Merry Holidays for those of you with Physical Releases

So here's the years top numbers total units sold

BUSINESS CONDITIONS
Album(000)				YTD
Total:				247,143
Digital:				102,982

A bit of simple math shows that of the majority sold it wasn't digital it was ????? Physical Goods at 14,416,1000 items sold (often in Brick and mortar stores) with a lot of Amazon, which is opening it's 1st  music store in NYC. 

I will say that we have one more week left and Digital Music can really turn it around and make all those tech founders rich........ Cuz it sure ain't doing anything for the artists. 

For any city planners that have happened to have stumbled upon this blog if the plan for you cities music doesn't include getting it made physically, closer to home the better, and distributed out of the boundaries of your wonderful town then you're missing the biggest opportunity and IMHO the current failing of our economy -- We're entertaining our economy to death. 

In the words of Jeffery Immelt, CEO General Electric "The United Sates should have 3 priorities; Become a country that is good at manufacturing and exports"* does the 3rd matter?

Detroit Economic Club June, 2nd 2009. 

Now in order to export it you have to make it physical and that means CDs, Cassettes, Vinyl records the old fashion stuff, that was going to go away.  Well it didn't and that really a good thing

So this Holiday I hope the you BuyIndieSupportLocals.org and get ready for more of this in 2015 cuz it's the newest fad and getting a City Music Deal will be part of it.

Physical music is almost 70% of sales last week and it's #WhatWorks

Not sure how many times I have to keep posting this information; However, it seems that way to many people still think that digital music is the dominate way music is consumed and yet each week over the last several months the numbers show that the total opposite is happening.   I'm reminded of meeting the head of Start Up America, Scott Case, at a DC Tech Cocktail event and after talking to him about the music business he bluntly stated that he and Startup American would be working with any Carbon based business.

Now here we are about a year later and the bottom is digital is finding new lows and physical is growing.  And, I have to ask what and where would the US Economy be today and startups in general if we didn't have such myopic ideas about one of American most important industries, US Made Music?


How much longer can America so called leaders ignore something simply based up their personal taste, I say this because all too often my friends say I don't buy music and ergo the rest of the world must be the same - even when direct evidence is presented to them (i.e.  every Starbucks in the USA has CD's right next the cash register or the fact that the largest manufacture of CD's last year made more CD's than any other prior year.

If we're going to try to figure out what works we'll need to listen to someone that actually knows what they are talking about - Right!

Another week when physical dominate digital and the District of Columbia steps up

Just in case the world was wondering the domination of physical over digital is still ongoing.

Last week was no different than what we've been seeing which is digital sales loosing ground, to something that not suppose to exist in one year - According to the founder of MP3, and with innovations in pinpoint distribution this might be something that is just going to be the way the industry is going to have to come to accept.  

BTW I wanted to give a shout out to the DC for it's ramping up of #DCMadeMusic and the fact that someone in this local government is starting to see that ArtnotBombs.com is the way to go.

*MP3 Founder Michael Robertson predicted that ZERO CD would be selling in 2015. Like his service  this couldn't be more wrong. 

Physical is now back to 60 percent who's talking about it?

So conspiracy theories are proclaiming the TaylorSwiff effect is sweeping the nations,  Ok I'm not really sure anyone is saying that however, I do know that few are talking about last weeks Soundscan numbers you know the ones that have Physical now back near 60 percent of the markets.

Here's a spreadsheet that I run to help me and hopefully readers of this blog see the numbers as they relate to the overall market.  Being an economist by education I'm well aware of the market basket manipulation of numbers and feel all too often that reports on our industry are really personal feelings about it from journalist.  Let's face it covering the numbers is not as much fun as being a fan, err I mean object journalist's or worse someone reject by the old temple keepers and now has a keyboard to grind, I'd say ax however they sucked at guitar players too so didn't want to mix that metaphor in back there.

The numbers and shakira hips --they are what they are and anyone not talking about this is missing the punch line.  New Music Biz same as the old music biz.  Now kids it's time to go get a physical distribution deal; so you can at least have a chance to get into the real money of music.

Content ain't King when anyone can make it, Distribution is Everything or King.

BTW witness a great BAT mitzvah and by far Taylor Swift was the dominate music choice of the nite so many there is something to the #TSrulestheworld stuff.  

