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. 

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.

What needs to DIE in 2014

1. To be banished from our world is D I Y.  If you're Doing it yourself you're ALONE. and it takes a Team to make it in entertainment and life. 
2. Only digital for the win.   Since there are currently only four digital distributors the choke point has been reached and the biggest just raised the bar on who gets to come out via their platform. So unless your song can prove it going to do tens of thousand of dollars in sales via proven sales - NO digital for you in 2014.
3. Don't forget the merger of the year ANEC & SDID (IMHO  not enough people are talking about it) we're now seeing the ramification unfolding and the face of physical distribution just changed a great deal. Again, like #2  everyone that thought they had an Indie distro deal needs to get ready for a reality check. 
4. And,  if you're not joining Digital and Physical distribution strategies using a Clicks to Bricks mindset you're not in the game. Repeat this until it sinks in.  Distribution is Everything
5. Yet at the end of the day the one reality is that we are all beholden to is the fans, consumers, enthusiast of entertainment and learning to adjust to them is the Future of Entertainment Today.