Category: music

music – DRM is toast. Instead go to Amie Street.

On By Rick McIn music, product endorsementsLeave a comment

The chorus is deafening. Everyone agrees the days of Digital Rights Management are coming to an end.

Here’s the best alternative to date — Amie Street

I’ve been writing about the Amie Street music site since their launch last July. Their model has the potential to disrupt the music industry from the bottom up: Bands and labels upload music, which is downloadable in DRM-free MP3 format.

The price always starts at free, and as more people download the song, the price starts to rise, eventually hitting $.98. Higher priced songs are by definition more popular, and I’ve found that anything over $.50 or so is pretty good music. 70% of proceeds go to the band/label, and Amie Street keeps the rest.

The service is now starting to make real progress with labels, too. They’ve signed a deal with Nettwerk Music Group, which will be uploading their entire library to Amie Street over the next few months. The first music to go up on the site is the new Barenaked Ladies album, Barenaked Ladies Are Men. All sixteen songs from the album are available here.

The songs will only be free through the first few downloads, and will start to rise after that. But even at full price, listeners are getting quality music, DRM-free.

Let’s hope other labels follow Nettwerk shortly. Market driven prices and no DRM = Music Nirvana.

Barenaked Ladies: New Album. Free. No DRM. Now.

amie.jpg
Amie Street

Canada – cheapest 2GB iPod Nano

On By Rick McIn Apple, audiocasts, music, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Well, a worldwide survey was done based on the latest Apple 2GB iPod Nano in U.S. dollars and found that Brazilians pay the most for an iPod, shelling out $327.71, well above second-placed India at $222.27.

Canada was the cheapest place to buy a Nano at $144.20, while Australia ranked 19th at $172.36, cheaper than Germany ($192.46), France ($205.80), South Korea ($176.17) and China where the machine is manufactured. The U.S. was fourth cheapest at $149.

Price comparison for iPod around the world

finally bought an iPod nano

On By Rick McIn Apple, music, product endorsements, travelLeave a comment

In an unbelievable coincidence my beloved Rio Cali MP3 player popped out of it’s arm band holster and fell into a crack at the very summit of Tasmania. (I was scrambling the final rocky spire of Mt. Ossa, the highest peak.)

But as I am addicted to podcasts these days, I needed a replacement ASAP. An MP3 player is essential for travel.

I shopped the top Apple nano competitor, the Sansa. No likey.

While not perfect, the nano is pretty bloody brilliant. I love the size and tactile interface.

And it seems I solved the (AIDS) crisis in Africa by (buying( the 4Gb (red).

Wear your music (and heart) on your sleeve

When you choose the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition, you get an iPod nano in a bright red aluminum enclosure that tells the world you’ve chosen to join (PRODUCT) RED. And Apple contributes $10 of your purchase to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. It’s that simple.

The Apple Store (U.S.) – iPod nano

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John Lennon – deadbeat Dad?

On By Rick McIn music1 Comment

It’s hard not to admire John Lennon’s solo work.

The music, the lyrics.

Fantastic.

For example, “Beautiful Boy” … from the Double Fantasy album.

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy …

That’s John singing about his love for his son Sean, his only child with Yoko Ono.

But what about Julian Lennon? John split with his first wife Cynthia when Julian was five years old. I’ve heard John cut off relations with both Cynthia and Julian. In fact, that Julian was closer to Paul McCartney than his own father.

John Lennon, doting father to Sean, a deadbeat Dad to his first son Julian? John did try to rekindle his relationship with his Julian in 1975, but it may have been too late. Julian still has hard feelings.

The Very Best of John Lennon

Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon

shop Amazon.ca, not Chapters/Indigo

On By Rick McIn books, music, product complaints, product endorsementsLeave a comment

logo_amazon.gif

Amazon is the big boy in on-line retail. I love just about everything they do.

But last year I shopped Chapters / Indigo as they are Canadian and finally matched prices and service with Amazon. It’s good for Amazon to have some competition.

This year … Amazon.

Lonely Planet Australia CDN$ 25.17
Love by the Beatles (Dlx Ed) (Digi) (W/Dvd) CDN$ 23.99

Free shipping. Hassle free shopping. Great prices.

Chapters / Indigo matched Amazon — but I had to join their loyalty card program to do so.

They should know that I am loyal only to companies that don’t require loyalty cards.

it’s EASY to build a better ipod

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

Controversial Jason Calacanis knows it:

For me the key features are:

1. Open source software.
2. Wifi
3. No DRM
4. Removeable media (i.e. Compact Flash)
5. Preloaded with three shows from the top 200 podcasts

… any hint of DRM and the project is over.

We don’t need any VC money to do this Dave. We just produce the best player and make 1,000 of them–all presold. The money comes to us first and we don’t have to put up *ANY* money.

After we get 1,000 made we do version 2 six months later and produce 10,000 of them.

If that sells out we do 100,000. We are not doing this for the money anyway… if it becomes a 10,000 device a year company and we break even I’m fine with that–I just want a better player!

We’re not creating a better iPod–we’re just *talking* about making a better iPod – The Jason Calacanis Weblog

music video – Canadian Idiot

On By Rick McIn humour, musicLeave a comment

I love the Weird Al Yankovic take on the song American Idiot by Green Day.

As usual, Weird Al is right on the money with this parody.

Some kids made their own video to the song. Click PLAY or watch the clip on YouTube.

But who do we have to thank for this homemade video? It is credited to Phil McCracken.

music – Panic! at the Disco

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

For some reason I find myself listening to Panic! at the Disco.

It’s another internet success story. The boys from Summerlin in Las Vegas contacted Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz through LiveJournal.

After seeing them play in their garage, Wentz asked if they would sign with his label Decaydance.

The circus / vaudeville looks of Panic! works for me. And the lyrics are interesting.

To see their MTV Video of the Year (2006) for “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” click PLAY, or watch the clip on YouTube.

I Write Sins Not Tragedies