My take away from Future of Music Conference 14

So having attend this conference off and on since it's start I have to say that it might be hitting it's stride as conference for a number of reason however for the sake of this post the one that stands out the most is what I would call inter-musicbiz dialogue.   The nature of our business leads individuals, bands, professionals so exposed that the last ten years has been a reaction to over protect and make it seem like everything is alright, easy and just a click away.

Look it's time to face the music in the Music Biz.  Our product, is woefully unprepared to be "fungible" in the marketplace of a thousand cats which is really what our business is more than a thousand washing machines.  Since each artists and band is different, the system cannot adjust to them alone.   Now if one million artists said let's do this, that is another story.  However; We know that artists are artists and the music business is a business.

So the first thing first.  If your getting into our biz go get a real attorney one that tell you what the difference between mechanical and performance rights are and lastly for the rest of us in the business if we're not selling you, we're selling to you and you do need more the former to make it.

Wouldn't be here today w/o Tommy's help, THKS...

Music 360: Americans Make Music Their Top Entertainment Choice

Music 360: Americans Make Music Their Top Entertainment Choice



Nielsen’s third annual in-depth study of the tastes, habits and preferences of U.S. music listeners, 93% of the country's population listens to music, spending more than 25 hours each week tuning into their favorite tunes. 



If you have a bigger audience and potential please let me know, otherwise it's clearly time to start investing in Music especially @USMADEMUSIC 

Music sales are down, however is the musicbiz selling it and is Congress helping or hurting?

So the news in Musicbiz for the last couple of day is that compared to last year at this time sales are down. I however look at things another way. Sales are going elsewhere and not until the industry can give consumers something they want the refrain I'm BuyingThis will mean I'm buying something besides music.

So besides the obvious --that not enough good music is in the marketplace, what else is happening?

There is a term in business called capacity restrain* and this is when you have something great however you don't have the fire power to get it out very far if at all. This is where we find ourselves today in the music business. As a distributor I get to sit in on the conversations of many artists bands and labels about project that are coming, in the works, and in the marketplace now.

The number one things they are scrambling for is capitalization.

From the Pressing plants are are now running full time and dealing with the bigger customers first, to the marketing channels that have prices driven up during the 4th quarter economically stopping the independents from even being in the game, our culture is now hi-jacked by Multi-National Entertainment companies that don't export top US artist out of the USA and get us to entertain our own economy to death.

Meanwhile Congress and the Administration do nothing.....From the USMADEMUSIC.org site we can see that there is a bill in Congress that would be a pretty good first step. Well guess what on Oct 14 members of the recording academy will be going to their local Congressional office and demanding a few things and I believe this is another and should be at the top of the list. Supporting US Made Music seems like a no brainer if you are a member of the US Congress. Click to learn more http://usmademusic.org/8-us-music-news/7-lobby-your-local-rep-day-oct-14th

*Factories are getting busier, notably in industries such as auto making and aircraft construction, increasing the incentive to expand operations. Businesses ran at 79.2% of capacity in July, still about a percentage point below the historical average, but at a level that implies some industries are nearing production limits. http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/business/T019-S000-kiplinger-s-economic-outlooks/ PS here the Weekly Music Marketplace sales

Let's be honest what's better than the toothbrush test?

More people are born everyday. 99.1 percent believe as some point in their life that they want to music in their life. Remember the toothbrush test for Facebook acquisitions.   Well think about the soundtrack of that toothbrushing (or Mark thinking about whether that company is toothbrush material) It has a soundtrack that soundtrack was brought to via the conduit of music. 

As long as passionate, honesty, music floats out of hearts minds and mouths independententertainmentdistribution.co will be in growth Biz. Cuz... Let's be honest there's only 3 majors and they only have 10 percent of the content.  It's 90/10 


BTW please like my new FB page about my book. LIKE HERE 

PS heres something new...  

CD's are still more than 52% of music album sales at mid point of the year.

So I ask again what industry stops counting or better yet denying the existence of it's largest element when in plain sight the proliferation of it is easily demonstrated and without even looking at the stores listed above. 

"There are how many Starbucks? In the USA there are 11,457  and guess what they all carry music for sales and there aren't any free download cards. How about Public Libraries 120,096 and most of them carry music too.  So there's clearly a problem in what is being posted on blogs verses what is happening in the market place." 

