Music Industry Reacts to the Death of Steve Jobs

The Heretic’s Comment: Following the news of the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, musicians have taken to social networks and emailed The BoomBox to express their condolences and remember the innovator who revolutionized the way we experience music.

The world of hip-hop responded in a wave. Questlove of the Roots tweeted a new obituary: “Adopted. DropOut. FontLover. LSDlover. Dreamer. Innovator. Fired from his own Apple 1ce. Pixarlogist. 338 PATENTS! philanthropist. #JOBS.”

Producer Swizz Beatz emphatically tweeted, “RIPS STEVE JOBS THE GREAT! HE CHANGED OUR WORLD IN MANY WAYS NOW HE IS GOING 2 ANOTHER WORLD OF GREATNESS I GUESS HE GRADUATED WITH HONORS.”

Rapper Nicki Minaj tweeted, “Contributed so much to this generation & beyond. RIP Steve Jobs.”

Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons said, “Steve Jobs was a prophet of that uniquely American genius, the Creative Entrepreneur — something no one can copy, no one can outsource, no banker can hire — a visionary who created a movement that changed generations through painstaking tenacity, even after he was fired in 1985 from the company he founded for thinking too far forward.

“He gambled everything, over and over, on his vision. We owe him not just our respect and our love, but also we need to take away the lesson: never give up, never compromise your dream, never forget how you can change the world in this incredible country. This is what hip-hop has
always been about. Never giving up. I can give him no greater a tribute than quoting him to the GlobalGrind generation: “Your time on this earth is limited, don’t live someone else’s life, live by your vision.”

Bill Werde, editorial director Billboard magazine said, “Other companies sold digital music before Apple. Other companies made digital music available on computers and digital phones and used it in commercials. Apple’s brilliance – and I don’t think anyone doubts that this was Steve Jobs’ brilliance – was that Apple made it exciting and simple and effortless and fun. Before Steve Jobs, digital music was math class. After, it was recess. People talk about the differences between style and substance but with Jobs, the two were one.

“Today, the music business has a complex relationship with Apple, which has become yet another entity that built an enormous business atop the rights of music companies, much like radio and MTV before it. But I think you’d be hard-pressed to find one music executive worth his or her salt who wouldn’t agree that Jobs’ vision and tenacity blazed a trail for digital music as we know it today. Without a doubt, when you think of the Mount Rushmore of the music business – pioneers like Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler, Clive Davis and Jimmy Iovine – Steve Jobs has earned his prominent place.”

http://www.theboombox.com/2011/10/06/musicians-react-to-the-death-of-steve-jobs/

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Tony Bennett Oldest Living Artist Ever On Hot 100

The Heretic’s Comment: 85 years and two months, the iconic Tony Bennett becomes the oldest living artist ever to grace the Billboard Hot 100, as “Body and Soul,” with the late Amy Winehouse, bows at No. 87.

“Body,” which previews Bennett’s “Duets II,” due to storm next week’s Billboard 200, sold 25,000 downloads in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (The song marks the third Hot 100 appearance for Winehouse, who died July 23 at age 27. She reached No. 9 with “Rehab” in 2007 and No. 77 with “You Know I’m No Good” in 2008).

All charts, including the Hot 100 and Billboard 200, will be refreshed tomorrow (Sept. 22) on Billboard.com.

Bennett passes the late George Burns, who was 84-years and two-months-old when the ironically titled “I Wish I Was Eighteen Again” wrapped its chart run the week of March 22, 1980.

http://www.billboard.com/#/column/chartbeat/tony-bennett-oldest-living-artist-ever-on-1005362002.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Austin City Limits 2011: 15 Things Seen & Heard Saturday

The Heretic’s Comment: hough Day 2 brought humidity and a veritable downpour to the Austin City Limits festival, a sold-out crowd didn’t seem to mind at all, donning ponchos and the sheets they brought as picnic blankets to shield themselves and listen on. Billboard was there for some of the best — and worst — moments of the day. Read onward for 14 highlights and things overheard at Zilker Park on Saturday, Sept. 17.

