Another exciting development for indies

The UK recently changed their rules regarding how downloads can be counted in the charts. It has already benefitted the indie band Snow Patrol! We're getting closer to freedom, folks!

I'm reading: Another exciting development for indies

My 2007 Predictions

I decided to jump on the bandwagon and offer my own predictions for the coming year. Some of these are probably more wishful thinking than predictions. Here they are, in no particular order:

• We will see at least one more merger of two of the remaining four major record labels.
• Several major artists will sue the RIAA for a cut of the action from all the lawsuits they have been engaging in.
• Digidesign will finally realize that the track limits on LE systems are hurting their business, and they will remove them.
• Digidesign will also finally add MIDI notation editing to Pro Tools, due to their recent aquisition of Sibelius.
• Several unsigned artists will break into the Billboard Top 100 (I'm not even sure this is possible yet, but if it is, it will happen this year.)
• Movies will be even worse than they were in 2006.
• Reality TV shows will begin to decline in popularity, because they have run out of ideas.
• The Police reunion tour will happen, but get cancelled halfway through when Sting and Stewart Copeland get in a huge fight and they both quit.
• Millions (okay, maybe thousands) of Windows users will switch to the Mac.
• The music industry will begin moving away from DRM, finally realizing that it doesn't really work. Amazon's upcoming DRM-free digital download service will be a big hit! However, iTunes either won't remove their DRM implementation, or they will do it too late, and they will lose a significant market share. iPod Sales will not suffer as a result, however.
• Nine Inch Nails will release a new studio album, only two years after their last one, finally breaking their pattern of a new album every 5 years (ok, I actually know for a fact this will happen, so I suppose it's cheating.)

That's all I can think of for now. If you have any predictions, feel free to comment!

I'm reading: My 2007 Predictions

Joan Jett (Short Film)

This is an interesting video. Joan Jett was DIY long before it was fashionable!

I'm reading: Joan Jett (Short Film)

Happy New Year!

Let's hope that in 2007, we will continue to see artists and bands gaining control over their own careers. As the major record labels sales figures continue to shrink, and they continue to grasp at straws by suing children and the elderly, new distribution channels, what some are now calling Music 2.0, and the indie scene in general continue to grow. I think 2007 will be a stellar year!

I'm reading: Happy New Year!