Spotify’s digital music service debuts in US

Sweden’s Spotify digital music service arrived in the U.S. with its catalog of 15 million songs and an operation that is primed to shake up the world’s largest and most lucrative music market.

With 10 million registered users in Europe, Spotify offers limited hours of music for free or streams unlimited songs for a small fee to computers and mobile phones. That model has analysts wondering if its U.S. debut Thursday spells the beginning of the end for the 99-cent download market dominated by Apple Inc.’s iTunes store.

“The download business is basically over,” said Aram Sinnreich, an assistant media professor at Rutgers University.

The digital music market appeared to be stagnating last year with sales volume growing just 1% from the previous year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

But sales of digital tracks regained momentum in the first six months this year, increasing 11% from the same period a year earlier. That gave the industry hope that the $2.2 billion U.S. market for music downloads has not lost steam, as some had feared.

And most industry executives, including those at Spotify, insist that music downloads will continue to make up a big portion of the overall $6.9-billion U.S. music business for years to come.

But other experts predict that consumer momentum will favor subscription services such as Spotify, Rhapsody, Rdio, MOG, Slacker and others once users discover that it can be cheaper to rent music than to buy it.

Spotify’s U.S. offerings will be largely similar to what it has in Europe, namely a free service supported by advertising and two premium tiers that let users listen without ads on computers and on mobile devices.

The free tier will let new users listen to the company’s catalog from a computer connection for six months. After that, users will be capped at 10 hours a month and up to five spins for any particular song.

Subscribers who pay $4.99 a month can access the service without ads or limitations from a computer connection. A $9.99 tier also lets users listen to the service from a smartphone, such as an iPhone or Android, Palm or Windows 7 device.

For those who aren’t able to score an invitation to the free service, they can let their wallet do the talking. Customers willing to pay for the premium tiers don’t need an invitation.

Among the 10 million registered users in Europe, 1.6 million spring for a premium service.

Such monthly subscription services have been around for a decade. But consumers have been reluctant to try them because the technology seemed daunting or the idea seemed too strange.

That’s starting to change as consumers become accustomed to having access to all manner of digital entertainment on their smartphones.

Spotify, with its generous free option, is expected to accelerate that trend, said Ted Cohen, a digital music analyst with TAG Strategic, a consulting firm in Hollywood. He expects users will discover that Spotify offers the same advantages that watching movies on Netflix’s online streaming provides over buying DVDs at Best Buy.

“There’s a real halo effect around Spotify. The anticipation has been so great that people are going to want to check it out,” Cohen said. “And when they do, they will finally understand … that streaming for music works just as well. In a totally connected world, 99 cents a song is a bad value.”

Still, Spotify executives are among those who disagree with predictions of a demise of the download business, in which Apple currently has a greater than 60% share, according to NPD Group, a market research firm.

“In markets where Spotify operates in Europe, digital downloads actually grew,” said Ken Parks, Spotify’s chief content officer. “People are finding that Spotify is a great way to discover new music that they can purchase.”

Russ Crupnick, a music analyst with NPD Group, agreed.

“I’m not ready to anoint Spotify as the latest in a long series of supposed iTunes killers,” Crupnick said. “For heavy consumers of music, you could argue that services like Spotify leads them to buy even more music.”

For now, Spotify, whose free service is open only to those who receive an invitation from the company or its partners, appears to be off to a good start.

Klout, a social network ranking site that was giving out invitations, nearly crashed Thursday after being flooded with requests. Klout stopped issuing invites, saying it would resume Friday.

“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Parks, who declined to divulge the number of people who have signed up for Spotify. “But it’s just early hours.”

alex.pham@latimes.com

Spotify gets ready to eat your iTunes for lunch

Finally. A free cloud-based music service that you’ll want to use.

Skip to next paragraph

Sweden’s Spotify has been well known in Europe for years. Since 2006, 10 million listeners from Sweden, France, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland, and Norway have been tuning in to Europe’s hottest music service using their computers and mobile phones.

Spotify utilizes the high speed internet access many mobile phones and most home computers now have to allow users to stream music from Spotify’s catalogue rather than keep it on their personal devices.

In pictures: iTunes top 25 most downloaded songs

And with a catalogue of 15 million songs, this is not your father’s jukebox.

How it works

Though other services exist that allow users to listen to their choice of millions of songs online, and still more offer personalized online radio stations, Spotify will be the first to allow users to listen to any song, anytime they want. For free.

The service launched in the US on Thursday, and Spotify is ramping up their free service option. For the time being the free plan is invite-only and is expected to be opened to everybody in a few weeks. In the meantime, once Spotify emails users their invitations, they will be able to listen to any of the 15 million songs from their computer.

There are, of course, a few catches. First, you will have to listen to commercials. And after 6 months you will be limited to 10 hours per month.

This is what got 1.6 million users in Europe to opt for Spotify’s paid service plans.

The two plans Spotify offers in the US are a PC plan for $4.99 and a combo PC and mobile plan for $9.99. Both plans remove the monthly limits and commercials, but the combo plan (confusingly named the “Unlimited” plan) allows users to listen to songs on their mobile phones and allows them to download songs onto their devices to be listened to offline.

This is quite possibly what could kill Apple’s iTunes service as we know it, and indeed, threatens the entire music download industry.

On a cloud system files stay on a remote server and are read by users but not downloaded to the user’s computer to be stored. Up until now, services like iTunes made users pay for songs which they then had to download and store on their computer. Many an unhappy computer user has lost his entire music collection due to a hard drive failure or laptop theft. This is one of the benefits of the cloud.

Much like Netflix has been called the video store killer (and now cable killer), the launch of Spotify may mark the beginning of the end of paid music downloads like those sold through iTunes. Apple’s cloud solution, iTunes Match, offers a free service, but it only allows users to listen to songs purchased through iTunes. At $25 per year, Apple’s paid offering is cheaper than Spotify’s, but limits users to their own library of songs.

And because Spotify started in Europe, the service can travel with users when they leave the US on vacation or business.

Representatives at Spotify are plugging the software’s Facebook integration as a major advantage over other services and proprietary services such as iTunes’ Ping.

Not only is this a coup for music lovers, it may also turn out to be the paradigm shift users needed to switch to the cloud, which could have indirect ramifications as far reaching as reduced piracy.

In 2010, Billboard compared Spotify to the iPod. If it’s as revolutionary as the iPod, users have a lot to look forward to.