1. Headliner Stevie Wonder had a rough start last night, as a 20-minute delay and a poor sound system diluted the attention of the tens of thousands gathered to see the soul-pop king play his two-hour set. The further back in the crowd fans were, the more clearly they heard co-headliners My Morning Jacket, and many turned around to watch that set instead. Nevertheless, for fans within earshot of the PA system, the performance was nothing short of a damn good time. Wonder seemed to be having a riotously good time, at one point writhing on his back, keytar in hand, to hits like “Higher Ground” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours,” and “Sir Duke.”

No ACL set, it seems, would be complete without a little political soapboxing, and Wonder was no exception–he echoed Mavis Staples‘ sentiments from Day 1, indignantly shouting, “What’s with all this talking crap about Obama?” and calling for the tightening of gun ownership laws, while voicing confidence: “We can work it out!”

http://www.billboard.com/#/events/austin-city-limits-2011-15-things-seen-heard-1005357952.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Madonna Fans Rejoice: New Album Due in Spring 2012

The Heretic’s Comment: Madonna‘s 12th studio album will be released in the spring of 2012, with its first single due out in February or March.

The diva announced the news herself in an interview with Sweden’s Sveriges Television (SVT) in Venice, Italy. Madonna is there to promote her film “W.E.,” which premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Madonna says that she’s “started a little bit of work in the studio” for the forthcoming album and will continue recording in “New York, until the end of the year” when she returns to the United States. The entertainer began working on the album officially on July 4, as confirmed by her manager Guy Oseary, via a tweet. That day marked her “1st day in the recording studio for the new album.”

She also didn’t correct the interviewer when he mentioned how she was re-teaming with producer William Orbit, which would seem to indicate a confirmation of their collaboration. Orbit co-produced and co-wrote the bulk of Madonna’s 1998 album “Ray of Light.” The set debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, has sold 3.9 million copies in the U.S. according to Nielsen SoundScan and won the Grammy Award for best pop album.

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/madonna-fans-rejoice-new-album-due-in-spring-1005338582.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Madonna the Center of Attention at Venice Film Festival

The Heretic’s Comment: Pop idol-turned-director Madonna was in center of attention with her first-ever trip to the Venice Film Festival on Thursday to promote her Wallis Simpson-based drama, charming a standing room only press conference with provocative remarks and sparking an unusual rush to the front as reporters tried to get the autograph or snap a photo of the Material Girl.

Only Madonna’s second directorial effort, “W.E.,” which tells the parallel storied of Simpson’s marriage that forced British King Edward to abdicate the throne, and a contemporary story of a woman obsessed with Simpson’s life, had two packed press and industry screenings ahead of Thursday’s night’s main event in the Palazzo del Cinema.

In the press conference, Madonna arrived with the film’s main actors, but most of the questions were directed at her. Asked if she had placed limits on herself in her role as a director, Madonna said, “Since I’ve arrived in Venice I haven’t placed any limits on myself.” Another questioner asked her if she’d abandon her “throne” as a popular culture icon for a man or a woman, as Edward VIII did for Simpson, she replied, “I think I can have both, or all three: throne, man, and woman.”

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/madonna-the-center-of-attention-at-venice-1005337382.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Music Needs ‘Connective Tissue’ and Facebook Wants To Build It

The Heretic’s Comment: As details emerge about Facebook’s plan to integrate with music services to let friends share their listening experience, one thing is abundantly clear: Music fans and the music industry desperately need this—or something like it—to happen.

Here’s the core of the problem. When music fans use an online music service, whether that means free music on YouTube or a paid subscription from Spotify or another subscription service, they’re more-or-less alone. If I use Spotify, you use Rhapsody, and our friend Bob uses MOG, the three of us might as well be in different universes when it comes to sharing and talking about what we’re listening to. Our playlists, comments, and “likes” don’t translate.