So my example for today comes from a post proclaiming that physical is dead and digital is it... on Stereogum. Granted the gif they have is from another site however up on theirs and no one is questioning it. 

"Everybody knows the music industry has undergone monumental change in the past 30 years. How much change? This handy GIF from Digital Music News" 


However the problem is that physical music specifically CD's is the majority of the music sold ... Some people believe that they are larger since not every store let alone few venues report to Soundscan. 

Now try as I might, I won't stop people from posting that physical specifically the CDs are dead, However with the help of Neilson mid year report we know that 121,000,000 total Album sold w/  54,000,000 being Digital and Vinyl accounting for 4,000,000 or .033 So using math we can deduce that CDs to be 52% of sales and the GIF on the site is just not showing it.

PS as you can see by this weeks sales it's even more.

Racism is part of music and once we break past it wealth is achiveable.

"As inspiration often strikes me, it was a heated debate between two grown @$$ men in the barbershop arguing about another man’s pockets that prompted me to tackle the idea of why Hip Hop has no billionaires".

By Kelby provokes a great debate greater than the barbershop and for the point of this blog post  #1 is Racism and I happen to agree with him and I have used these three very people in my reasoning for Altavoz's existence.   

None of these guys have ownership of the distribution none of the majors or independent distributors have offered them access to the wealth making part of music and the CEO and company that comes out offering ownership of a publicly traded company to these label owners and others will have a head start at offering the future of entertainment today. 

BTW if your want to join in the fun in doing just that please let me know. 



PS Physical Music was 58 5 of sales so don't even try to say Distribution in online. 





s

What is the majority of sales in an industry and CNN declares it DEAD then you know what?

So for those of us that use Math, the current sales of prerecorded music by category is lead by none other than physical music and of that the CD is the majority of sales*

From the weekly Sales report of Soundscan a division of Nielson Entertainment, LLC it's pretty plain to see that despite the rumors of digital taking over the world it hasn't taking over half of the market, yet? And the CD is still very much alive.

I said "yet" because of something called  Manufacturing on Demand "MOD," and my company AltavozEntmt, under the leadership of Bobby Ekizian, pictured below,  is leading this new charge for pin pointing where a physical sale is desired; Now coupled with the ability to ingested the title into the AMPED and NARM EDI database.

The artists can now worry about generating fans that are BuyingThis(tm) and the indusrty parthers involved can use the clicks to pinpoint the bricks in Altavoz aptly named new service ClickstoBricksDistribution.com "C2BD" This capability has not been harnest to ensure that the whole supply chain from Fan to Retailers knows there is a some fan heat before they even have to make one physical copy.

This information for the fan backup the supply chain will also let the artists know that there is a potential to make 500 limited edition releases, sign them and sell them to their AltaFans for a healthy profit and everyone is happy.  The future is and I gotta wear em ....

The report of digital and physical demise of music is silly Forbes.

Recently Forbes weighed into the conversation about the state of our business publishing a story from Zack O'Malley Greenburg "Nielsen's Mid-Year Report Reveals Demise Of The Digital Download" in it he makes a couple of bold assertions about the state of the business which as the CEO of an Entertainment company I say ain't really the whole pictures.   The part about Digital download and how they are going to disappear, didn't we just hear that about CD's.  and that streaming is taking over the WORLD, please.

 I can point readers over to an article written by Jon Maples aptly called "The Value of Nothing: Don’t Accept Junk Food Streaming Music Numbers" and he presents some questions for the people that are thinking that streaming is chicken waffles tied to never ending money machine.  Cuz it Ain't. and I agree about that part and here is what I wrote about this subject back in January were I believe more of the tale of Digital is being played out think of it as it ain't your parents ipod anymore kids. 

However,  Jon and Zack and everyone else besides dozen distributors and the Gores Group don't seem to understand MATH.  

Physical is king ((((STILL))))) which any subscriber to Soundscan knows has been the story for the year and this last weeks report is no different with physical sales still being 2384 units of the 4,252 total sold or 56% of the pie.



Now how can something, namely physical sales of prerecorded music, be the majority of sales in it's category! Yet people keep writing it off?