In pictures: iTunes top 25 most downloaded songs

Coldplay Launching Samsung AT&T Summer Krush Concert Series

July 12, 2011

By Mitchell Peters, Los Angeles

Coldplay will perform in Los Angeles later this summer to help launch the fourth annual Samsung AT&T Summer Krush, a free concert series designed to showcase the capabilities of the newly released Samsung Infuse 4G, available exclusively through AT&T.

The British rock act will launch the nine-city series with a concert on Aug. 3 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on the campus of UCLA. Select songs from Coldplay’s performance will air that same evening on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

Beginning next week, a limited number of free tickets to the Coldplay show will be available through registration at samsungsummerkrush2011.com, a Summer Krush spokesperson tells Billboard.biz. Tickets will also be available to purchase, priced from $45 to $150, on July 15 through ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster outlets.  Net proceeds from the Los Angeles concert will benefit the Grammy Foundation’s Grammy in the Schools music education program (grammyintheschools.com).

Coldplay is expected to release its fifth studio album this fall. The new set’s lead single “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall” has so far peaked at No. 14 on the Hot 100 and at No. 5 on Rock Songs. The band’s last release, “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” (2008), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 2.8 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The group is currently slated to play numerous global music festivals between July and October, which include London’s iTunes Festival (July 22), Chicago’s Lollapalooza (Aug. 5) and the recently announced iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas (Sept. 23).

Through mid-September, Summer Krush will visit mostly 2,500-capacity venues in Dallas, Nashville, New York, Seattle, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and Orlando. The artists for those markets will be announced in the coming weeks, a spokesperson says.

Along with hour-long live music performances, each event will feature interactive activities and the chance to win prizes, including the Samsung Infuse 4G and a Summer Krush-branded guitar. A limited number of free tickets for the concerts will be available through radio promotions and online registration at samsungsummerkrush2011.com.

Since Launching in 2007, Summer Krush has featured performances in select U.S. cities from such artists as Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Kelly Clarkson, Good Charlotte, Gavin Rossdale, Nas, Ludacris, Big & Rich, the All-American Rejects, Nelly, Smashing Pumpkins, Dierks Bentley and T-Pain.

Samsung regional marketing manager Stacey Portnoy recently told Billboard that Summer Krush has helped boost phone sales in markets that the series visits.

“From a sales perspective, we can track by city,” she said, declining to reveal the cost of producing Summer Krush. “We have a strict return on investment process that we have to go through to get this program approved every year. So we do have to provide some sort of quantitative data.”

Got Tix?
Posted: 12:00 AM
Got Tix?

Concerts and shows currently on sale: 

Tickets for the Foo Fighters’ Nov. 16 concert in Boston go on sale Friday.

Courtesy photo

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Androscoggin Bank Colisee, Lewiston: www.thecolisee.com

Asylum: www.Portlandasylum.com

Camden Opera House: www.camdenoperahouse.com

Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H.: Casinoballroom.com

Citi Performing Arts Center, Boston: www.citicenter.org

Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland: www.theciviccenter.com

DCU Center, Worcester, Mass.: www.dcucenter.com

Front Gate Tickets: frontgatetickets.com

House of Blues, Boston: www.houseofblues.com

Jonathan’s, Ogunquit: www.jonathansrestaurant.com

The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough: www.thelandingatpinepoint.com

Live Nation: www.livenation.com

Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion, Manchester, N.H.: www.meadowbrook.net

The Music Hall, Portsmouth, N.H.: www.themusichall.org

One Longfellow Square: www.onelongfellowsquare.com

The Opera House, Boothbay Harbor: boothbayoperahouse.com

Port City Music Hall:

www.portcitymusichall.com

Portland Ovations: www.portlandovations.org

PortTix: www.porttix.com

State Theatre, Portland: www.statetheatreportland.com

Stone Mountain Arts Center: www.stonemountainartscenter.com

Strand Theatre, Rockland: www.rocklandstrand.com

Ticketmaster: www.ticketmaster.com

VENUE Music Bar: www.venuemusicbar.com

Waterfront Concerts: waterfrontconcerts.com

The latest

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — The Pixies with Surfer Blood, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, State Theatre, Portland. $45. All ages. Statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — Hanson, 8 p.m. Oct. 11, State Theatre, Portland. $25. All ages. Statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office

On sale 10 a.m. Friday– Umphrey’s McGee, 8:30 p.m. Sept. 17 , State Theatre, Portland. $20/$25. All ages. Statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — Lotus, 8 p.m. Sept. 23, State Theatre, Portland. $20/$22. All ages. Statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office

On sale 10 a.m. Friday– Gillian Welch, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27, State Theatre, Portland. $30. All ages. Statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — The Dropkick Murphys Sham Rock n’ Roll Fest, with national and local acts, 11 a.m. Sept. 10, Bangor Waterfront Pavilion. $29.50. Waterfrontconcerts.com; 783-2009

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — Foo Fighters, 7 p.m. Nov. 16, TD Garden, Boston. $47.50 to $73.05. Ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — Seth Meyers, 8 p.m. Aug. 20, Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H. $37.85 to $48.10. Ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000

On sale 10 a.m. Friday — The Pixies, 8 p.m. Oct. 30, Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H. $48.10. Ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000

On sale noon Friday — k.d. Lang, 8 p.m. Sept. 26, Wilbur Theatre, Boston. $59.35 to $84.95. Ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000

On sale noon Friday — Jackie Greene, 8 p.m. Oct. 16, Paradise Rock Club, Boston. $23. Ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000

On sale 10 a.m. Saturday — Widespread Panic, 7 p.m. Sept. 16, Orpheum Theatre, Boston. $43.25 to $48.40. Ticketmaster.com; (800) 745-3000 

The locals

July 21 — Mary Chapin Carpenter, 8 p.m., Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $85. Stonemountainartscenter.com; 935-7292

July 21 — Enter The Haggis, 8 p.m., The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough. $25 to $30. thelanding atpinepoint.com; 774-4527

July 21 — Edwin McCain Acoustic Trio, 8 p.m., Jonathan’s, Ogunquit. $37.50/$41.50. Jonathansrestaurant.com; 646-4526

June 21 — Paul Sullivan, 7:30 p.m., The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. $16/$20. Boothbayoperahouse.com; 633-5159

July 22 — Mary Chapin Carpenter, 8 p.m., Strand Theatre, Rockland. $70. RocklandStrand.com; 594-0070

July 22 — Rory Block, 8 p.m., Jonathan’s, Ogunquit. $22.50/$25. Jonathansrestaurant.com; 646-4526