The inability to share music degrades the experience for all three of us—perhaps to the point that we won’t renew our subscriptions, or would never sign up in the first place.

http://gizmodo.com/5836721/music-needs-connective-tissue-and-facebook-wants-to-build-it

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

No I.D. Talks New Def Jam Position, Jay-Z’s Next Album

The Heretic’s Comment: Between helping Big Sean score a breakout hit, contributing to “Watch The Throne” and being named to a to a top position at Def Jam Recordings earlier this week, No I.D. has enjoyed a stellar 2011, and he’s not done yet. The veteran hip-hop producer tells Billboard.com that he hopes to make the most of his label position while readying new material for Nas, Common — and possibly Jay-Z.

“Jay has started again,” reveals No I.D., who worked with the hip-hop superstar on “Blueprint 3” hits like “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” and “Run This Town.” “He played me a couple of things. I gave him some music while we were at the ‘Watch the Throne’ sessions. But with Jay, you never know what he’s really doing, thinking, planning until it’s really done… I’m sure he’ll make a decision one day to make an album very quickly, like he usually does. He’s one of the best, period. I think he’s at a place where he has visions of what he wants to do, and it’s not really dependent on any of us. It’s dependent on his vision and he’s gonna do it, [and] hopefully I’ll be involved.”

In the meantime, No I.D. will take on a new role as Def Jam’s Executive Vice President of A&R — which was exclusively announced by Billboard.biz last weekend — where he will oversee the label’s current artist roster while seeking out and discovering new talent under Universal Republic Chairman & CEO Barry Weiss. “I’ve had a lot of experience, and I just want to help this thing to the full of it,” says No I.D.

The announcement arrives as “My Last,” Big Sean’s single featuring Chris Brown, spends its 27th week on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, currently sitting at No. 10. After producing tracks for artists like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Rick Ross, No I.D. says he viewed “My Last” as an opportunity to stretch his creative legs with a younger artist.

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/no-i-d-talks-new-def-jam-position-jay-z-1005335262.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Facebook Music Service: Lots of Rumors, Very Few Specifics

The Heretic’s Comment: Rumors about Facebook’s upcoming “music service” are heating up ahead of its f8 developer’s conference on September 22. But good luck trying to discern from the reports the type of service or partnership that might be unveiled.

Today CNBC’s John Fortt reported “someone familiar with the plans” told him Facebook would launch its long-rumored music service at its f8 developer’s conference. These rumors have been circulating since Facebook announced the date of the f8 conference last week.

Fortt’s report opened a floodgate of other reports. Business Insider claims MOG will partner with Facebook, although the author is only guessing and presented nothing more than unconvincing circumstantial evidence. Mashable was more firm in its report that Spotify, MOG and Rdio will each partner with Facebook.

One thing seems certain: whatever is unveiled September 22 will include one or more partners. It has been widely reported that Facebook is not interested in building its own music service, which would require it to acquire licenses, hire a job-specific staff and directly compete with its current music partners. And since no word of negotiations with rights holders has ever leaked, it’s currently safe to assume no such talks have occurred.

But partnerships can be rather limited compared to what is being predicted in the media. As a Facebook representative noted to Mashable, a number of music services are already integrated with Facebook. MOG uses Facebook’s social graph to recommend music to its users. Spotify and Rdio allow its users to link their account to Facebook to follow their Facebook friends. In no instance does one of these product integrations create a standalone Facebook music service.

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/digital-and-mobile/facebook-music-service-lots-of-rumors-very-1005334922.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Loudbytes Launched Cloud-based Service, Lines Up Advisory Board

The Heretic’s Comment: Loudbytes has unveiled an advisory board with a number of well-known industry professionals, including Jason Flom (president, Lava Records), Scott Pascucci (Moneta 9), Jeff Kempler (COO, Sub Rosa), Kevin Lyman (owner, 4FINI and partner, SideOneDummy Records), Gregg Goldman (president, 29th Drive), Bill Fold (producer and festival director, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival), Syd Schwartz (founder, Lynchpin Digital), Brian Schall (principal, Schall & Associates) and Jean Sievers (partner, CO5 Media & Management), among others.