Sure Vinyl is coming back. Considering I backed and released Music That Changes the World  Box set in 2011 and knew and wrote about vinyl back in 2009 when vinyl was .08 percent the pervious year sales those of us that are a VinylDistributor.com can attest yeah it's a great business; However, this number ((((1,015 number rung up from sales at Mass Merchants ))))) -- ain't vinyl --it's CD's and it shows that the big boys are still in the game and to play and win in this game you got to have the right equipment.

Unless they teach something new in Bschool today-- you still have to be where the markets are and for the life of me how 56.1 of it's ain't part of the market is akin to Bush's Voodoo Economics. Heres' a thought how would the US music business fair if writers like Jon and Zack looked at the whole picture ya know, not leaving out the majority of a market. Cuz to me this is either a lack of understanding of the business model or they have an agenda?

As well,  unless I've not gotten "the memo" the fans want music in many different ways and the cost of giving them what they want has never been cheaper;  So, until the bloggers and writers come to terms with the new world where things don't go away (( They maybe niche however on the internetwork nothing goes away since the cassette tape is coming back))  we're not going to see a real connection between the artists, fans and their music until the whole picture is put forth and then the fans can decide how they're BuyingThis.  Not the writers of words or their publishers.

Funny, This reminds me of a Sumerian text by Kabti-ilani-Marduk know as Erra Epos and in it is the saga of the premature advancement of the powers by Marduk (Ram or Aries) over that of Enlil (Bull or Taurus) and the need for proper measuring to ascertain whether the time had indeed come.   Which as it turns out then and now-- it had not.

The Minutes have come home to roosts.

Just saw this on HypeBot.com and have to say that this is something I've been saying was going to happen the moment that I saw the mobile business trying to come into the music business.  It was back in 2009 when I was at the San Degio MusicBiz.org NARM convention <digress I believe that year they where DigitalMusic.org or something like this,  It was and is this still very important convention, next one is in Nashville -- so buckle it up, /digress>  and I looked up from the 1st morning breakfast/main meeting to view a banner that said [Digital Mobile Physical] and shook my head knowing full well that to be mobile it has to be digital and that phone companies sell minutes not music.

We all know the kids were onto this right on the jump and they started side slotting and we've seen a retrenchment into established distribution channels it's either digital or physical and those few distributors didn't go away infact they are in strong position and phone companies are back to the job of selling minutes.

Everyone streaming service or digital startup that does not put this minutes vs entertainment is free mindset to bed because there is no free on mobile.  And IMHO this is why physical will always be an option that you buy and load it onto your phone. Hey we all know saying FU to the phone companies is just as fun and meaningful as it is to the Majors and never underestimate the power of those out that that want to do just that.... It's what I live to do everyday and the phone companies mind you live to bill all of us.

Local Visionary asked if he should open a night club and the answer in DC seems to be yes!!!

When I noticed that a local Tech VC posted something on social media about investing in a nightclub I figured I'd take a look. Little did I know I knew would find one of the smoking guns of data that specifically shows how entertainment investing in music( particularly live, since half of the clubs listed here are all about live music) is good business.  Take my town DC;  We have 8 of the top 100 clubs based on revenue in the USA and try to get someone outside of this group to talk about the business and you'll get more out of crickets, even silent ones.

Show me any other category in DC close to Music with this many top companies in one town besides lobbyist ?  I'll Get my popcorn..... Oh by the way...This is not just for the investors it's good for local economic development; Since many of the ancillary events to a music event are very local.

Major or any music act doesn't come to play a DC Club to have their food catered from a chain; they want local while being in a locale and they will shop local for arts and clothes. "Artists Money Multiplier Effect*"

Now considering DC has 8 of the top 100 nightclubs in the USA it would seems not too far of a stretch to say that there is a basis for considering investing in DCMUSIC as well as DCTECH.  For the record ~ the two really aren't exclusive and from head of the Library of Congress's lips** to my blog -- music drives US innovation.  A great blog just came out on  Consequences of Sound about the All Access: An Oral History of DC’s 9:30 Club and reading it gives some very candid insight into our local music scene and how it's important to foster the locals while reaching for the stars. .

I'd suggest reading it and let's get some check books out and start rewarding the economy we already have that is bringing millions of dollars vs likes or vampy news coverage.  And, since we're really talking about millions of millions of million in recurring revenue and it also brings in more tourists; it well surveyed that having a vibrant music scene is a part of the decision for college attendance and new jobs it needs to be in the 5 year plan and every plan.