July 22 — Mountain Heart, 8 p.m., Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $25. Stonemountainartscenter.com; 935-7292

July 22 — Coyote Grace, Sam James and Lloyd Thayer, 8 p.m., One Longfellow Square, Portland. $12/$15. Onelongfellowsquare.com; 761-1757

July 22 — The Heavy Metal Kings, 8 p.m., Port City Music Hall, Portland. $15 to $25. Portcitymusichall.com; 899-4990

July 23 — Martyparty, 8 p.m., Port City Music Hall, Portland. $15 to $25. Portcitymusichall.com; 899-4990

July 23 — Jimmy Webb, 8 p.m., Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield. $30. Stonemountainartscenter.com; 935-7292

July 23 — Leo Kottke, 8 p.m., The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. $25/$30. Boothbayoperahouse.com; 633-5159

July 23 — Melissa Etheridge, 7:30 p.m., Bangor Waterfront Pavilion. $41.50 to $71.50. Waterfrontconcerts.com; 783-2009

July 23 — Mountain Heart, 8 p.m., Jonathan’s, Ogunquit. $25/$28. Jonathansrestaurant.com; 646-4526

July 23 — The Delta Generators, 8 p.m., One Longfellow Square, Portland. $12/$15. Onelongfellowsquare.com; 761-1757

July 24 — Reel Big Fish, 7 p.m., State Theatre, Portland. $20/$23. statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office

July 24 — Marc Broussard, 7 p.m., Port City Music Hall, Portland. $18 to $30. Portcitymusichall.com; 899-4990 

Get outta town

Saturday — Brad Paisley with Blake Shelton and Jerrod Niemann, 7:30 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $41.50 to $81.50. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

Saturday — Huey Lewis & The News with Entrain, 7:30 p.m., Bank of America Pavilion, Boston. $20 to $50. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

Sunday — Lil Wayne with Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Far East Movement and Lloyd, 7 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $22.25 to $125. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

Tuesday — Motley Crue, Poison and The New York Dolls, 7 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $87 to $119.30 Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

Tuesday — Goo Goo Dolls with Michelle Branch and Parachute, 7 p.m., Bank of America Pavilion, Boston. $20 to $45. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

Tuesday — Miranda Cosgrove with Greyson Chance, 7 p.m., Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion, Gilford, N.H. $26.50 to $96.25. Meadowbrook.net; (603) 293-4700

Wednesday — Jeff Dunham, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H. $49 to $80. Casinoballroom.com; (603) 929-4100

July 21 — Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, 7 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $32 to $73.50. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

July 22 — Mayhem Festival featuring Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Machine Head and more, 2:15 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $25.25 to $69.75. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

July 22 — Eddie Money, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H. $24 to $41. Casinoballroom.com; (603) 929-4100

July 23 — Buckcherry, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, N.H. $30/$33. Casinoballroom.com; (603) 929-4100

July 23 — 311 with Sublime with Rome, 6:30 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $20 to $49.50. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

July 24 — Tim McGraw with Luke Bryan and The Band Perry, 7 p.m., Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass. $39.75 to $100.05. Livenation.com; (800) 745-3000

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Beyoncé fired father Mathew Knowles after Live Nation accused him of theft, he …

Beyoncé’s father/former manager, Mathew Knowles, has filed legal papers rejecting Live Nation’s claim that he stole money from the singer, resulting in his termination.

Earlier this year, Beyoncé announced that she had severed professional ties with her father/manager,  Mathew Knowles, a decision said to have been amicable. She would take the reins over her mutliplatinum, Grammy-filled career and he would focus on his roster of gospel artists.

But in a lawsuit filed Monday in a Harris County, Texas, district court, Knowles claimed he in fact had been terminated by his daughter, and alleged he had been fired after Live Nation Entertainment made claims that he had stolen money from her.

Beyoncé announced her seperation from Knowles, who had guided her career since her teenage debut as lead singer of Destiny’s Child,  in March.

“I’ve only parted ways with my father on a business level. He is my father for life, and I love my dad dearly. I am grateful for everything he has taught me. I grew up watching both he and my mother Tina Knowles manage and own their own businesses,” she wrote in a statement. “They were hard-working entrepreneurs and I will continue to follow in their footsteps.” She soon launched her own management company, Parkwood Entertainment.

In the filing, the elder Knowles claimed that the concert conglomerate, which promoted the singer’s past tours, had made false allegations about him to his daughter in hopes of gaining rights to promoting her 2011 world tour.

If you hate Ticketmaster, read this

June 11, 2011 |(26) Comments

For most concert and sports fans, Ticketmaster is the enemy.

Ticketmaster is the company that tacks on those service fees, delivery fees and mailing fees when you buy a game ticket or a ticket to an upcoming concert. You know you curse them when you buy a ticket.

Ticketmaster happens to be enormously profitable: the company accounts for roughly 70% of all tickets sold for American arenas, music clubs and professional sporting events, excluding all-season sports tickets.

But change may be in the air. Fred Rosen, who built Ticketmaster before leaving years later, wants to take on his old business.

According to this terrific story in the New York Times, Rosen has a new business in which he cuts out the middleman – that would be Ticketmaster – and put ticketing back in the hands of the arenas, concert halls and clubs. His new firm, Outbox Enterprises, helps venues use their own websites to sell tickets.

As the story suggests, it’s not clear Rosen will succeed. But even the big players in the ticketing business say no one should bet against Rosen.

Ticketmaster Founder Takes On… Ticketmaster

It’s amazing what can happen after non-compete clauses in golden parachute and other high-level executive exit packages expire.

Consider the case of 61-year-old Ticketmaster founder Fred Rosen. Three decades after roiling the fan concert experience with those dreaded service fees, he’s back as partner of start-up Outbox Enterprises, a competitor started by a former Ticketmaster CFO. As he tells New York Times reporter Janet Morrissey, latest in a line of reporters drawn to the Rosen rebound story, the idea is to stick it to his former Ticketmaster-Live Nation front row mates:

Rosen wants to cut out the middleman by putting ticketing back in the hands of arenas, concert halls and clubs, helping venues use their own websites to sell tickets, merchandise, and services directly. For all its success, he says, Ticketmaster seems outdated: “Did I really think the model that I created 30 years ago would last for 30 years? Nothing lasts for 30 years,” Rosen said.

Representatives of Live Nation and Ticketmaster declined to comment.

Although the odds of Rosen unseating Ticketmaster are high, media analysts and even former boardroom foe Barry Diller are unwilling to completely discount the wily industry veteran. He’s already partnered with Cirque du Soleil and Anschutz Entertainment Group, second largest U.S. live performance ticket seller behind Ticketmaster.

