The existence of Apple’s new so-called “Cocktail” music experience being created with the major record labels seemed to create headlines last week more for theside-talk about the Apple tablet, than the music element itself. And for good reason, because just as we wrote last week, it’s starting to sound like this is mainly another ploy to pull more money out of consumers’ pockets.

And interestingly enough, it’s also starting to sound like the music industry may be taking a cue from the rise of mobile applications, to position this new format.

Reuters has a new report today about the Cocktail plan. After you wade through the usual PR speak from music execs about how this will change the digital music experience for consumers, you get to the real nugget of information:

Will the Cocktail format drive greater digital album sales? Probably not, but that’s not what the music industry is expecting from it. Instead, label sources position it as a way to further monetize existing digital album purchases. While pricing information isn’t available, Cocktail-formatted albums will almost certainly cost more than the standard album available on iTunes.

Is there something to be said for the missing experience of opening a record or CD for the first time, and checking out things like the artwork? Of course. But if the industry execs really cared about that, they’d come up with a standard to offer that without jacking up prices on consumers to give them a better experience.

Instead, they have likely come up with a way to charge more for content, while wrapping it in some new marketing. And while the execs and most outlets are mostly pushing the Apple angle specifically, the idea is to get these new types of digital albums to all the big digital music outlets, as Greg Sandoval reported last week.

But it’s smart to push Apple’s role in this because it sounds like it is doing things a little differently than what the music labels plan to do with the rest of the outlets. And it seems like a good bet that Apple’s version could offer a better experience than the others. The reason is that Apple’s digital content is so tightly integrated with its devices. So something like Cocktail on an iPhone or iPod touch could be a lot nicer than simply trying to run it on a computer or a less capable mobile media player.

And from what’s being said about all of this, it’s starting to sound like these Cocktails may actually be album apps of sorts, that you open and interact with while listening to the music. Again, Apple has already proven itself in the app game.

It will be interesting to see if this new format takes off in Apple’s ecosystem, but don’t be fooled into thinking that the prime motivation for this is anything but a way for the labels to make more money.

Author: MG Siegler

Source: Tech Crunch

 

Get to Know Rik Cordero:

After graduating from the New York Institute of Technology with a B.F.A. in computer graphics, Cordero began to do design work for many entertainment companies. In 1999, he started his own film company Three/21 with the goal to make innovative videos. He soon became known for his films and for his guerilla filmmaking campaigns and use of internet marketing. With his use of affordable HD cameras and filters, Cordero created a gritty image that would redefine the hip-hop music video. Cordero has since worked with Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, The Roots, Q-Tip, Ghostface Killah, Beanie Sigel and John Legend, KRS-One, Darryl McDaniels and others. “Thanks to Cordero’s innovation,” says XXL Magazine, “although the revolution is no longer being televised, it’s still going down.”

Read about Rik’s new film “Inside a Change” at his website http://www.three21media.com

Endeavoring to change buying trends on iTunes, Apple has tapped four top record labels to increase digital sales of albums by bundling an interactive booklet, sleeve notes and other features with music downloads. 

As The Financial Times reports, physical album sales have fallen precipitously as music retailing has moved from compact disc sales in shops to digital downloads, while consumers are buying large amounts of digital music, but individual tracks rather than full-length albums.

In partnership with with EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group, Apple working towards a September launch date for the project, which aims to boost interest in albums by bundling liner notes, photographs, lyric sheets and video clips with the music.

“It’s all about recreating the heyday of the album when you would sit around with your friends looking at the artwork while you listened to the music,” one exec familiar with the plans tells the Financial Times.

Continue reading the article by clicking here

By Gavin O’Malley

Source: Financial Times

Starting this week the SoundCtrl board will be profiling one artist a week that they believe to be an “Artist Disruptor”. The goal of this is to shine a light on artists that we believe to be amplifying their brand and presence in the music landscape via new media and other innovative methods of promotion.

Bio: What is it about Eclectic Method that inspired U2, Fatboy Slim and Public Enemy to employ their talents? That inspired Cannes and Sundance to have them headline their closing night parties? That impressed Motown and XL Records to hire them for official remixes; Sony PlayStation to have them develop video games levels, and MTV Europe to have them kick-start the MTV Mash series? Simply put, it’s because Eclectic Method is reshaping the platforms to bring us tomorrow’s entertainment today.
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Eclectic Method mixtape click here