Lastly How come I'm the only one talking about this?    What exactly has to be done to get the DC government to back something that is naturally occurring they don't have to give tax breaks and  already  hire DC people every day of the week businesses?  FYI Virginia and Maryland aren't too far behind.

Oh yeah I went "Mr Cranky" like.... btw he is missed.

The one and only Dee Snider~ Twisted Sister #MusicBiz2014 

It's it's about Jobs then why isn't Music in the equation Data says it needs to be!

Recently the National Endowment for the Arts release a report on employment and the Arts and needs to be the wakeup call to banks, economic development offices and venture capital.  

As someone that clearly working in the capitalization of music we hear ourselves and from our partners that funders would rather fund an app that steals IP your music than actually investing in it.   

I've already blogged about compensation for workers in these type of jobs, which accoridng  Berklee.edu  "we are not only talking about more than comparable wages on averge paying  27k"

So now that we know we have a lot of people wanting to be in this industry and we have great paying jobs in it.  What are we waiting for USA?  

Lets invest in our Arts economy and makes some jobs people want for products that the world would enjoy us exporting.    

The Music Capitalist 

+Nelson Jacobsen 

 . 

Here the link http://arts.gov/news/2014/national-endowment-arts-announces-new-research-arts-employment

Some Highlights 

The big picture - In 2013, 2.1 million workers held primary positions as artists. A primary job is defined as one at which the greatest number of hours were worked. In that same year, an estimated 271,000 workers also held second jobs as artists. Twelve percent of all artist jobs in 2013 were secondary employment.

Unemployment trends - For primary artists, the unemployment rate was 7.1 percent in 2013, compared to 6.6 percent of all U.S. civilian workers, but higher than the 3.6 rate for all professionals (artists are grouped in the professional category). This is an improvement over the 9 percent jobless rates in 2009 and 2010, but well above the pre-recession unemployment rate of 3.6 percent in 2006. Architects and designers were among the hardest hit occupations. While both have halved the 10-11 percent unemployment rates they faced in 2009, neither is back to pre-recession employment rates of 1-3 percent. By contrast, musicians have faced a steady unemployment rate of 8-9 percent since 2009, much higher than the 4.8 percent jobless rate in 2006.

The entrepreneurial spirit - In 2013, 61 percent of artists with a second job were self-employed, compared to the 35 percent of primary, self-employed artists, and 10 percent of all U.S. workers. 

Do you have data with those tunes is the question of 2014

So this is the year that we'll start to see the "moneyball" impact on the Music Biz.

Yep I've said it using data will be the big deal by the end of 2014 and the artists & labels that have enabled analytics a place at their table when it comes to releasing marketing and promoting an Album or even single will be head of the whole we'll figure it out on the fly approach to music releases.

So how does one go about setting up these Analytics. It's pretty simple and Help Earth Foundation has a short list of things to do that will allow you to get Google Analytics dashboard working for you. Once it's installed and some of the simple premises are understood the sky is the limit and just about every website, plugin and digital presence thereby enabling the dream of moneyball applied to music can to start to take hold.

BTW if no one is asking you to share a dashboard ~your being left out of the game.

An AltCoin can be embedded into music and smart contracts pay creators what's not to love

So here we are in another one of those forks in the pathway of evolution and it's from technology specifically pathway -- cryptocurrency & altcoin. There are within them these new technologies protocol layers (think of metadata on songs )  which are being built into whole industries. by companies like Mastercoin NameCoin to name a few. All of whom use it's Bitcoin Protocol 2.0 capabilities that along with something new too. Smart Contracts and DAC's which are already changing whole worlds ~ not just industries.  So what does this have to do with my company.   Here's a great quote if you're in entertainment that you might want to follow the link.  

Who Will Be Affected by Distributed Autonomous Corporations?