Bacardi and Live Nation debut Best Shared Live programme

09:45 | Thursday June 23, 2011

By Giles Fitzgerald FRUKT

Bacardi and Live Nation are teaming up to celebrate live music, friends and cocktails this summer through a new multi-platform marketing initiative, entitled “Best Shared Live”.

The “Best Shared Live” summer music program is aimed at those in their twenties who enjoy music and nightlife, and will include a number of different elements, including a sweepstakes competition and branded Facebook and advertising integration with Live Nation digital properties.

Bacardi products will also feature on-pack download codes for Live Nation Entertainment Concert Cash, which can be used to purchase tickets and artist merchandise, and a specially created Bacardi summer concert guide will offer up custom video content from a rage of artists.

“Through the Best Shared Live program, we will tap into Live Nation Entertainment’s multi-faceted digital marketing platforms surrounding live music to bring people together and strengthen brand awareness among our target audiences,” said Bacardi USA vice president and category managing director rums Toby Whitmoyer.

News from the world of brands and music by FRUKT Communications. The leading music, entertainment and lifestyle marketing agency. For more information see www.fruktcomms.com, or to contact our editor email giles@fruktcomms.com

Please note: This news reporting does not relate to work undertaken by FRUKT Comms for its clients.

Comment on this story

Prince keeps his fans guessing

When Prince called into George Lopez’s “Lopez Tonight” TV show in early April and announced that in less than a week he’d play the Inglewood Forum to kick off a string of 21 concerts in the region, some of his staunchest fans wondered whether he’d bitten off more than even he could chew.

The enigmatic singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur is on track to wrap up his extended L.A.-area run imminently, having played 19 concerts at the 18,000-capacity sports arena, plus two smaller-scale evenings with multiple shows each night at the Troubadour and House of Blues clubs in West Hollywood. And he had enough energy left over to sandwich in three Northern California arena dates last week.

FOR THE RECORD:
Prince: An article in the June 2 Calendar section about Prince’s multiple-night stand at the Forum in Inglewood referred to the church that purchased the arena in 2000 as the Faith Central Bible Church. It is the Faithful Central Bible Church. —

The long engagement has ramped up excitement about Prince at a time when he has no new album to sell, gets little to no radio airplay except on oldies and classic-rock radio stations and no movie, TV show or book to plug. Shows have been announced one weekend at a time, usually only a few days before they occurred; for his House of Blues drop-in, where he played three sets in three different parts of the facility, tickets went on sale the day before; ticket buyers didn’t learn the location until the day of the show. Details on the final round of shows still had not been announced as of early Wednesday afternoon.

“Prince walks, eats, sleeps and breathes to his own drum, and in his case it’s a complete rhythm section,” said Randy Philips, CEO of AEG Live, the co-promoter of his 21-night stand at London’s O2 arena in 2007. This run of shows is being handled by AEG competitor Live Nation. “He has earned the right through his musical genius and success and cultural impact to do things the way he wants to do them.

“That can make it hard on those of us at AEG Live, Live Nation or anybody who has a traditional business model to follow him sometimes,” Philips added. “Things like that in more traditional business models can drive you completely crazy trying to keep up with him.”

But Prince has kept fans buzzing online and elsewhere in recent weeks with a parade of guest artists and drastically revamped set lists from night to night, factors that have rewarded those who have taken in multiple shows. He also made repeat visits financially feasible for a broad spectrum of concert-goers by pricing 85% of the seats at each Forum show for $25.

“Doing these shows at the last minute certainly has some drawbacks in terms of being able to maximize what you can sell,” said Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the concert industry-tracking publication Pollstar. “But he’s obviously not that concerned with wanting to sell out every show…. It’s like he’s stated to his L.A. fans, ‘If you want to see me, it’s not going to be that hard.’ … I can’t think of another situation where somebody’s done that many shows on a spur-of-the-moment planning basis like this.”

There have been reports of a high percentage of empty seats at some shows. One concert industry veteran not affiliated with the Forum shows said attendance has been as low as 6,000 some nights, 10,000 for others, but estimated that probably at least half of the potential 350,000 tickets have been sold. Precise figures, however, aren’t available. Prince declined to be interviewed for this story, as did Live Nation officials.

A key part of his strategy for sustaining public interest during the last seven weeks has been a parade of musical guests such as Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Missy Elliott, Esperanza Spalding, Janelle Monae and Faith Evans.

“Prince has always performed live with a great backing band,” said Dale Kawashima, a music publisher who worked for Prince in the 1980s and ’90s and who said he attended two of the recent Forum shows as a longtime fan rather than as a former business associate. “The other thing is each night he’s had some great opening act. The second night I went he had Esperanza Spalding and she did a 45-minute show before Prince went on, and that’s all for $25. He puts on a big, well-produced show, he’s in prime form with a great band, and you also get a set by the Grammy best new artist winner? It’s unheard of.”

Celebrity attendees, many of whom have popped on the Forum stage to dance or simply to glad-hand the star, have included Halle Berry, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nicole Scherzinger, Kirstie Alley and Stefani’s rock star husband, Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale.

Prince has treated the Forum stand like a gargantuan bar gig, supplementing his own hit-rich catalog with a vast array of other artists’ songs.

The engagement also has a philanthropic component: Prince has said he will donate some of the proceeds to the Faith Central Baptist Church, which bought the arena in 2000 and has been struggling to get out from under millions of dollars in debt from years of unprofitable operations. (Church officials are hopeful that a pending sale of the Forum to Madison Square Garden Entertainment will help ease or eliminate their financial burden.)

“He likes to find ways to call attention to himself and he loves to perform live, so this is totally consistent with his MO,” said Jon Bream, author of the 1984 biography “Prince: Inside the Purple Reign.” “”He’s given away two albums in British newspapers. He gave away the ‘Musicology’ album as part of the ticket price for people who went to those 2004 shows.”

Figuring out a way to play multiple dates in a single city makes considerable business sense too, as fuel prices have skyrocketed over the last year.

“It’s significantly cheaper than having trucks running on the highway from market to market,” AEG’s Phillips said. “You can cut costs down enough to lower ticket price scaling, which is a good trend. The consumer perceives tremendous value for the money. Think about it: $25 at some concerts is the surcharge on the tickets.”

randy.lewis@latimes.com

Shaquille O’Neal to bring first comedy tour to the Keswick

Shaquille O’Neal will be bringing his first All-star Comedy Jam tour to the Keswick Theatre in Glenside in November.

