popacrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
BETTING ON THE STARS
The record labels are betting on first-half releases from reliable
chart-toppers U2, George Michael and Norah Jones, and are
promising to promote more guitar-edged rockers to boost sales as
signs emerge that the TV-inspired pop star craze is fading out.
"It's proving tougher and tougher to develop those artists simply
because fans are growing tired of bubble gum pop," said Ajax
Scott, editor-in-chief of Music Week.
Still, music industry executives are calling 2003 a watershed year,
one that saw a second-half music sales recovery in two of its top
markets, the United States and Britain.
Concert tour revenues in North America -- the world's largest
market -- have climbed for a fifth consecutive year to $2.5 billion as
the average ticket price topped $50, according to research firm
Pollstar.
And mobile phone ring tones rung up $3.5 billion in sales last year,
according to Informa, proving the industry may be able to build
billion-dollar markets almost over night.
Meanwhile, over 33 million downloads were sold last year in Europe
and the United States, led by Apple's iTunes.
"For us, the world changed April 28 last year when iTunes
launched," said Ted Cohen, senior vice president, digital
development and distribution for EMI, the world's largest stand-
alone music label.
There are high expectation that iTunes and Roxio's Napster, which
are expected to launch in Europe by summer, can turn music
downloads into a vibrant international business.
"After God knows how long it's the first bit of good news. But
whether or not it's sustainable is a different story entirely," said
Simon Dyson, an analyst at Informa Media Group, who predicts the
global download market will double in 2004 to $190 million, still
less than one percent of the entire market.
(c) Reuters 2004
The record labels are betting on first-half releases from reliable
chart-toppers U2, George Michael and Norah Jones, and are
promising to promote more guitar-edged rockers to boost sales as
signs emerge that the TV-inspired pop star craze is fading out.
"It's proving tougher and tougher to develop those artists simply
because fans are growing tired of bubble gum pop," said Ajax
Scott, editor-in-chief of Music Week.
Still, music industry executives are calling 2003 a watershed year,
one that saw a second-half music sales recovery in two of its top
markets, the United States and Britain.
Concert tour revenues in North America -- the world's largest
market -- have climbed for a fifth consecutive year to $2.5 billion as
the average ticket price topped $50, according to research firm
Pollstar.
And mobile phone ring tones rung up $3.5 billion in sales last year,
according to Informa, proving the industry may be able to build
billion-dollar markets almost over night.
Meanwhile, over 33 million downloads were sold last year in Europe
and the United States, led by Apple's iTunes.
"For us, the world changed April 28 last year when iTunes
launched," said Ted Cohen, senior vice president, digital
development and distribution for EMI, the world's largest stand-
alone music label.
There are high expectation that iTunes and Roxio's Napster, which
are expected to launch in Europe by summer, can turn music
downloads into a vibrant international business.
"After God knows how long it's the first bit of good news. But
whether or not it's sustainable is a different story entirely," said
Simon Dyson, an analyst at Informa Media Group, who predicts the
global download market will double in 2004 to $190 million, still
less than one percent of the entire market.
(c) Reuters 2004