Recently, Loudbytes introduced a new cloud-based service called Crazy Funnel that allows physical retailers to sell and distribute digital music and media content along with merchandise through point-of-sale systems. Retailers will promote available music and media content through in-store signage, hangtags and circulars. The content is unlocked with a code that can be printed on a receipt or sent via email or SMS. The customer scans a Microsoft Tag — the company’s take on the QR code — with a smartphone, enters the code and downloads the content.

The result is an innovative way to deliver music to young consumers in a new way. “Connecting music and media products to retail digitally has the potential to expand an otherwise shrinking channel of distribution for music,” Flom said in a statement.

Current retail participants include La Jolla Group (O’Neill, Rusty, Metal Mulisha, TLFI), JDS Solutions (Volcom, Fox Racing, Camp Coleman Stores, New Balance and North Face franchises), and BandMerch, a division of AEG Live.

Hollywood Continues To Sell Fewer Tickets
– Hollywood is selling fewer tickets but getting more revenue in the United States. The 2010 and 2011 summers attracted 551 million and 543 million ticket buyers, respectively, according to Hollywood.com. That’s the lowest number for consecutive summers since 1997 and 1998.

While USA Today focused on the quality of type of movies released — sequels and superheroes, mainly — the fact that attendance has slid two years means other factors such as technological shifts could be involved. A single weak summer could be the result of factors like poor quality films and the audience’s reaction to them, Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian told the AP. “But more than one or two years becomes a trend, and we’re seeing this downward trend in attendance.”

The music business has seen the same types of arguments for many years. The fall in recorded music revenue isn’t due to piracy, some people say, it’s been due to a lack of quality. And in some cases there might have been a lack of quality. But the argument doesn’t hold water when you look at the album and singles charts — especially the singles charts — over the last few decades. If longevity is a sign of quality, then there has always been a lack of quality in popular music. Short-lived pop stars and albums with 90% filler are not new developments.

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!

Billboard Mexican Music Awards Finalists Announced!

The Heretic’s Comment: Gerardo Ortiz, Espinoza Paz and Larry Hernandez, a trio o young acts with bicultural appeal and heavy online presence and following, are the lead contenders for the first annual Billboard Mexican Music Awards (Premios Billboard de la Música Mexicana), which will air on the Telemundo Network in October.

The awards, presented by State Farm, mark the first time ever that regional Mexican music — the top-selling genre of Latin music in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan — is honored in a nationally televised award show produced in this country.

Leading the charge is Ortiz (Del Records/Sony), who only debuted on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart on July, 2010, but is a finalist in 10 categories, having captured a rising fan base with his self-described “progressive” narcocorridos. Ortiz is a contender for Artist of the year, New artist of the year, Album of the year and Download artist of the year among other categories. In the Norteño album of the year category, Ortiz is competing against himself with two of his albums among the four finalists.

Following Ortiz in number of nods is Hernandez (Mendieta/Fonovisa) — who like Ortiz sings highly engaging narcocorridos in a “progressive” norteño format — and Paz (Fonovisa), a romantic banda singer who’s also established himself as a leading songwriter in regional Mexican music. Both acts are up for awards in nine categories, and will be competing against each other for Artist of the year, Male artist of the year and Songs artist of the year, among other categories.

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/billboard-mexican-music-awards-finalists-1005327472.story

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The Official Release of the  “Before You Sign That” a is August 1, 2011. An indie artist inspired book Authored by The Heretic’s very own Leslie W. Cross Jr. and co-authored by platinum recording artist Paul Wall.  On May 1, 2011 pre-order your copy. More details coming soon. We are very excited about this Project!!!!