O’Neal announced the tour, being presented through his company Shaq Entertainment, on Wednesday.

“I played with many All-stars on the court and laughed with these All-stars off the court,” he says. “I’m happy to present this hand-picked lineup as the first Shaq All-Star tour.”

The tour, which kicks off Sept.9 in Memphis before hitting more than 20 cities, is O’Neal’s first new venture since his retirement from the NBA and is being produced in association with AEG Live.

The tour brings together many of the comedians presented at Shaq’s All-star Comedy Jams shot during NBA All-star Weekends over the last three years, including Aries Spears, Corey Holcomb, Tommy Davidson, Capone, Gary Owen and Tony Roberts. DeRay Davis will serve as host.

The tour comes to the Keswick, Easton Road and Keswick Avenue, Nov. 11.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

Information: www.keswicktheatre.com; www.aeglive.com; www.shaqallstarcomedyjam.com.

ALL-STAR COMEDY JAM DATES 2011

Date City Venue

September 9 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre

September 10 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckherd Hall

September 16 New Haven, CT Shubert Performing Arts Center

September 17 New York, NY Best Buy Theater

September 23 Seattle, WA The Moore Theatre

September 24 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay

September 30 Richmond, VA Landmark Theater

October 1 Washington DC DAR Constitution Hall

October 7 Atlanta, GA Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center

October 8 Birmingham, AL Alabama Theatre

October 14 Baltimore, MD Modell PAC at the Lyric

October 15 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall Theatre

October 21 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium

October 22 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium

October 29 Louisville, KY W.L Lyons Brown Theatre

November 4 Hammond, IN (Chicago) The Venue at Horseshoe Casino

November 5 Cleveland, OH The Palace Theatre

November 11 Philadelphia, PA Keswick Theatre

November 12 Pittsburgh, PA Byham Theatre

November 18 Kansas City, MO The Midland by AMC

November 19 Minneapolis, MN State Theatre

SHAQ ENTERTAINMENT founded by NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal is a vertically integrated entertainment and new media company primarily engaged in the promotion and management of live urban themed stand up comedy events. Shaq Entertainment has a partnership with AEG Live to co-promote and produce its live events as well as a partnership with Codeblack Entertainment to produce, film and distribute its properties via Television, DVD, Mobile and Digital outlets.

AEG LIVE

AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance. AEG Live is comprised of touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event divisions, fifteen regional offices and owns, operates or exclusively books thirty-five state-of-the-art venues. The current and recent concert tour roster includes artists such as Taylor Swift, The Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Flight of the Conchords, Ricky Gervais, Justin Bieber, Leonard Cohen, Wisin & Yandel, Kenny Chesney, P!nk and Paul McCartney. The company is also currently producing shows in Las Vegas including Celine Dion at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos, and Barry Manilow at Paris. Our exhibition portfolio boasts the most successful exhibition of all time, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoaohs, which has attracted more than 7 million visitors since 2005. AEG Live is also the largest producer of music festivals in North America from the critically acclaimed Coachella Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

CODEBLACK ENTERTAINMENT (CBE) is primarily engaged in the business of producing, acquiring, marketing and distributing urban themed content. Codeblack distributes and markets its content across a variety of platforms including: theatrical, cable television, DVD, Mobile and digitally. www.codeblackentertainment.com

CONTACT

Kristen Foster

PMK*BNC

Kristen.Foster@pmkbnc.com

212.581.1111

© 2011 phillyBurbs.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Michael Jackson insurance firm refuses to pay out $17.5m after branding him a …

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 12:39 AM on 8th June 2011

Insurers have refused to pay 10million to the estate of Michael Jackson over his doomed final tour, claiming he lied about his medical history.

Lawyers for Lloyd’s of London argue they do not have to honour a policy taken out by concert promoters AEG Live because the singer failed to disclose his prescription drug addiction.

A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles claims Jackson did not say he was using the drug Propofol to help cure his insomnia and that he lied by claiming he had not seen a doctor since 2005.

Planned tour: Michael Jackson in 2009 when he announced he would play ten live concerts at the London O2 Arena before he passed away

Jackson, 50, was weeks away from appearing at a series of 50 sell-out concerts at the O2 Arena in London when he died.

His personal physician, Dr  Conrad Murray, is to stand trial in September for involuntary manslaughter.

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Court documents: The papers that show Lloyds of London trying to cancel the policy of AEG

The lawyer for the Michael Jackson Estate, Howard Weitzman, told Celebrity website TMZ: ‘This legal action is nothing more than an insurance company trying to avoid paying a legitimate claim by the insured.’

Meanwhile, the red jacket that late pop star Michael Jackson wore in his Thriller video is up for sale. 

But the potential buyers better have some money to spare, as the item is expected to go from anywhere between $200,000 (122,000) – $400,000 (245,000) at  Beverly Hills-based Julian’s Auctions, this month.

For sale: The red jacket that late pop star Michael Jackson wore in his Thriller video is up for sale

The item of clothing is part of an auction featuring over 600 collectibles of music icons.

Auctioneer Darren Julien said the red and black leather jacket with winged shoulder details was ‘the most recognised and significant piece of pop culture’ to come up for sale.

Other Jackson items on the block include his shirt from the Scream video and the battered mailbox from the Carolwood Drive estate, where Jackson died at age 50 in 2009.

High price: The item could go from anywhere between $200,000 (122,000) – $400,000 (245,000) at  Beverly Hills-based Julian’s Auctions this month

Personal: The jacket is signed ‘love Michael Jackson’ by the late pop star himself

It also includes a black glove worn by Michael Jackson to the 1984 American Music Awards, which could fetch up to $30,000, and one of his wigs, which is expected to fetch up to $6,000.

Other items up for grabs at the auction include a bustier signed by Madonna, a tight pair of trousers worn by Gene Simmons, a Jaguar owned by Frank Sinatra and a pair of trainers signed by Britney Spears.

‘The Music Icons’ sale also includes memorabilia from Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley.

Available: The auction also includes a black glove worn by Michael Jackson to the 1984 American Music Awards, which could fetch up to $30,000

And it won’t be surprising if Jackson’s jacket fetches the higher end of the price range.

In November 2009 Jackson’s famous diamant item sold for 254,000 at auction at the weekend, soaring far past pre-sale estimates of 30,000.

