Daniel Ek on the early decisions that were key to Spotify’s success

Feb 16, 2016

What are some early decisions that were key to Spotify’s success?

Daniel Ek: We chose a narrow market to begin with that we knew how to serve well – Sweden. Had we started with the US there’s no way we would still be around. The US market just wasn’t ready.

Second, we spent an insane amount of time focusing on latency, when no one cared, because we were hell bent on making it feel like you had all the world’s music on your hard drive. Obsessing over small details can sometimes makes all the difference. That’s what I believe is the biggest misunderstanding about the minimum viable product concept. That is the V in the MVP.

And we did it all legally together with the industry when we had a political party in Sweden called the Pirate Party – which was a real party, with more than 7% of all votes. People thought we were crazy to work with the music industry. The general thinking was to just do whatever you wanted with music and then ask for forgiveness later.

The music industry is growing again. The music economy – like so much of the rest of the economy, from cars to publishing to news – is changing as it moves from an ownership model to an access model. And like any change, it can be complicated and challenging for lots of people. We get that, and we understand that. So it’s our responsibility to make sure that artists – and songwriters and producers and everyone else in music – understands that we are in this together with them, and that we are committed to their success. Look, we pay the great majority of our revenue back to the music industry. And as we grow, that revenue is really making a difference. Many people don’t realize that the music industry was in decline throughout all the download years (with a one year exception in which it was basically flat). Now, finally, after years and years of decline, music is growing again, streaming is behind the growth in music, and Spotify is behind the growth in streaming. So ultimately, we think the best measure of our contribution to the industry will be results – results that will give thousands and thousands of artists, songwriters, producers and so on the chance to do what they love, and their fans love, while being paid fairly for doing it. We love music, we love all the amazing people who make it, and we want to succeed together.

Via Quora

Karriem Riggins & J Rocc play J Dilla in Stones Throw’s first immersive 360 “Dungeon Sessions” video

Feb 16, 2016

In the dungeon: Karriem Riggins on drums, J Rocc on the turntable, in tribute to the late J Dilla, performing improvisational versions of “Lightworks” and “E=MC²”

This has been filmed in immersive video, where the entire 360° view is recorded, and the viewer has control of the viewing direction in playback. You don’t need any special software or hardware to view the video.

The Kanye Effect Helps Tidal Make Waves

Feb 16, 2016

Things haven’t exactly been easy for Tidal since its high-profile relaunch last spring. After rapper Jay Z had acquired the streaming service in March and assembled an impressive line-up of fellow artists to do no less than “change the course of music history”, Tidal quickly stopped making waves in the media, but their loyal fans championed the service.

Co-owned by the musicians themselves, Tidal was supposed to return the control over music to those who made it – the artists. However, the music streaming market got even more competitive when Apple entered the scene with Apple Music in late June.

Enter Kanye West: After premiering his new album as part of a fashion show / art performance in Madison Square Garden last Thursday, the long-time Jay Z confidant released “The Life of Pablo” as a Tidal exclusive over the weekend. He even went as far as saying that the album would never be available anywhere but on Tidal, which would be a departure from the usual practice of granting the service an exclusive period before releasing the album to a wider audience.

West’s announcement turned out to be a godsend for the music service. Global interest in Tidal quickly exploded (see the chart below) and the company’s app shot up the app store charts as fans eager to hear the record signed up in droves. Whether or not the current spike will help Tidal gain a foothold in the streaming market remains to be seen, but one thing seems fair to say: the notoriously self-absorbed rapper knows how to make some waves.

You will find more statistics at Statista

Hayden Announces Everything I Long For 20 Re-Release And Tour

Feb 16, 2016

In 1996, an understated clearing of the throat not only kicked off the debut album from Toronto’s Hayden, but announced the arrival of a unique and lasting voice that has continued to resonate in music circles across the globe. With subtlety, simplicity, depth and a haunting quality that is no less affecting 20 years later, to many, Everything I Long For is a classic record. Fittingly, in September, Music Canada awarded the landmark album Certified Gold status in Canada, commemorating the sale of more than 50,000 copies.

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Hayden has announced that Everything I Long For will be re-issued as a limited edition remastered vinyl, made available for fans on his own Hardwood Records on April 1, 2016. In addition, he will embark on a solo tour in Ontario, performing much of the album – including material rarely or never previously performed live – as well as songs from throughout his extensive and acclaimed recording career.

