Flashlight, the Tip Sheet to Look For

The Orchard, probably the worlds largest digital distributor of music, releases once a week a special Tip Sheet of all the best of the best.
Have a look at this week's post.
In thier words:
"We create and distribute The Flashlight, a weekly tipsheet sent to the 100 most influential people in digital music retail. Decision-makers, from editors and programmers to CEOs, read our tipsheet, which contains digestible selling points for select albums, artists, genres, labels and tracks in our catalogue. The result is preferred placements. This week’s tipsheet >> "

“PLUG Independent Music Awards”

“The Plug Indie Music Awards” are a different breed of music awards. They pride themselves in being there for all those indie artists that the mainstream music industry has neglected through the years. So all year round, the team of Writers, Dj’s, Webmasters, Artists, Filmmakers, Managers, indie Retailers and such, join hands to make and trade mixtapes, surf and post blogs, swap MP3s and squeeze into cramped venues for the search of the hottest and most deserving indie bands out there.
Read full story here.

An Interesting Business Model

Recently I learned about an interesting digital music business model. The model is being introduced by a company based in a foreign country with a strong inbred rock movement. But this country is not sophisticated yet about digital distribution. Most records are only distributed by CDs domestically and in a few neighboring countries. The population of this nation, though, are very dispersed with hundreds of thousands now living throughout the world. These fans cannot buy the CDs because they are not offered outside their former home nation.The company is entering into agreements with local bands that will grant them the right to distribute their music via on-line stores.
Read full story here.

Amazon to offer DRM-free downloads?

Bring on the downloaders! Amazon may offer DRM-free music downloads sometime in the first quarter of 2007. Oh, if the tides would break and bring sweet water to the masses. How many times do us insignificant bloggers needs to spell it out for the record companies in big, bold, block letters? How many times does the RIAA need to lose legal cases miserably and be raked over the coals for their transgressions for the execs to stnad up and take notice that the CD business is going away and that America the world isn't happy with the way music is sold and distributed?
For the full story click here.

Record labels sue the bejeezus out of AllofMP3.com

Arista, Warner, Capitol, UMG, and other record labels are taking legal action against the long-troubled Russian digital music site AllofMp3.com. Earlier this year, a statement from a US government trade representative pegged the site as being an even higher-volume digital music distributor than iTunes. Tom Zeller at the NYT's "The Lede" blog reports, Started in 2000, the Web service, which charged just pennies per song and roughly $1 for an album, established its legality by claiming that it complies with Russian copyright laws, and that it distributes royalties through, and is licensed to sell its music by something called the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society.

Read more here.