The buyer was Hong Kong businessman Hoffman Ma who bought it on behalf of the Ponte 16 resort hotel and casino in Macau, China, where it is understood that it will go on display to upmarket holidaymakers and businessmen

Wigged out: One of Jacko’s wigs is expected to fetch up to $6,000

Music and kicks: Guitars featured in the sale were played by Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton and Les Paul, and a pair of trainers signed by Britney Spears are also available

Famous attire: A bustier signed by Madonna and a tight pair of trousers worn by Gene Simmons are also up for grabs

The glove was worn by Jackson when he first staged the famous moonwalk dance at the 1983 Motown 25 television special.

An opening bid of 6,000 leaped quickly to 72,000 before peaking at 212,000 – which worked out at 254,000 with commissions included.

Among other Jackson lots to far-outsoar estimates was the singer’s black strap and zipper-laden jacket which he wore during a 1989 world tour, and which fetched 166,000 (including commission), some 20 times its estimate.

Sweet ride: Bidders have the option of cruising around in a Jaguar owned by ol’ blue eyes, Frank Sinatra

Here’s what readers have had to say so far. Why not debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

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Am I the last person on Earth to learn that MJ wore wigs? Seriously…how did I not knoe that? I figured he had his hair straightened.

- Marbran, Columbia, MD, 07/6/2011 15:06

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I don’t know the terms of the insurance policy, but I am pretty sure they wouldn’t have gotten it, had the company known about the propofol. It was utterly dangerous. I am in support of Michael Jackson always and would not call his desperate measures to get some sleep an addiction, but that doesn’t matter here, those are just facts – you don’t insure anyone who is injected with propofol in a home environment. I rather wish the company had known, so they could have made absolutely clear to Michael he was gambling with his life by trusting Conrad Murray. Insurance-wise, the legal question will be whether AEG knew, or should have known. (I take it they are the beneficiaries.)

- saon, sweden, 07/6/2011 15:01

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It’s a shame this kind of stuff of MJ’s is being sold, I’m sure his kids would appreciate all this when they’re a bit older as they’ve got very little left of their dad now he’s gone?

- fed up, somewhere in this vastly over populated country, 07/6/2011 14:57

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i think facially he was also a fraud.

- Lindiwe , South Africa , 07/6/2011 14:24

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Its down to AEG not disclosing the information, NOT Michael Jackson. So Michael Jackson was NOT a fraud.

- Tom Vjestica, Kettering, 07/6/2011 14:21

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Typical insurance company; anything to wriggle out of their responsibiliies. “I’m sorry, but your accident happened on a day with the letter Y in it”.

- Andy, Warrington, 07/6/2011 14:12

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Insurer Sues AEG Live Over Canceled Michael Jackson Shows

Lloyd’s of London, the insurer of Michael Jackson’s planned series of comeback concerts at London’s O2 Arena, are suing AEG Live with the claim that the promoter has failed to provide necessary information about the singer’s medical history and details about Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician charged with involuntary manslaughter in the pop star’s death. The insurer has asked a judge to nullify a policy that protected AEG Live if Jackson was unable to complete the shows, which were scheduled to begin shortly after his death in June of 2009.

Choose Rolling Stone’s Cover: The Sheepdogs vs. Lelia Broussard. Vote Now!

Lloyd’s lawsuit also claims that a required medical exam of Jackson was never conducted and that they should not have to pay out for the series of canceled shows in London. The enormous cost of canceling the series of concerts has been a major burden on the Jackson estate, who have also pursued a lawsuit against AEG Live.

Prince Says He ‘Can’t Stand’ Digital Music

(RTTNews) – Prince has been an outspoken opponent of illegal music downloading and now he says he doesn’t even enjoy music delivered through digital formats. While speaking with the U.K.’s Guardian, he explains his distaste for downloadable music.

“I personally can’t stand digital music,” he said. “You’re getting sound in bits. It affects a different place in your brain. When you play it back, you can’t feel anything. We’re analogue people, not digital.”

In addition to digital music lacking the aesthetic value of analog music, Prince also says the digital age has created a culture of thievery amongst music consumers.

“I’m supposed to go to the White House to talk about copyright protection. It’s like the gold rush out there. Or a carjacking. There’s no boundaries,” he adds.

In 2007 Prince’s legal team instructed fan sites to remove any photographs or likenesses of the singer that were not expressly approved. He has also received criticism over recent months for allegedly instructing security staff at concerts to prevent fans from capturing photos on phones.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Prince Refuses to Record New Music Due to Lack of Digital Copyright Laws

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There has never been any doubt that veteran and legendary musician Prince is a strong advocate against digital piracy. Ever since 2007, Prince has been fighting against copyright issues, such as from suing YouTube, eBay, and even websites that used and featured anything related to him. Just last year, the singer teamed up with publications to release his album ’20Ten’ as a covermount, and refused digital download services from having access to the project.

In his latest interview with UK newspaper, ‘The Guardian,’ Prince expressed his disdain for how much the music industry has changed in its new found technological age. The singer noted how though he may have tons of unreleased material, fans should not expect any new album to come about anytime soon, if at all.

“The industry changed,” he says. “We made money online before piracy was real crazy. Nobody’s making money now except phone companies, Apple and Google. I’m supposed to go to the White House to talk about copyright protection. It’s like the gold rush out there. Or a carjacking. There’s no boundaries. I’ve been in meetings and they’ll tell you, Prince, you don’t understand, it’s dog-eat-dog out there. So I’ll just hold off on recording.”

“I personally can’t stand digital music,” he continues. “You’re getting sound in bits. It affects a different place in your brain. When you play it back, you can’t feel anything. We’re analogue people, not digital.”

Also in the piece, Prince talks about his admiration for singers Adele and Janelle Monae, his contempt to Glee covering his “Kiss” record, and his ability to come off as a “loving tyrant” to his band members.

Prince is currently overseas in Europe, and he is set to be the headliner for the Heinken Open’er festival in Poland.

East Lansing prepared for U2 concert goers

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The Marriott hotel in downtown East Lansing isn’t just sold out on Sunday night.

On this particular day, every room has been booked for the last year, ever since it was announced that U2’s 360 Tour concert at Spartan Stadium was postponed to 2011, after the band’s front man Bono underwent emergency back surgery.

“We’re as excited about this date as the people coming to the show,” said Eric Sudol, general manager of the East Lansing Marriott at University Place, 300 M.A.C. Ave.

East Lansing businesses of all forms are gearing up to take advantage of the thousands descending on Spartan Stadium this weekend, ready to make money from fans seeing the Irish rockers play a long overdue set on MSU’s home turf.