"Smart contracts reduce mental and computational transaction costs imposed by either principals, third parties, or their tools. The contractual phases of search, negotiation, commitment, performance, and adjudication constitute the realm of smart contracts." Link 

All of this is monitored via Bitcoin's underlying Protocol (it's been online for over three years and it's still the unexploited)  This is done publicly via the proof of work via the Hash function and with total security via the blockcain which is best described by another blogger By Karen Webster, CEO, Market Platform Dynamics (@karenmpd)

"*. the blockchain – what many seem to think is the coolest invention of all time – makes it possible to have a public database that provides proof of ownership that doesn’t require a third party. The idea is that this cuts a lot of intermediaries out of the game.*" Link

Sites like Mt Gox didn't have updated software and it no different than banking, credit card or other data programs not being updated and certainly no different than Target's recent breach.  End of story 

Let's get to The future as described to me in by George Churchwell Tech2000's Co-Founder at Ingar Grev’s monthly Strategic Business Forum which I recommend folks to join in TysonsCorner  

Think of getting into your car and from your personal device the dashboard starts to interoperate and exchange information and payments and your not even having to click a button. 

This happens in part on a new concept something I'm calling the Fluidity of Currency. 

From here we're off to the races via Distributed Automated Corporations which can be securely maintained, bill and pay creators; And enablers new industry based like CryptoMusicData that what provide interested parties with data that sings --really it does. 

The hows and whys consumers of choose one song or artists overs will slowly start to emerge from the fans just interacting with entertainment. Nelson Jacobsen (@sonofnels) ....

While this is a just glimpse into a use of the Bitcoin Protocol 2.0 capabilities to enable a content creator to make something- set it up in an #altcoin SongCoin or AltavozCoin and get compensated within the root framework of the created content. (That's a mindful) is a totally new era. 

This is simple Creators now have choice, for once, to participate and they better chose to adopt something that is already trying to adopt it. Seriously if you're in the entertainment biz and not trying to get a handle let payouts from this world then you're going to find yourself out of the game in before you know it.  

PS Get ready for the most important entertainment webinar since the announcement of the internetwork, which I was at too. 

While the Sky ain't falling Distribution isn't getting any easier either - which explains everything.

While Glenn is right that music sales are down at the start of 2014 there's a couple of things that the article and for that matter very few people are considering.   And, that's the State of Distribution and the lack of it's importance it has in the mindset of so many when they are talking about the Music business. 

Let's be clear being on a Major Label means it guaranteed distribution. The END.... 

Trust me every major selling artists knows the value that their distribution team brings to the table and that why you see so many old guys, since it's still mostly guys -- save the few executives like Jess Sarmiento; CoCEO of Altavoz Distribution and Leota Blacknor; VP at Caroline Distribution -- in so many pictures with all your favorite music stars.  -- I'll look for a video I have of Katy thanking her's at a convention two years ago. 

Nelson Jacobsen, Ron Spaulding & Jess Sarmiento #MusicBiz13la

However, back to the point... Considering that only one full service distributor has entered the marketplace since 2004 and consolidations have been going on since 2005 there was going to come a time when the chickens err CDs, BluRays, DVDs and Vinyl --yes some is coming back* come home to roost and that is nye.

So what is happening you ask?    If you've been in this business since the 90s think 1995 store returns and 1997 bankruptcy coming together at one time.  Start with if you didn't notice there where a crap load of releases in the 4th Quarter and consumers didn't consume.   Ego Hoc returns are already in trucks heading back to distributors and labels will be finding out about now.  Plus the merger of the onestops and their combining warehouses along with there other distributors moving warehouses created a cluster jam few could have predicted. 

Sure there are some great things happening and efficiencies are being reached at the very high levels; however, the trickle up that is the music business is about to trickle out.  

We need to start thinking that Distribution is the engine that STEAM runs upon and if we don't plan for it just like electronic parts, food, beer & wine and pot growers whom all know distribution is King Music just won't go any where.  While cities like Austin, Nashville Seattle and fingers crossed Washington DC are starting to understand the importance of music to it's culture and economy.   

There is a cycle that will invariably happen and just when things start reaching a boiling point in each city and the musical talent comes together to generate tangible IP and goods.  This talent has to get it's self in a bus, car or van and get to the next place; So, they can spread word of their music while  a distributor (there are only a handful of companies that do it) have to be along for the ride to make sure that every store online and physical is carrying the releases and knows that story behind it and the artists putting it out.

However before that happens planners, investors and those that are looking at the direction that we want to grow our economies from the local to the global markets nothing must start to consider, fund and promote as economy partners in the economy.    

PS  Soundscan is showing that physical music is  presently outselling digital music. 

Why Lorde is the demarcation of the new generational divide.