“I’ve always had a bit of a complex relationship with this record,” admits Hayden, “but with all of the personal baggage it comes with, I can’t deny the impact it has had on my life and the meaning it had to a certain group of people in the mid 1990s. For that, I’ve made the decision to briefly go back in time and celebrate the first songs I ever wrote.”

Over the course of more than twenty years, Hayden has written and recorded 8 full-length albums and a series of EP and singles most of which were self-produced and recorded in his own home studio. An artist biographical timeline can be viewed and downloaded, here.

The Double, 180 Gram, white vinyl includes 5 never before heard demos and out-takes, remastered from the original recordings by Joao Carvalho. It’s hand-numbered and limited to 1000 copies worldwide and contains free download card for both MP3 & High quality WAV files, and includes handwritten lyrics and a collage of images and memorabilia.

EILF20 TOUR DATES:
Saturday, April 2 Wakefield, QC The Black Sheep Inn
Sunday, April 3 Peterborough, ON Gordon Best Theatre
Monday, April 4 Kingston, ON The Grad Club
Thursday, April 7 Hamilton, ON Dundas Montessori
Friday, April 8 Ridgeway, ON The Sanctuary
Saturday, April 9 London, ON Aeolian Hall
Monday, April 11 Waterloo, ON Starlight Social Club
Tuesday, April 12 Owen Sound, ON Heartwood Concert Hall
Wednesday, April 13 Creemore, ON Avening Hall
Friday, April 15 Toronto, ON Trinity-St Paul’s United Church
Tickets for all shows go on sale this week. wasteyourdaysaway.com

EVERYTHING I LONG FOR, 20 TRACKLISTING:

Side A:
1. Bad As They Seem 3:30
2. In September 2:37
3. We Don’t Mind 4:32
4. Tragedy 3:56
5. Stem 1:58

Side B:
1. Skates 7:15
2. I’m to Blame 2:24
3. Assignment In Space with Rip Foster 2:35
4. Driveway 4:28

Side C:
1. Hardly 4:12
2. You Were Loved 2:46
3. When This Is Over 3:58
4. My Parent’s House 4:34
5. Lounging 7:04

Side D:
1. Original Recipes 3:59
2. I Almost Cried 3:34
3. Trees Lounge (demo) 3:27
4. Bad As They Seem (Cassette Version) 5:09
5. Recipes (Out-Takes) 3:55

Roam Like Home

Feb 16, 2016

I’m home now, but a few months ago, I was in Havana and Varadero Beach, Cuba, places I haven’t been to in more than 25 years, and it’s still a country of magic and memories, full of great art, music, weather and food. The trade sanctions limiting Americans’ time on the beach will soon be history, and with that, Cuba are going to become a wonderful alternative to the vacation resorts of the Bahamas and any number of Caribbean islands that enjoy a constant stream of U.S. visitors during the peak season. Being in Canada, though, we’ve had the luxury to travel there at will, and I’ve never been disappointed.

But there’s my cell phone. I have to still be available for important calls at the record label, and managers and booking agents and the rest of the music industry doesn’t sleep. And then, there’s this social media thing. I tweet a lot. I post a lot on Facebook and Instagram. And I’m not alone. A recent survey revealed that 49% of Canadians who travel with their mobile devices turn data roaming off while in the U.S. Almost two-thirds said the high cost of roaming packages is the biggest barrier to using their mobile devices while in the U.S. Instead of sharing their experiences in real time, 66% of respondents wait until they get home before uploading photos of their trip. More than half of people surveyed would rather take a chance on a nearby restaurant instead of using their mobiles to find the top-rated eateries in the area.

That’s right. We choose data over food. WHO WOULDN’T, RIGHT? But, no more.

Rogers is turning up the heat on the wireless industry once again, adding more countries around the world where Roam Like Home is available. Rogers customers can use the data and unlimited talk and text from their Share Everything plan when roaming in over 100 destinations around the world!

