Digital Music News (digitalmusicnews.com)

Napster Hitting Bottom? Rumors Circulate, Earnings Call Coming

January 17, 2006

Ahead of Napster's earnings call in early February, there have been reports of a dire company situation. According to sources inside the organization, a substantial round of layoffs is expected within weeks. In... Read More...

XM Crosses 6 Million Subscribers, Sirius Passes 3.3

Paul Resnikoff

January 6, 2006

The satellite radio industry was all set to change the way people listened to radio, and XM Satellite Radio was leading the way. As expected, the company crossed the 6 million subscriber mark in 2005, adding ... Read More...

Resnikoff’s Parting Shot: Hollywood Casts a Good Cop

Paul Resnikoff

January 4, 2006

The final numbers are still being tallied, but the record industry has suffered in 2005. Recent figures from Nielsen Soundscan pointed to a seven-percent drop, though sales from the final week have not been factored into the equation. Other estimates have bee... Read More...

Drama Brews Between EMI, Apple Over iPod Compatibility

Paul Resnikoff

November 21, 2005

EMI, one of the world's largest recording companies, has found itself in the middle of a new drama related to Apple's iTunes Music Store. The issue began when EMI chief Alain Levy predicted that Apple would eve... Read More...

Napster Research Study Makes Case for Subscriptions

Paul Resnikoff

November 16, 2005

The way we consume music has changed dramatically in recent years, with digital downloads and streaming services becoming increasingly popular. But what about traditional CD-based collections? Do they still hol... Read More...

Labels Push Curbs on Satellite, HD Radio on Capitol Hill

Paul Resnikoff

November 9, 2005

Satellite radio has grown tremendously in recent years, but the growth may pose a problem for major music labels. While satellite-based music streams are a core service offered by both XM and Sirius, the emergence of new devices that allow users to store con... Read More...

Gwen Stefani Track Crosses One Million Downloads

Paul Resnikoff

October 4, 2005

Gwen Stefani's “Hollaback Girl” has made history by becoming the first million-selling single track in digital music history. The track, which was released in 2005, has achieved over one million download sales ... Read More...

Nintendo Mulls MP3 Player Entrance

Paul Resnikoff

September 1, 2005

Nintendo could soon make an unusual entrance into the portable MP3 category. The company is planning to deliver its Game Boy Micro this fall in both the US and Europe, which will now reportedly be available ... Read More...

Single Soccer Mom Prepares RIAA Challenge

Paul Resnikoff

August 15, 2005

While most recipients of RIAA lawsuits quickly settle out of court, a big challenge could come from an unlikely source. Patricia Santangelo, a single soccer mom from Wappingers Falls, NY, has decided to go to trial with the RIAA. The mother of four recently r... Read More...

RIAA Chief Points to Big CD Burning and Ripping Issue

Paul Resnikoff

August 15, 2005

While piracy threats continue to come from various technologies, RIAA chief executive Mitch Bainwol recently highlighted the importance of unauthorized CD burning and ripping. At the recent NARM convention i... Read More...

Apple Raises iTunes Wholesale Payout for Independents

Paul Resnikoff

July 26, 2005

Apple recently raised its wholesale payout on iTunes Music Store downloads to seventy cents per song, offering parity between independent and major labels. The increase first came to light in a letter sent by ... Read More...

P2P Volume Climbs Again in June, User Levels Near 9 Million

Paul Resnikoff

July 8, 2005

The average number of simultaneous users on P2P networks inched up again in June, reaching 8.9 million according to figures from BigChampagne. That is a modest 2.6 percent increase over May, and a substantial 20.1 percent jump over the same period last year. ... Read More...