemed to be on top again, two major ticket debacles (one involving Bruce Springsteen and Ticketmaster, the other involving Live Nation and Phish) produced major disappointment by consumers in both companies and drove down shareholder investments. Shortly thereafter, discussions of a merger between the two companies began to circulate.
“It’s never a good thing when there’s a monopoly in any field. When there’s no competition, they can do whatever they want,” said Savannah Weeks, a 21-year-old Music Business student.
Weeks isn’t the only one with these same concerns. Senator Herb Kohl of Washington commented on the merger after it was announced.
“What does Live Nation’s decision to merge with its competitor rather than fight in the market tell us about the company’s ability to compete with Ticketmaster? If Live Nation can’t compete, who can?” said the Senator.
Bruce Springsteen also expressed his opinion about the merger in a letter on his Web site after the Ticketmaster disaster related to Springsteen’s Working on a Dream tour.
“The only thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing,” Springsteen wrote.
Not everyone has jumped on the bandwagon of disgust over the merger, however.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. The two companies are good at what they do, and from a business standpoint, the merger makes sense,” said Dustin Barrett, a 21-year-old Finance major. “Merger or not, I wouldn’t have been buying tickets anywhere else. All I’m saying is for me, it didn’t change anything.”
Artists in favor of the merger include Seal, Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen and Shakira (not a huge shocker considering her $70 million deal with Live Nation).
“Anything that can strengthen the link between music creators and music lovers has my support,” said Seal in a Rolling Stone interview, who has no stake in either company. “I believe the combined company will achieve that by aligning resources, talent and services.”
Live Nation Chief Executive Michael Rapino and Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff believe the merger “will help save jobs in the beleaguered music industry by forming a strong American company that can fend off foreign takeover threats.”
While this may be true, the central argument for opponents of the merger stand by the fact that concert-goers have no choice but to pay the prices and fees set forth by Live Nation Entertainment to see their favorite musicians. They have no legitimate alternative to turn to if they are unsatisfied with or overcharged by this ticketing conglomerate.
“I wanted to go to the Coldplay show this summer, but the tickets were $30, a $20 parking fee, a $13 convenience charge and there may have been another venue fee. I just couldn’t afford it,” said Weeks. “I feel like the real victim is unfortunately the music fan.”
The outcome of anti-trust legislation has yet to be determined, but you can bet the battle will be fierce.
“If nothing else, this controversy demonstrates another ailment of the music industry as the Internet and changing technology have taken over and transformed our daily lives,” said Haley Walker, a 21-year-old International Business major.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Social Networks Make Friends out of Followers
Revised from 9/15
Sydney Slotkin
ATHENS, Ga. - Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are increasing in popularity with musicians looking for a free and easy way to promote themselves. Twitter updates provide up-to-the-minute information about performances and Tumblr, a blogging community, allows fans to get a more intimate view of the lives of their favorite musicians via pictures and personal updates. Musicians can be personalities made accessible by the hyper-interaction of social networking sites.
Allison Weiss of Athens, Ga. uses more than ten social networking sites and music-sharing websites to promote herself as a solo musician. She maintains lively Twitter and Tumblr accounts that fans can follow and stay updated on her album releases as well as her personal experiences.
“[Social networks] are great tools because they allow me to directly interact with fans of my music,” said Weiss. “I think of myself as more than just music. I’m kind of my own brand.”
With over 2,000 followers on Twitter and Tumblr, Weiss says that her presence on the Internet is the main reason why she has acquired so many fans.
“If it weren't for MySpace and YouTube and Twitter and all that, nobody would know who I am,” said Weiss. “”I recently went to Los Angeles and played a show in a coffee shop, and there were probably 30-40 people there, even though it was my first time. I consider that a pretty awesome turnout. The majority of them said they had found me on social networking sites.”
Gerry Green, a solo performer from San Diego, Ca. plays about one show a month in Athens and makes a Facebook event for each formal show.
“I always see people who were confirmed on the event at my show,” said Green. “It doesn’t take much work and it’s an easy way to get people versus word of mouth.”
