Search Results for: Record Store Day

Independent merchants selling and buying used CDs across the United States say they are alarmed by stepped-up pawn-broker-related laws recently enacted in Florida and Utah and pending in Rhode Island and Wisconsin. In Florida, the new legislation requires all stores buying second-hand merchandise for resale to apply for a permit and file security in the form of a $10,000 bond with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In addition, stores would be required to thumb-print customers selling used CDs, and acquire a copy of state-issued identity documents such as a driver’s license. Furthermore, stores could issue only store credit… Read more »

Before the tour van and the record deal, before the girls begging for autographs, they were middle school mall rats who made a terrible racket practicing in their parents’ homes.

Is it legal to make a copy of that DVD you’ve just bought so the family can watch it around the home or in the car? In one of the most watched copyright cases in recent years, a judge in northern California ruled last month that copying DVDs for personal use was legal, given the terms of the industry’s licence and the way the copies were made. The wider implication of the ruling remains clouded–not least because the DVD Copy Control Association, the loser in the case, has 60 days to appeal. But whatever the video industry may like to… Read more »

What happens when you mix martial arts fighter, actor, and vocalist Johnny Strong with Puddle of Mudd’s guitarist Paul Philips? You get part of the most explosive and electrifying rock act touring today. Joining Paul Philips and Johnny Stong is Ricky Thomas on guitar, Wade Carpenter on bass, and Dave Moreno on drums. Collectively, these true rock music fans, create an ear bleed sure to please the most anal of rock connoisseurs. The Internet continues to be the driving force that makes or breaks new artists, and Operator is no exception. Operator’s major label debut on Atlantic Records comes after… Read more »

The continuing sales drop of music compact discs accelerated to nearly 13 percent in 2006 while fast-growing digital download sales failed to make up for the sales shortfall, according to figures published by the Recording Industry Association of America on Tuesday. Though sales of music in digital formats such as downloads and mobile ringtones more than doubled in some cases during the year, digital sales did not grow fast enough to cover the revenue gap caused by the downturn in CD sales. Consequently overall music sales were down by 6.2 percent to $11.51 billion. The U.S. music industry is struggling… Read more »

A federal judge has dismissed a multimillion dollar lawsuit claiming Beach Boys memorabilia, including handwritten lyrics and rare photos, were stolen from storage. U.S. District Judge Manuel Real ruled last week the group’s company, Brother Records, failed to prove allegations that Roy A. Sciacca, Allen Gaba and Gem System Inc. “stole, misappropriated or otherwise improperly, wrongfully or illegally acquired any property.” The Beach Boys said they had stored musical instruments, original sheet music, charts, photos, contracts and other valuable pieces of memorabilia in Gaba’s warehouse. When band members decided to clear out the warehouse in 1994, according to the lawsuit… Read more »

Apple Inc. and EMI Group Plc will reveal a ground-breaking deal on Monday for Apple to sell the music label’s songs free from copy protection limits, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. The report said music giant EMI plans to sell “significant amounts” of its catalog without anti-piracy software, citing people familiar with the matter, and that the music label is considering not only Apple’s iTunes stores but other outlets. However, a separate source familiar with the situation told Reuters a Beatles deal was not the focus of Monday’s event. “There is no Beatles’ announcement,” the source said. EMI… Read more »

Sensing a revolution in the way Internet traffic is managed, rock musicians find themselves in the unusual position of defending the status quo. Independent, lesser-known musicians and smaller record labels launched a nationwide campaign Tuesday to support the idea that all Internet traffic should be treated equally, which they said is under fire from providers who want to charge a fee to have some Web sites load faster than others. The Rock the Net campaign, made up mostly of musicians who are on smaller record labels or none at all, said they’re fearful that if the so-called “Net neutrality” principle… Read more »

Paul McCartney’s upcoming new album is already generating caffeine buzz. The erstwhile Beatle has become the first artist to sign with Starbucks’ fledgling Hear Music label, a new venture between the latte purveyor and Concord Music Group, the company said Wednesday, confirming rumors surrounding the deal. McCartney made an appearance via video link from London at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders in Seattle, where the announcement was made. “For me, the great thing is the commitment and the passion and the love of music, which as an artist is good to see,” McCartney said of his decision to sign… Read more »

AUSTIN, Texas – Every March, the music industry throws on a pair of shorts, slathers on the SPF 45 and heads on down to Austin for South by Southwest, a weeklong celebration of bands, BBQ and (sometimes free!) beer. It’s a brutal bacchanal and music marathon powered by thousands of acts playing in hundreds of venues – at all hours – plus an unreal number of open-bar tabs and fancy private parties. Sleep is not exactly a top priority, so MTV News has dispatched three of its most tireless reporters into the fray. They’ll be filing reports a few times… Read more »