In Songwriting News: Should music be free?!!!!!!

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From billboard.biz:

EMI Confirms Up To 2,000 Job Cuts January 15, 2008 - Global
By Andre Paine, LondonEMI confirmed today that it will cut up to 2,000 jobs worldwide in its Recorded Music division as part of a major restructuring of the company.The new private equity owners Terra Firma say the cuts will save up to £200 million ($392.2 million) a year and will enable the group to become the world's "world's most innovative, artist-friendly and consumer-focused music company." The changes include a focus on A&R and encouraging new revenue streams from digital services and corporate sponsorship.EMI Group chairman Guy Hands is today announcing the reshaping of the company -- home to Coldplay, Kylie Minogue and Norah Jones -- in a series of presentations to staff, artists and managers. The group says the changes will be implemented over six months and are intended to enable it to invest more in A&R operations, in order to sign strong new artists and maximise the potential of the existing roster of acts.In addition to the repositioning of the labels to make them completely focused on A&R, the changes also include developing a new partnership with artists "based on transparency and trust" that will help them monetize "the value of their work by opening new income streams such as enhanced digital services and corporate sponsorship arrangements."Other plans for the restructuring include bringing together key support activities including sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution into a single division with a unified global leadership. Hands also announced his intention to eliminate significant duplications within the group to simplify processes and reduce waste.EMI says the changes reflect the rapidly-changing nature of the music industry and the restructuring follows an "intense" three month consulation review of the business by Terra Firma, following its acquisition of EMI for £3.2 billion ($6.3 billion) last year.The new owners were already facing an artists' revolt even before today's announcement, with Robbie Williams' manager expressing concern about the direction of the company and Coldplay's manager voicing his "confusion" at the departure of EMI U.K. Chairman and CEO Tony Wadsworth last week.However, the company claims many of the measures being implemented have come at the suggestion of staff, artists and their managers."We have spent a long time looking intensely at EMI and the problems faced by its Recorded Music division which, like the rest of the music industry, has been struggling to respond to the challenges posed by a digital environment," said Hands in a statement.He added: "we believe we have devised a new revolutionary structure for the group that will improve every area of the business. In short, it will make EMI's music more valuable for the company and its artists alike. The changes we are announcing today will ensure that this iconic company will be creating wonderful music in a way that is profitable and sustainable."

In Songwriting News -A Creative Way to Distribute Music!

As songwriters, we study music which means buying music and in times past, meant buying CDs. But who wants to haul around CDs?! If, like me, you've carried around CD binders with 200 plus CDs, you know that that's a heavy load to carry. So I was happy when the IPod came out and happily bought one (though I've had to return it three times due to technical issues either with the Ipod itself or the updates which is a whole nother blog!). Now Sony introduces MP3 Album cards! So for all of us indie artists and songwriters who bought blank CDs & CD burners, or who are paying companies to make CDs to distribute our music, we now need more creative ways too to distribute our music! Check out the songwriting videos in this blog on how to do that or go to http://thedyb.magnify.net and watch over 75 videos on the business of songwriting in this new technology age!

from billboard.com

Sony BMG To Debut MP3 Album Cards
January 07, 2008 - Retail


By Ed Christman, N.Y.

Sony BMG Music Entertainment will roll out its Platinum MusicPass series of digital album cards beginning Jan. 15 at Best Buy, Target and Fred's, with Trans World and Winn-Dixie coming to the party by the end of January.

In Canada, participating retailers include Best Buy, CD Plus, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Wal-Mart with HMV coming on board sometime during the first quarter.

As reported previously, the move marks the company's first commercial foray into MP3s in the U.S., a strategy that until recently it resisted in favor of selling files with digital rights management capabilities.

The digital album gift cards, which retail for $12.99, will be artist-specific and feature album artwork, and will come with bonus material. The card will contain a scratch-off that will reveal a PIN number that can be redeemed for a download at MusicPass.com.

"We see MusicPass as a great way to bring digital music to the physical retail space," said Sony BMG Music Entertainment global digital business & U.S. sales president Thomas Hesse in a statement. "We believe it will have strong appeal for a broad range of consumers, and that it will ultimately expand both the digital and physical markets for music."

Among the titles receiving this treatment are the Backstreet Boys' "Unbreakable"; Brad Paisley's "5th Gear;" Bruce Springsteen's "Magic"; Celine Dion’s "Taking Chances"; John Mayer’s "Continuum"; Three Days Grace's "One-X"; and Tony Bennett's "Duets." Compilations include "70's Pop Hits"; "Sensational 60's"; "Country Gold"; and "Everlasting Love."

In addition, as part of the launch, two titles--Kenny Chesney's "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates" and Celine Dion's "Taking Chances"--will also come with expanded offerings that retail for $19.99. In addition to those complete albums, the expanded MusicPass offering on those titles will include bonus material and the choice of one additional album from that same artist's catalog.

To see what the cards look like, go to: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i017145c042c6bedacb734078d47045db