With relatively easy access to their fan bases, musicians can engage in a more give-and-take relationship with their fans, creating a more personalized experience for both listener and musician.
“I format my promotion efforts based on what I see people saying and doing. For instance, instead of just hoping people will like a t-shirt, I can ask them directly,” said Weiss.
Julian Dorio, drummer for Athens, Ga. band The Whigs favors posting music to MySpace because of the ease with which listeners can try out music before purchasing.
“For better or worse, it gives everyone a chance to be heard. Whether you are the biggest band in the world or completely unknown, you can have a Myspace page for people to listen to decide themselves,” said Dorio.
Recently, Weiss joined Livestream.com, a website similar to Youtube, but with the capacity to stream live content to viewers.
“A couple weekends ago I did a marathon show where I played for 4.5 hours, and I had about 150 people watching it the whole time,” said Weiss. “It was amazing. There were people from the UK, Australia, Germany... all over the place, really.”
Becoming “friends” with a musician on a social networking site may not be just a misnomer for being a fan.
“It's kind of mind blowing to know that I've got fans across the globe, and it's only because I'm really good at the internet," said Weiss. “Well, I mean, I guess they like my music too. Hah.”
Editor: Patrick Hooper
Sydney Slotkin
ATHENS, Ga. - Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are increasing in popularity with musicians looking for a free and easy way to promote themselves. Twitter updates provide up-to-the-minute information about performances and Tumblr, a blogging community, allows fans to get a more intimate view of the lives of their favorite musicians via pictures and personal updates. Musicians can be personalities made accessible by the hyper-interaction of social networking sites.
Allison Weiss of Athens, Ga. uses more than ten social networking sites and music-sharing websites to promote herself as a solo musician. She maintains lively Twitter and Tumblr accounts that fans can follow and stay updated on her album releases as well as her personal experiences.
“[Social networks] are great tools because they allow me to directly interact with fans of my music,” said Weiss. “I think of myself as more than just music. I’m kind of my own brand.”
With over 2,000 followers on Twitter and Tumblr, Weiss says that her presence on the Internet is the main reason why she has acquired so many fans.
“If it weren't for MySpace and YouTube and Twitter and all that, nobody would know who I am,” said Weiss. “”I recently went to Los Angeles and played a show in a coffee shop, and there were probably 30-40 people there, even though it was my first time. I consider that a pretty awesome turnout. The majority of them said they had found me on social networking sites.”
Gerry Green, a solo performer from San Diego, Ca. plays about one show a month in Athens and makes a Facebook event for each formal show.
“I always see people who were confirmed on the event at my show,” said Green. “It doesn’t take much work and it’s an easy way to get people versus word of mouth.”
With relatively easy access to their fan bases, musicians can engage in a more give-and-take relationship with their fans, creating a more personalized experience for both listener and musician.
“I format my promotion efforts based on what I see people saying and doing. For instance, instead of just hoping people will like a t-shirt, I can ask them directly,” said Weiss.
Julian Dorio, drummer for Athens, Ga. band The Whigs favors posting music to MySpace because of the ease with which listeners can try out music before purchasing.
“For better or worse, it gives everyone a chance to be heard. Whether you are the biggest band in the world or completely unknown, you can have a Myspace page for people to listen to decide themselves,” said Dorio.
Recently, Weiss joined Livestream.com, a website similar to Youtube, but with the capacity to stream live content to viewers.
“A couple weekends ago I did a marathon show where I played for 4.5 hours, and I had about 150 people watching it the whole time,” said Weiss. “It was amazing. There were people from the UK, Australia, Germany... all over the place, really.”
Becoming “friends” with a musician on a social networking site may not be just a misnomer for being a fan.
“It's kind of mind blowing to know that I've got fans across the globe, and it's only because I'm really good at the internet," said Weiss. “Well, I mean, I guess they like my music too. Hah.”