Flat, Black & Circular, 541 E. Grand River Ave., will be open from 12-5 p.m. on the concert day — the first time ever on a Sunday.

“In 33 years, we’ve never been open (on) a Sunday,” manager Jon Howard said.

Trisha Riley, co-owner of Harper’s Restaurant and Brewpub, 131 Albert Ave., said the bar is being staffed for capacity Sunday night, with about 65 employees working to handle the influx.

She said Harper’s already is about three quarters full with table reservations and expects to be completely full come Sunday.

“Without any advertising we were half full of reservations,” Riley said. “(The concert is) fabulous for the synergy of the city.”

Harper’s also is hoping to relive a piece of history. Nearly 30 years ago — Dec. 7, 1981 — U2 played one of their first shows on American soil in the basement of the building that now is Harper’s.

Riley said she sent an invitation to the band to stop in after the show, but isn’t sure if they’ll take up her offer.

The bar also is hosting a U2 barbecue on their outdoor deck.

Similarly, the Marriott is hosting a barbecue, and providing VIP shuttle buses to Spartan Stadium.

On campus, the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center also is sold out — an unusual occurrence for a Sunday, General Manager Joel Heberlein said.

“It actually helped us fill a day where we wouldn’t normally be sold out,” Heberlein said. “We had some conference business, but that definitely capped us off.”

Heberlein said The State Room restaurant might likely be full come Sunday, even though it is not usually open on Sunday evenings.

Parking in the city will not be free like normal Sundays, Director of Planning and Community Development Tim Dempsey said, with a maximum fee rate of 15 dollars for the entire day in any one of East Lansing’s 2,700 municipal parking spaces.

U2 to party with Sparty in East Lansing

What does it take to get ready for a two-hour U2 concert with two dozen songs?

At Michigan State University’s Spartan Stadium, it takes cranes, high-tech hydraulic gear and a crew of 500 working since last weekend to build the innovative stage structure for the band’s Sunday tour stop.

U2 will jet into Michigan Saturday morning as crews make final preparations for Spartan Stadium’s first concert since 1994.

“It was ambitious to take up this challenge and build these custom stage systems, making the leap of faith that the band would fill entire stadiums around the world,” said tour director Craig Evans. “It’s really a pretty amazing story.”

It’s a story that has entailed four years of planning and a journey across five continents, leading to this week’s breathtakingly ambitious stage construction at MSU’s football home.

The concert — a makeup date for last summer’s postponed show — is to be one of the final stops on the Irish band’s record-breaking 360 Tour, which kicked off in summer 2009. The 110-show run already is the most successful concert tour in history. When it wraps up next month, promoter Live Nation said, it will have played to more than 7 million people and grossed more than $700 million.

Singer Bono and his band mates won’t be the only stars on display Sunday night for an expected 65,000 fans. The show also will put a spotlight on MSU’s football palace, which has staged just one other concert in its nine-decade history: a Rolling Stones show in 1994.

It’s also a bit of poetic symmetry for East Lansing: Thirty years ago, the cozy club Dooley’s hosted one of U2′s earliest U.S. gigs — an honest-I-was-there night that has endured in town lore.

MSU officials said this weekend’s concert is like “adding an eighth football game,” and will inject millions of dollars into area businesses.

“We saw this as a shot in the arm for the local economy at a slower time of year,” said MSU President Lou Anna Simon. “MSU has the venue, but it truly will be a community event.”

The effects of U2′s concert will linger well past Sunday, for good and ill: With aluminum panels already covering the football field — which will bear more than six times the weight of a typical 60-ton stage — the stadium’s grass is being destroyed as you read this. U2 will foot the $253,000 tab for new grass, to be trucked in next week from a Colorado turf farm.

Spartan Stadium was selected by U2 because it’s the only venue in the state that can accommodate the show. The specs are eye-popping. There’s the 360-degree stage that plays to nearly every seat in the house. Four hundred tons of steel and gear. A 14,000-square-foot video screen. A 164-foot-tall claw-like structure that will peek over the stadium’s rim.

Ford Field was ruled out because it has a roof. Comerica Park doesn’t have 360-degree seating. Michigan Stadium has limited load-in capacity and doesn’t host concerts.

“People have heard how big this is, how spectacular it is, but until you actually see it in person, you can’t grasp the real impression this structure creates on you,” said tour director Craig Evans. “I see it every show: They come around the corner, their faces light up, and the cameras come out.”

But the MSU show hasn’t been without tensions. Some ticket holders have griped about standing campus rules that bar alcohol outdoors — a ban that’s lifted on football Saturdays. Officials said tailgating without alcohol will be permitted, and point out that many off-campus bars and restaurants are welcoming U2 fans with Sunday food and drink specials.

At online sports forums, some Spartan fans have vented concerns about the potential state of the field, just nine weeks ahead of the Sept. 2 football opener.

Others have cited MSU’s turf management program — widely considered the nation’s best — as reason for reassurance. Amy Fouty, the stadium’s turf manager and a graduate of that program, has made several visits to the Colorado farm, selected because it matches the soil profile at Spartan Stadium.

Once the U2 production is gone by midweek, the field will be stripped and grated. Refrigerated trucks will arrive with the new turf, to be laid out in 40-foot strips more than an inch thick. Crews will periodically dress it with a sand-and-soil mix in coming weeks as the roots grow in.

“The guy we’ve really got to keep happy here is coach (Mark) Dantonio,” said senior associate athletic director Greg Ianni. “As we went through this process, the most important thing was to make sure he’s comfortable that we can provide a surface comparable to what we’d be losing. I think we’ve done our due diligence.”

The concert, booked in fall 2009, has involved a carefully coordinated effort among U2, Live Nation and officials with the university’s administration, Wharton Center and campus police. More than 100 trucks and 500 crew members are part of the production, one of three tour units on a leapfrog schedule across the country.

All that was thrown upside down in May 2010 — a month before the originally scheduled concert — when Bono injured his back during tour rehearsals, forcing a summer’s worth of dates to be delayed.

“At first it was a disappointment, but it was also scary,” said Evans, the tour director. “We didn’t really know where it was going to lead. Backs are pretty unpredictable, and this was a pretty serious injury. You kept thinking, ‘Is there really going to be a next year?’ “

As Bono moved into a promising post-surgery recovery, tour officials scrambled to “put the massive jigsaw puzzle back together,” as one described it, rescheduling dates for East Lansing and 15 other cities.