So for every generation there's time when what you thought was the coolest thing ever and how the adults where just so uncool. They didn't get it.   Well here's the point I want everyone to come to terms that Lourde and her 4 Grammys nods and 3 wins ain't a fluke.

When Lorde was 13, A&R scout Scott Maclachlan signed her to Universal 

Now the universality of her music is something that so many do understand and if  Craig Campbell can cover of it and make it sound that good and rack up over 77k hits I have to ask  how many songs can be song by singers from across a spectrum without it being magical.

And, Guess what a 17 year old that can do it is the coolest thing in the world and everyone that don't get it, can just go ahead and pull out their AARP card and look for something on Circuit City.


PS, how to survive not being cool,  just keep quiet about your love of Nelson - the group.
PSS So stop saying when you were young music was better -- it wasn't.

UPDATE:  From Billboard -- Grammys Garner Record Social Mentions In 2014, Lorde Most Discussed on Twitter

The Future of Entertainment Today is Bright in 2014

So here's a year look back at investment in entertainmet stocks as charted by http://www.profitquotes.com/ and if you had invested in entertainment like many of us did it should have shown a health return.   Now sure every project don't make it out of the studio, or the label falls apart or the product wasn't in any stores boo hoo.....

Everyone faces these same odd and yet their record sales and yours' don't and all of these other stocks did well and that is for reason.  People have to be entertained.  END OF STORY.....

(artists --   Not saying it's not a problem I am saying that selling a happy story is more fun to do. So let's focus in 2014 -If the partners, promoters and management you're in business with isn't reaching for the stars by grinding in the streets and Cloud everyday then dust em off and move along, )

So what is the Future of Entertainment Today and going to move the needle in 2014.  Real Bricks and Clicks solution serving a global audience giving them high quality entertainment however they want it when they say I'm Buying This..... make it happen.

There's more than AmandaP out there and we're just a kickstarter campaign away from discovering the next million dollar AltaArtists 

PS here Medical Suppliers and it's clear that entertainment is better than this.

What to know why Digital Music sales decreased in 2013. Check your kids phones.

According to Nielsen SoundScan.digital track sales fell 5.7% from 1.34 billion units to 1.26 billion units while digital album sales fell 0.1% to 117.6 million units from the previous year’s total of 117.7 million, as reported by Ed Christman in Billboard recent bulletin .

Digital Music Sales Decrease For First Time in 2013

I'll let that sink in for all of your digital only philosophers.  Ed further reported that the vinyl is now
2% of album sales in the U.S; digital albums comprise 40.6% and the CD is 57.2% and cassettes and DVDs 0.2%.

So the Music Biz ain't at 50/50 yet and for anyone that understand MATH physical is 60 percent of the Market.  Yet just about every new label formed since the advent of what ever that company was called thinks way too much about digital only strategy as the future while forgetting about today.  Let's be clear about the strength of CD still.  Next time you're inline at Starbucks or Whole foods, 7-11 or any service station driving down the road. Just look around.  All of them have CD within eye shot of the Cash registers.

Thus solving the riddle of why CD players are still in most Automobiles

I'll also directly respond to Ed's question is streaming taking from Digital Sales. when we look at our statements from #AltaArtists from the various services the streaming payouts are in the 10s of dollars sometimes only cents. Yet the companies are now worth billions?  Yes there is something very wrong here in Digital Denmark.  BTW why wouldn't anyone expect that to be the case.

Think of it this way. If you're not married to the idea that quality is better than rapidly you'll already jumped the sound shark and now it's about getting it NOW.  So you can log in to iTunes, what the pwd? do I have money, is my credit card working? Really I have to use my Mom's account?  Or you can steam it. Often for free, with ads, unless it's bittorrent/etc and no ones the wisers.

Now lets' be clear there was a winner in 2013 and that was the streaming services that yanked the wallet out from under iTunes. So what is the industry going to do about it.   I know at my company we're going to be making a very strong statement in 2014 about the Future of Entertainment Today and I hope that others are going to start to take a Clicks to Bricks Distribution Strategy in 2014.

BTW these same kids streaming are the ones buying Vinyl, Cassettes and yes CD's.  They're a fickle bunch and since they don't understand themselves it's gonna be harder to for us to understand them. However the one thing that remains supreme is Entertainment needs to cater to the AltaFans and they want it Digital and Physical.