Editor: Patrick Hooper
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Spotify Taking Over the World of Online Music
ATHENS, Ga.-There’s no doubt that the rise of the Internet over the past decade has changed the face of American culture. While this change has created quite a stir, adaption to this new medium by many industries has not always been easy. Many sectors have found the transition bumpy and uncertain. The music business has been no exception.
Since the launch of iTunes in 2003, the online music store has been responsible for 70 percent of all online music sales, including over 6 billion songs in its six years of operation. iTunes responded to the movement of music consumers buying single tracks instead of whole CD’s.
However successful iTunes has been, it hasn’t been able to replace the importance and allure of a free product (especially when they recently increased their price from $.99 to $1.29 per song). From Ruckus to Pandora, free music services have popped up all over the nation trying to bridge the gap between music consumers and they way they purchase their music. The problem seems to be that not everyone wants to buy music online. Plenty of people are fine “renting,” or streaming music on their computers, especially when that music is free.
“Having music on my iPod or in my car is great, but what’s even better than that is having unlimited access to music that’s free,” said Lewis Brown, a Marketing major from Nashville, Tenn.
Spotify was founded in Stockholm in 2006 and launched in the UK in 2008. This online “radio station” provides a free service with a 6 million track catalogue and as of March 2009, a clientele of over 1 million members.
Members who use Spotify for free can instantly access any song in the catalogue and create/share playlists with other Spotify users. Members are only subject to minimal amounts of advertising; however, a premium subscription is available for a fee. This level of membership allows users full access to the catalogue ad-free as well as higher sound quality, travel access and exclusive offers (i.e. concert ticket lotteries, pre-releases to albums and VIP competitions).
Another recent addition to having a premium membership is the ability to have Spotify on a mobile device like an iPhone or Google’s Android software. Apple approved a free iPhone application for Spotify which allows premium users only to search for new music, temporarily store playlists when no connection is available and stream playlists.
Although Apple’s approval of the application may seem unexpected, iTunes and Spotify are not in direct competition with each other. The partnership will be a huge asset to Spotify as far as giving consumers an incentive to buy a premium membership instead of using the Spotify for free. While the benefits for Spotify may be easily understood, the motivations for Apple’s support are a little unclear.
“Spotify has got so much buzz right now that it may be the next big thing, like Twitter and Facebook. It’s worked in Europe and now it’s coming over here and I’d be willing to bet that they [Apple] got a piece of it. They see the writing on the wall. They’re in the business of selling iPhones. iTunes is a big part of their revenue, but they sell iPhones,” said Bruce Burch, director of the University of Georgia’s Music Business Program.
Another development from Spotify is that the Web Site now sells MP3 downloads in addition to allowing users to just play songs. Currently Spotify links users to songs or albums from 7Digital (an online music store based out of London). However, Spotify is also affiliating with Amazon and iTunes.
In addition to creating headway for the music industry as an acceptable business model for the future, Spotify is also opening new roads for the promotion side of the music business. Spotify allows unsigned artists to upload their music on the Web Site for other music lovers to hear through sites like www.dittomusic.com and Record Union. Through Spotify, unknown artists can publicize themselves getting their music straight to listeners.
“I’ve talked to radio stations in Atlanta before and they won’t play your music unless your signed or on the top 50 on the charts. I would use it [Spotify] because any way to get your music out there when you’re unsigned is good because you need the publicity,” said Tanna Key, a 15-year-old aspiring musician from Roma, Ga.
The idea of a free music service providing consumers with new music that would ordinarily be inaccessible combined with the explosion of social media techniques for unknown artists has the potential to create a massive shift in the music industry.
Although Spotify is not yet available in the United States, it is expected to launch here by the end of the year and join countries like the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain in spreading the word.
Currently, Spotify is facing licensing restrictions in the U.S. which has been impeding their launch. According to Burch, these restrictions probably have to do with getting record labels on board.
“Getting a major record label to sign on is difficult because everybody wants to wait and make sure it’s going to work,” Burch said.
