coldplay

Spotify: Staggering music releases (like movies) won't work

The big film studios have made a pile of money by controlling where their movies are distributed and for how long.

A similar strategy has begun to attract supporters among big-name music acts. The idea is to debut music at Apple and Amazon and force subscription services such as Spotify and Rhapsody to the back of the line. According to the acts that have complained about subscription services, they are less profitable and also allegedly cannibalize iTunes sales.

Already, some acts, including Coldplay, have debuted tracks at iTunes and then later distributed them through subscription sites.

Critics say this will … Read more

Armageddon for Spotify? Not yet

Some recent headlines about Spotify and other music subscription services make it sound like Armageddon.

But it's not, or not yet at least.

Several media outlets are reporting that 200 music labels are pulling out of Spotify. A Spotify representative was not immediately available for confirmation.

While the number 200 sounds like a lot, these are smallish independent dance labels from Great Britain that are highly unlikely to impact Spotify's business or bottom line in any meaningful way.

Spotify continues to offer music from the four major record companies as well as most of the large indies. The … Read more

Coldplay snub sounds alarm for streaming music

Coldplay and singer Tom Waits last week issued no-confidence votes on subscription music services, or at least that's how the press is interpreting their decision not to distribute their latest albums through companies such as Spotify, Rhapsody, Rdio, and MOG.

On Wednesday, CNET broke the news that Coldplay and Waits will follow other marquee acts, such as Adele and Prince, who have withheld at least part of their catalogs from some of the subscription services. Management for Coldplay and Waits did not respond to interview requests. So, while we don't know for sure why they chose to snub … Read more

The 404 934: Where portable gaming is undead (podcast)

Nothing lasts forever in the tech industry, and Nintendo's upcoming Wii U, the Sony PlayStation Vita, and all other one-trick portable gaming consoles are next in line to get the axe! At least that's what Jeff hypothesizes, although the trolls in his CNET editorial have opposing opinions.

After we sort through all the hate mail, we turn to a story about Internet domain squatters taking advantage of the #OccupyWallStreet trend to make money off the protesters.

And in the same way that Bacolicio.us set the veganism movement back several years, a new site called OccupyTheURL is turning the 99 percent into an online gimmick. Type in any Web site--the 404 homepage works--and your page will soon be flooded with graphic pop-ups of protesters blocking your access. We'd rather have bacon.… Read more

Sony going solo with phones

YouTube may start releasing its own original content, Coldplay gives a cold shoulder to music streaming, and Sony pays Ericsson to take over the handset business.

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Coldplay latest act to freeze out streaming services (scoop)

Coldplay, one of the world's biggest music acts, has declined to offer songs from the band's new album "Mylo Xyloto," to streaming services such as Spotify, Rdio and Rhapsody, multiple sources told CNET.

EMI, the band's record label, acknowledged that Coldplay, known for such songs as "Yellow" and "Clocks," will not distribute through streaming services for "Mylo Xyloto," but did not detail the reasons for the decision. "We always work with our artists and management on a case by case basis to deliver the best outcome for each … Read more

The 404 799: Where Natali whips her hair back and forth (podcast)

It's Natali Morris' second-to-the-second-to-the-last appearance on the show before her departure from CNET on April 29, but today she turns the studio upside down when she tells us she disliked "Batman Returns." After we finish putting the studio back together, we also chat about the effects of Coldplay on your romantic life and play a couple Calls From the Public.

The 404 Digest for Episode 799

Coldplay fans are least likely to have sex on first date? Never say anything bad about " Batman Returns." One of today's Calls From the Public references this NHL promo commercial.

Episode 799 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Shaq's tweets are OK, but Lily Allen's are sexier

Forget Shaquille O'Neal. If I'm going to get into celeb tweets, I'd rather read singer Lily Allen's riff about sexual etiquette.

Much was made when O'Neal, the hulking basketball star, started posting comments on Twitter. Now, there's a sample of tweets from famous musicians at Pitchforkmedia.com. The music blog has listed some of the more well-known artists and a sample of their tweets.

Pitchfork also makes a guess at whether the tweets were written by artists or by some functionary.

Here's a sample allegedly from The Long Winters' John Roderick: "It'… Read more

Coldplay, Satriani, and...Gunther?

Correction: "He's So Fine" was by The Chiffons, not The Supremes as I originally wrote.

I hate audio plagiarism lawsuits--there are only 12 notes, and only so many ways to combine them--but the law has come down time and time again on the side of the plaintiffs. George Harrison was forced to pay damages for "unintentionally" ripping off "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons. Ironically, Harrison's manager at that time, Allen Klein, later sued The Verve when "Bittersweet Symphony" oversampled an orchestral arrangement of the Rolling Stones' "The … Read more

Daily Tidbits: Coldplay is hot, Friendfeed is multilingual

Last.fm has released its list of the top 10 albums, artists, and tracks for 2008 based on number of listeners. Coldplay was the big winner this year, taking the top spot for album of the year. It also had a whopping six tracks (including the top two) featured in the year's top tracks listing. MGMT was the most popular artist of 2008.

Popular social service Friendfeed announced Monday that it has gone global with support for six more languages aside from English. The service now accommodates those who speak French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and simplified Chinese.

The … Read more