"iTunes push aims to recreate...

[mjzee]

We've discussed this many times in various forums...it seems the next inevitable step. Still, it's exciting to see it may finally be occurring:

(from 7/27/09 Financial Times)

Apple is working with the four largest record labels to stimulate digital sales of albums by bundling a new interactive booklet, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads, in a move it hopes will change buying trends on its online iTunes store....

Apple wants to make bigger purchases more compelling by creating a new type of interactive album material, including photos, lyric sheets and liner notes that allow users to click through to items that they find most interesting. Consumers would be able to play songs directly from the interactive book without clicking back into Apple’s iTunes software, executives said.

More here:

Financial Times

[A Lark Ascending]

One trick all these download sites are missing is release date. I imagine it's tied up with having the time, wanting to give the physical release a chance first etc. But one of the ways you build interest in a release is having a release date and promoting it before. You only have to think of the number of threads here detailing release dates.

Download albums often just seem to appear with no fuss or flury. E-music is especially random (I noticed the Mark Turner 'Fly' ECM just appear yesterday...the only way you'd know is by sifting through the new releases or looking for it specifically).

I suppose up to now the've had their work cut out getting back catalogue out (though they've made the job so hard for themselves by taking on endless cheapo labels repeating the same music).

Now that CD sales are receeding the aim to give the CD a chance first should no longer be a factor. And getting a release up for download on a specific date should be much easier than having to physically truck them all round the country. Except, of course, for Neil Young!

As for packaging...I have a feeling people won't actually want very much, once they are weened off the traditional approach. A cover, songs, timings, personnel will do for me. I think I'd leave any liner notes unprinted as I rarely read them more than once. The only ones I print are classical ones where they can be detailed enough to guide you through the music.

Edited July 28, 2009 by Bev Stapleton

[A Lark Ascending]

The Bruce Lindvall interview in the current Jazzwise is interesting - it seems as if Blue Note are finally waking up to the fact that digital distribution will become the front line. He talks about digital distribution and predicts digital sales will move from a current 11% to 40% in the next 5 years (I think that's a conservative estimate!). He also refers to the recent 100 CD deletions saying they will be available digitally.

Eli Wolf talks of plans to redesign the Blue Note website - amusingly enough, to make it a social network as well as a store (now didn't Blue Note have one of those once before?!!!!).

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One of the great possibilities of digital distribution is to open up jazz from across the world. I can now obtain the Jazzhead catalogue from Australia via iTunes, for example. One of the challenges the jazz world has is making people know it's there - when you go onto the iTunes or Amazon.mp3 home pages the range of browsing options is very limited. If you know what you want, then the search facility does what you need. But looking in the new releases is generally random or major label dominated.

It almost needs a separate site like the old Jazzmatazz than can make the necessary links....and one with an international awareness.