The hype about Spotify is definitely generating a lot of interest in the United States, especially with recent display of support from Apple. It shouldn’t be long until Spotify moves from Europe and begins alerting music consumers in America to a new online alternative.
Since the launch of iTunes in 2003, the online music store has been responsible for 70 percent of all online music sales, including over 6 billion songs in its six years of operation. iTunes responded to the movement of music consumers buying single tracks instead of whole CD’s.
However successful iTunes has been, it hasn’t been able to replace the importance and allure of a free product (especially when they recently increased their price from $.99 to $1.29 per song). From Ruckus to Pandora, free music services have popped up all over the nation trying to bridge the gap between music consumers and they way they purchase their music. The problem seems to be that not everyone wants to buy music online. Plenty of people are fine “renting,” or streaming music on their computers, especially when that music is free.
“Having music on my iPod or in my car is great, but what’s even better than that is having unlimited access to music that’s free,” said Lewis Brown, a Marketing major from Nashville, Tenn.
Spotify was founded in Stockholm in 2006 and launched in the UK in 2008. This online “radio station” provides a free service with a 6 million track catalogue and as of March 2009, a clientele of over 1 million members.
Members who use Spotify for free can instantly access any song in the catalogue and create/share playlists with other Spotify users. Members are only subject to minimal amounts of advertising; however, a premium subscription is available for a fee. This level of membership allows users full access to the catalogue ad-free as well as higher sound quality, travel access and exclusive offers (i.e. concert ticket lotteries, pre-releases to albums and VIP competitions).
Another recent addition to having a premium membership is the ability to have Spotify on a mobile device like an iPhone or Google’s Android software. Apple approved a free iPhone application for Spotify which allows premium users only to search for new music, temporarily store playlists when no connection is available and stream playlists.
Although Apple’s approval of the application may seem unexpected, iTunes and Spotify are not in direct competition with each other. The partnership will be a huge asset to Spotify as far as giving consumers an incentive to buy a premium membership instead of using the Spotify for free. While the benefits for Spotify may be easily understood, the motivations for Apple’s support are a little unclear.
“Spotify has got so much buzz right now that it may be the next big thing, like Twitter and Facebook. It’s worked in Europe and now it’s coming over here and I’d be willing to bet that they [Apple] got a piece of it. They see the writing on the wall. They’re in the business of selling iPhones. iTunes is a big part of their revenue, but they sell iPhones,” said Bruce Burch, director of the University of Georgia’s Music Business Program.
Another development from Spotify is that the Web Site now sells MP3 downloads in addition to allowing users to just play songs. Currently Spotify links users to songs or albums from 7Digital (an online music store based out of London). However, Spotify is also affiliating with Amazon and iTunes.
In addition to creating headway for the music industry as an acceptable business model for the future, Spotify is also opening new roads for the promotion side of the music business. Spotify allows unsigned artists to upload their music on the Web Site for other music lovers to hear through sites like www.dittomusic.com and Record Union. Through Spotify, unknown artists can publicize themselves getting their music straight to listeners.
“I’ve talked to radio stations in Atlanta before and they won’t play your music unless your signed or on the top 50 on the charts. I would use it [Spotify] because any way to get your music out there when you’re unsigned is good because you need the publicity,” said Tanna Key, a 15-year-old aspiring musician from Roma, Ga.
The idea of a free music service providing consumers with new music that would ordinarily be inaccessible combined with the explosion of social media techniques for unknown artists has the potential to create a massive shift in the music industry.
Although Spotify is not yet available in the United States, it is expected to launch here by the end of the year and join countries like the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain in spreading the word.
Currently, Spotify is facing licensing restrictions in the U.S. which has been impeding their launch. According to Burch, these restrictions probably have to do with getting record labels on board.
“Getting a major record label to sign on is difficult because everybody wants to wait and make sure it’s going to work,” Burch said.
The hype about Spotify is definitely generating a lot of interest in the United States, especially with recent display of support from Apple. It shouldn’t be long until Spotify moves from Europe and begins alerting music consumers in America to a new online alternative.
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