EMI does Indie labels a service

For decades the major labels have operated within a clearly defined ecosystem. You might forgive them if their behavior didn’t change immediately as the environment around them made a dramatic shift. Like any species would, their first reaction was to attempt to apply their existing knowledge to an unfamiliar situation. When the old lake dried up, they simply looked for the next biggest watering hole (iTunes, Amazon MP3, MySpace, etc.). They claimed the territory as their own and still attempt to destroy anything they perceive as a threat.

 While this is working to a degree, I think we can all agree that there’s a little less meat on their bones these days. The label with the most pronounced ribcage would be EMI. Unable to hold their own, they’ve been chased from the pride and now find themselves in new territory. With the relentless forces of nature at work, we’ll soon find out if this castoff has the wits to survive on its own.

 EMI has been licking its wounds for a while but the company seems to have regained enough of its bearings to attempt an offensive move. The result being the launch of their new “direct to fan” site, EMI.com (not accessible outside the US and UK). While this is certainly a new behavior for EMI, those of you in the indie space should take it as a good sign. The reason being EMI’s new moves are remarkably similar to an indie label’s natural behavior. Instead of sitting around like a fat cat with his eyes closed, eating whatever happens to jump into his mouth, EMI is going out on the prowl, observing, trying to understand behaviors and developing new strategies to engage face to face.

 EMI’s move is a good indicator that the environment is now more supportive of indie-style behavior than the native behaviors of the majors. It tells us that those companies that have struggled to survive on the outskirts for so long should now find the soil they’re standing on is suddenly the best in the land. In fact, EMI is helping to fertilize the land all the more by training fans to look for music away from the old familiar spots. If EMI succeeds in re-training their existing fans, those fans will become much more receptive to other independent sources.

 The land is ready for the independent community to explode. The herd is dividing and the Majors are no longer able to keep everyone within their hunting grounds. The Indie that recognizes the rules have turned in its favor has the opportunity to get very fat indeed.

MySpace Names Holt. Do Indies Stand A Chance?

 

Same subject as the Billboard.biz post but slightly different angle focussing on Indies.

From Hypebot.

As rumored for weeks, Courtney Holt has been appointed the President of MySpace Music. Holt will relocate from his NYC MTV office to new digs in LA beginning January 5th.  In the meantime, you can friend him of his very own MySpace page.

Holt could probably use a few friends in the independent music community. MySpace Music got off to a rough star with indies when the service, which in many ways was built on the backs of independent musicians, launched without offering them the same equity stake that it used to lure the majors.  Like a bride left at the alter, many indies cried foul. “It certainly makes (MySpace CEO) Chris DeWolfe’s public statements, that the ‘indie bands are really the heart of MySpace’, ring extremely hollow,” indie trade group Merlin CEO Charles Caldas said on launch day.

Since then, The Orchard, IODA and a few others have forgone equity and signed on.  But thousands of labels represented by Merlin including many larger indies like Beggars and Koch have yet to make deals. MySpace Music has also not offered a d.i.y. sales or income solution for artists not affiliated with a label or distributor.

Could new leadership offer new hope for independent music on MySpace? On the surface, Holt’s resume at MTV Networks and as SVP of New Media at Interscope Geffen A&M suggests that his point of view is decidedly mainstream and major label. But indies, who have privately complained about the pace of negotitions, will at least know that someone who understands music is finally in control.

iMeem and Beggars Group Forge Global Marketing and Licensing Agreement

This is already ‘old’ news (2 weeks) but worth a mention.

Leading Social Music Service Will Bring Together Bands and Fans of Legendary Labels

iMeem, the leading social music service, today announced a worldwide licensing and marketing partnership with Beggars Group and Matador Records, two of the world’s most respected independent music label groups.

Through the partnership, Beggars Group entire digital music and video catalog will be available for free streaming on imeem. The companies will collaborate on ways for imeem users to discover new music from the label rosters, including artist-based sponsorships and marketing and promotion initiatives. Beggars Group and Matador will also feature imeem’s embeddable music and video playlists across its artists’ web sites.

“From the start, Beggars and Matador have been dedicated to finding great music and bringing it to fans around the world,” said Martin Mills, founder and Chairman of Beggars Group. “imeem gives us new ways to connect our talented artists with millions of potential fans through word of mouth and social connections, and gives those fans new ways to express themselves using our artists’ music and video. We’re excited to be working with imeem.”

“Beggars have nurtured some of the most creative and innovative indie artists of the past 30 years, and we’re excited to make those artists’ music available to the imeem community,” said Steve Jang, chief marketing officer and head of business development for imeem. “We’re looking forward to working with such a legendary international label group to create a richer social music experience for our community.”

The Beggars Group is comprised of a number of the world’s leading independent labels, including Matador, 4AD, Beggars Banquet, Rough Trade, XL Recordings, Too Pure, Abeano, Merok, Salvia, and Young Turks. Its wide-ranging catalogue includes music from Bauhaus, Beirut, Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, The Breeders, British Sea Power, Cat Power, Cocteau Twins, The Cult, Dead Can Dance, Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart, Dizzee Rascal, Electrelane, The Fall, Future of the Left, The Go-Betweens, Neil Halstead, P.J. Harvey, Jay Reatard, Love And Rockets, Mission of Burma, Mogwai, Mojave 3, Peter Murphy, The National, Jack Penate, The Pixies, Sigur Ros, Stereolab, TV on the Radio, and Vampire Weekend, among others.