Fan-funded music platform MyMajorCompany (MMC) will launch in the U.K. on Oct. 18. MMC is a little different to your average fan funded platform. MMC has an A&R team that sign acts and then add them to the site. Once added to the site fans then have the option to opt-in and fund them.
MyMajorCompany launched in France in 2007 and now has 28 fully financed artists with a community of 92,000 registered users (this does seem relatively small for a company thats three years old).
MMC has amazing stats! The French singer songwriter Gregoire’s “Toi + Moi” became the first fan-funded platinum (200,000 units) album in France. It peaked at No. 2 in France and was distributed by Warner Music. The album was funded by €70,000 ($97,800) invested by 347 MMC users.
In France, MMC has retained ownership of the master recordings. Investors receive a share of the revenue after distribution costs, with the artist and MMC also taking a share.
MMC said one French investor put in €6,000 ($8,400) and received a return of €118,000 ($165,000).
“The model takes into account the amazing and endless opportunities offered to this new generation of artists but at the same time it takes a realistic approach to the professional needs which are and will always be required to support the artists work and promote it to the consumer,” said Paul-Rene Albertini, ex-Chairman and CEO of Warner Music International and now CEO of MyMajorCompany in the U.K. “This requires creative but also logistic added value. MMC offers both.”
Earlier today I was discussing and defending UK Hip-Hop to someone who was unfairly criticising all Hip-Hop without really knowing what he was talking about. For some reason urban music is still an easy target for people with little to no idea about music to pick on. It shouldn’t be, but it is, largely because of skeletons in the closet such as the two monstrosities below.
Now I am fully aware that anybody with even a remote interest in any urban music would even come close to considering these two songs as anything other than excerpts of sonic dross, but the chap I was having the argument with used them as an example against me. I had forgotten about them both which may sound like a good thing, but when he pulled them out of the darkest corners of youtube I was lost for words. I would like you to let me know of any other examples of terrible British attempts at rap you can think of so I can be prepared for any inevitable future arguments I will find myself in.
Roadrunner Records has announced that they will be relaunching their “SignMe to Roadrunner Records” crowd sourcing A&R process on October 4.
The platform allows artists to upload their music and then have it rated and reviewed on site. Roadrunner will then examine and potentially sign the artists commanding the top placement of these charts.
Currently it claims to have 6,000 active band profiles and more than 10,000 user accounts.
Thumbplay is currently offering an exclusive selection of tracks from Bob Dylan’s bootlet collection: The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 – The Witmark Demos. All Blackberry smartphone users will be able to listen to 15 previously unreleased recordings from the new album, but only until Thursday September 30.
Users can access these exclusive tracks by searching for the Thumbplay app on their device or by going to their website.
Disclosure: Thumbplay is one of our partners here at RouteNote.
It seems like DJ Hero 2 is going to be a little more like true DJ’ing. In the sequel to the rhythm game, gamers/DJs will now be able to mix in large sections of other songs using the cross fade feature. This all comes in the form of a freestyle mode. Check out the video below.
Check out the video below for more details. DJ Hero 2 will be released for the PS 3, Wii and Xbox 360 on October 19.
It has been reported that Vevo is planning to start a TV network that would compete specifically with MTV’s music-video network, MTV Hits. Vevo CEO stated that they will offer a mix of programming, live events and archived performances.
The reports note that Vevo has no deals in place with any cable or satellite-TV companies right now, but they are collaborating with Web-enabled TV manufacturers, set-top boxes and other devices.
The service is expected to be part of Sony’s new HDTV set that will also incorporate Google TV.
“We’re partnering with the leading manufacturers, and the people that make the boxes that go around them,” said Caraeff.
There are also a lot of plans to make Vevo more user friendly and even allow users to create their own personalise Vevo TV channels, based upon their tastes, similar to web radio service Pandora.
There are currently a lot of changes happening at Myspace and here the latest is a new band profile. We have been able to get our hands on a video which showcases the new Myspace band profiles. Check it out below and let us know what you think.
Spotify has received a huge amount of press since launch and it seems that the hype has been completely justified. Spotify is now about to pass 10 million users.
The company is holding a party in London later this month “to celebrate reaching 10 million users across Europe”, according to an invite sent out to press and partners.
It’s impressive growth, with Spotify still only available in seven countries: the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Spain.
Sony Music has teamed up with the British Fashion Council for London Fashion Week. Sony and British Fashion will be launching a series of albums to celebrate the event.
Each album in the series will be compiled by a different figure from the world of fashion, starting off with Burberry’s chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, who has put together Burberry Acoustic. The album includes Midge Ure’s No Regrets, Carter USM’s The Impossible Dream and Status Quo’s Everything, as well as four tracks recorded specially for the album.
The artwork for the album, which will be released during London Fashion Week on Monday September 20, has been designed exclusively by Burberry, with a lavish hardback book housing the CD and Burberry photography within the booklet.
Sony Music UK and Ireland chairman and CEO Ged Doherty says, “The love affair between British music and fashion dates back to the birth of rock and roll and will continue long after we’ve all gone.”
Google recently announced Instant search, which aims to speed up result times. To demonstrate the new features Google used the famous video for Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues”.
Roadrunner Records has announced that they will be relaunching their “SignMe to Roadrunner Records” crowd sourcing A&R process on October 4.