Customers travelling to the Caribbean, Mexico, and South and Central America, Europe and now Asia and beyond will pay only $10 per day when roaming within an eligible country and will only be charged for a maximum of 10 days on each monthly bill or a maximum of $100. Travellers to the U.S. will pay only $5 per day when roaming and only be charged for a maximum of $50 on each monthly bill. Calls and texts to local numbers in the country you’re visiting or back to Canada are included and no long distance charges will apply for those calls.

And just to show you a bit of my trip, check out this exotic alternative video to the 800 photos on my phone, so you, too, can visit these places, without having to leave your living room. But you should get away. And Rogers has just made it easier for you to stay connected while traveling.

As of July 12, Cuba will no longer be a Roam Like Home eligible destination. Roam Like Home still covers over 100 worldwide destinations, which you can check out on their website:

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rogers Communications for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Most Satisfying Video In The World

Feb 15, 2016

Have you ever seen something that makes your skin tingle and for some unknown reason provides you with a sense of unbridled peace and happiness? Gears working in perfect synchronization, a cake frosted with absolute precision, marbles rolling so smoothly it hurts. Something that is just…satisfying? Well here’s five solid minutes of that feeling.

BBC Doc Music Moguls: Masters of Pop Is GREAT

Feb 15, 2016

This is the secret, and untold, history of pop and rock from the men and women who pulled the strings behind the scenes – the producers, the managers and the PR giants.

Episode one tells the story of the maverick managers who controlled the careers of megastar artists, from Colonel Parker (Elvis) right the way up to Scooter Braun (Justin Bieber). Along the way are rollicking tales of industry legends like Led Zeppelin’s Peter Grant, and Don Arden, who managed the Small Faces, Black Sabbath and ELO. Narrated by Simon Napier-Bell, it also features contributions from Andrew Loog Oldham (the Rolling Stones), Jon Landau (Bruce Springsteen), Bill Curbishley (the Who), Paul McGuinness (U2) and Jonathan Dickins (Adele).

https://youtu.be/gyPJiey6vck

Part two of this enlightening series exploring the music business from behind the scenes looks at the music producers. These are the men and women who have created the signature sounds that have defined key periods in rock and pop history. Highlights include Trevor Horn on inventing the ‘Sound of the Eighties’, Lamont Dozier on Motown, and a TV first with legendary producer Tony Visconti taking us through David Bowie’s seminal song Heroes.

https://youtu.be/9sEUVJRw9qU

Part three of this illuminating series exploring the music business from behind the scenes takes a look at PR, the unseen force behind all the biggest musical acts in the world. With unique revelations, unseen footage and unrivalled access, it tells the story of the rise of PR within the music industry through the eyes of the people who lived it. Highlights include the PR campaigns behind superstars Jimi Hendrix, Taylor Swift and David Bowie.

https://youtu.be/AOoJd4xDQio

Disabled Musicians Use Ground-Breaking Technology To Create Music With Their Minds

Feb 15, 2016

Four members of a Paramusical Ensemble, who are unable to talk or move, are using ground-breaking technology to create music with the power of their minds. The University of Plymouth and the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability developed technology to read the electrical activity in the brain and used it to create the piece of music. The disabled musicians wear and EEG cap which reads electrical signals from their brain.

Via BBC

Remember View-Master? Take A Look At What It’s Like Now With Virtual Reality

Feb 15, 2016

Remember the View-Master? That red device purchased with “reels”, the thin cardboard disks containing seven stereoscopic 3-D pairs of small color photographs on film?

The View-Master system was introduced in 1939, four years after the advent of Kodachrome color film made the use of small high-quality photographic color images practical. Tourist attraction and travel views predominated in View-Master’s early lists of available reels, most of which were meant to be interesting to users of all ages.

Well, it’s been updated.

Step into an amazing virtual world with just three items: a View-Master viewer, an Experience Pack, and your compatible iOS or Android smartphone.

Then follow these few easy steps: Download and launch the Experience Pack app, which is available on the App Store or Google Play Store. Take your Pass Card, which is included in each Experience Pack, and scan on your smartphone to unlock the Experience. Then open your viewer, slide in your smartphone, take the viewer and look through it at the reel.

Star Wars Episode VIII Video Released With A List Of Cast Members

Feb 15, 2016

Cameras roll for the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, written and directed by Rian Johnson.

Star Wars: Episode VIII, released on December 15, 2017, continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcomes back cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. New cast members will include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and talented newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.