“There are a lot of logistics that had to fall into place, along with the logistics of the other markets,” said Dave Clark of Live Nation’s Michigan office. “What could be a tangled web ends up looking pretty seamless to the public.”

What’s next for U2 is up in the air. Even those close to the band say it will have a tough time topping the 360 spectacle in terms of breadth and scope.

“I don’t know if the solution is through sheer size,” said Evans, who has also overseen tours by Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones. “U2 has always been on the leading edge in show presentation, design, how they relate to the audience. To top this is to take that edge in some new direction. It’s not a matter of reinventing themselves — it’s about presenting themselves in some new way that can resonate with fans.”

Best Buy launching cloud music service

Best Buy is launching its own cloud-based music service that will let customers store and stream music from the Internet to their PCs and mobile devices.

Dubbed simply Best Buy Music Cloud, the service is following in the footsteps of similar offerings from Amazon, Google, and Apple.

Customers can upload their tunes to the Music Cloud and then stream them to their smartphone or tablet. Best Buy is promising that you can store your favorite music offline to listen to when you’re not connected. Your playlists come along for the ride, so that you see the same ones across your PCs and mobile devices. And any new songs or playlists are automatically added to your account, accessible from the Web and your phone or tablet.

Though Best Buy hasn’t “officially” launched the service, according to Digital Trends, interested customers can sign up at the Music Cloud site. You’ll then need to download and install the client software on your PC or Mac. Once installed, the Music Cloud software offers to scan your iTunes library. Yes, the service does require that your music be accessible through iTunes even if you’re not an Apple or iOS user.

You’re then asked to add the name of your phone or tablet from a list of mobile devices. Further instructions are sent to your device via a text message and/or e-mail.

The service supports iOS devices, Android devices, and BlackBerrys through their own respective mobile apps. However, I wasn’t able to find an app at RIM’s BlackBerry App World. And when I registered my iPad, Best Buy sent me a response e-mail with a registration code, but told me that the app for Apple devices will be available shortly.

Once your music is uploaded, you should be able to log into your Music Cloud account to see all of your tunes and then sync your music through the mobile app on your device.

Best Buy offers both a free “lite” version and a $3.99-per-month premium version, though it’s not fully clear what the differences are between the two. Digital Trends claims that users of the free version will only be able to listen to 30 seconds of each song, while Boy Genius Report says the free edition provides access only to the Best Buy Web player and not to your mobile devices.

A Best Buy blog post on Music Cloud makes the whole process sound relatively quick and simple. But clearly, Best Buy needs to fine-tune its new service before it can go head-to-head against the likes of Amazon and Apple.

Responding to questions from CNET about Music Cloud, a Best Buy spokesman said the company doesn’t have any information to share.

Updated at 8:20 a.m. PST with comment from Best Buy.

Music Service From Best Buy Resoundingly Panned

Best Buy’s new Music Cloud service is the latest service to offer online music access.

Joining the likes of Google, Amazon and Apple, Best Buy quietly released the new Best Buy Music Cloud service Wednesday — to widespread derision.

The service works like the other recently launched “cloud” services, storing digital music files and playlists on servers that can be accessed anywhere. A free Lite version lets you listen to only the first 30 seconds of a song; the $3.99 Premium version works more or less like other packages. 

And most reviewers find the officially unannounced software to be — well, a work in progress.

PCMag.com’s Mark Hachman suggested skipping it completely until Best Buy reworks it: 

“I … found the software inflexible, and painful, and with some odd design decisions, to boot. The worst choice? For now, you’re restricted to listening to 30-second samples of your own songs.”

PC World’s Brennon Slattery agreed, titling his article “Best Buy Joins Cloud Music Locker Business, Poorly.” Time magazine had similar thoughts, comparing the company’s preliminary foray in the online music business to the stumbling work of “a blind oaf.”

CNET’s review is somewhat politer, merely stating “clearly, Best Buy needs to fine-tune its new service before it can go head-to-head against the likes of Amazon and Apple.”

The company has yet to formally announce the service, although a blog post on its Everything Mobile site walks the user through it — a description written by an employee who “freely admits that the music download craze has passed me by.”

The software is available for Apple, PC, and Android the company says, and is powered by Catch Media’s Play Anywhere software. But the early reviews suggest you wait for a more streamlined, future version.

Amy Winehouse retired ‘for years’ after drunk concert in Serbia

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Amy Winehouse booed and jeered by Serbian crowd as she slurs and stumbles her way through Belgrade concert.

Amy Winehouse falls over on stage during one of her concerts.

Retired “for years”… Amy Winehouse’s European tour has been scrapped after she went on stage drunk in Belgrade, Serbia. Source: Supplied

BRITISH singer Amy Winehouse has been retired by her manager and won’t be appearing on stage again “for years.”

Ray Cosbert finally laid down the law after she sneaked a stash of alcohol backstage before embarrassing herself in Belgrade, Serbia, on the weekend.

Cosbert has always argued it’s not his place to tell Winehouse how to live her life, but for the sake of her health he’s stepped in and retired her from performing “indefinitely”, The Sun reports.

All remaining 11 European tour dates were cancelled after the Serbian concert and Winehouse is now facing another long period in rehab.

“It has been hard for Ray to watch her get into trouble over the years,” a source said.

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“There’s only so much he can do – but enough’s enough.

“She’s going away and this time it could be for years.”

Winehouse’s career has been wrecked by addiction to drugs and alcohol since 1997 – one year after her Back to Black album won her five Grammy Awards and made her a millionaire.

Watch Amy Winehouse’s music clip to her 2006 hit song Rehab:

Watch Amy Winehouse’s music clip for her 2003 hit song Stronger Than Me:

Amy Winehouse Cancels Tour as UMG Removes YouTube Videos of Failed Concert

Videos of Amy Winehouse stumbling through a concert in Belgrade, Serbia, hit YouTube Monday, raising concerns about the singer’s wellbeing. Now, Winehouse has canceled the remainder of her European tour, and Universal Music Group has started removing those videos from YouTube.

Click on about half of the videos below and you’ll get a similar message: “This video contains content from UMG, who has blocked it on copyright grounds.” Granted, UMG has the grounds for removal, as YouTube includes “videos of live concerts, even if you captured the video yourself” as copyrighted work, but it’s likely that UMG nixed the vids in the interest of damage control as well.

Winehouse has long struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She checked out of the Priory Clinic earlier this month one week after checking in, according to E! Online.

Her rep, Chris Goodman, told E! that Winehouse “is withdrawing from all scheduled performances” in order to recover.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Fyunkie