Bits & Bytes 8/3

INFLUENCING EMERGING MUSIC TECH CULTURE

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THIS WEEK IN MUSIC x TECH

AUGUST 3, 2015

More and more, I hear people say we are too connected to our devices and are missing out on real world connections. I recently met Gary Turk, a great poet who made a short piece called "Look Up." In the piece, he expressed his longing for human connection amidst a world where everyone is looking at their phones.  Then this past week, a beautiful video called Subway Love, echoing Gary's sentiment. As an devout meditator, I understand the importance of being conscious and present in the moment . However, I challenge you to consider another point of view here. I feel there is a strong argument that we aren’t connected enough and this especially applies when it comes to festivals and shows. How can technology augment, instead of our interrupt our experiences?  If we had better cameras, batteries and WiFi for communication, it would allow fans to better tell their story and experience. 

This past week, Donnie Dinch (@Donnie) wrote an interesting op-ed on Billboard on this topic: 

"Pairing mobile with other technologies like beacons and proximity-aware notifications will enable venues to create a night out for fans where the only thing they have to do is enjoy the show. while everything they want — like drink discounts and VIP access — is delivered to their pocket. There’s significant money to be made in the process.”

I don’t think my friends are with me on this trend, usually annoyed with when I’m snapping pictures at concerts and sharing the story of my night on social media.  I will say, not only do I enjoy hearing and seeing what my friends are experiencing, but I also love sharing my moments. If millennials are already spending 30% of their time at shows looking at their phones, how can technology make a concert experience more communal? I’m in favor of being more connected and I actually think that will make the world a better place. In other news, have you checked out The Patch yet? Sour Patch Kids candy brand continues dominating the market with two houses (Brooklyn for up-and-coming artists to stay. They're providing a free home for traveling artists and in-turn able to say, "We knew them when", organically aligning with rising influencers.  

- Jesse K // CEO, NUE Agency 

YouTube star accuses Facebook of cheating to boost video numbers. Hank Green, an American entrepreneur whose YouTube channel boasts more than 2.5 million subscribers, says social network's attempts to boost video views are 'based on lies, cheating and theft'. 

Musicians aren't particularly happy with any streaming music service, but a solution may be found in the Bitcoin. By partnering a cryptocurrency with a central database of music rights, a streaming service could accurately & promptly divide a payment for a single streamed song.

David Byrne seems accepting of streaming, admitting it "saved a record industry that piracy had gutted" – but requests record companies open the "Black Box" that obfuscates what happens to those streaming revenues. Read more about his call for transparency. 

Is the music industry starting to hate video-sharing leader YouTube? Take a look at Total Songs Played (On-Demand) in 2014 vs. Total Song Revenues - including competitors like TIDAL, Spotify and Deezer. And you'll see exactly why  their popularity may be decreasing. 

The troubling string of departures from Jay Z’s Tidal music streaming service is getting longer with the recent exit of two more high-ranking executives. Jay-Z has already lost the Head of Label and Artist Relations, plus his Chief Marketing Officer - not including those leaving Roc Nation. 

As festivals welcome a new wave of skilled young avant-garde rhymers like A$AP Rocky to the forefront – festival culture and rap have seemingly reached a common ground. Rocky speaks on the state of rap & festivals finally catching up. 

Discussing music producer agreements in the context of the indie music business rather than standard producer agreements used by major labels, this installment of series in intended for producers in that situation as well as for indie artists and small labels.