Take It Away, Maestro!

Today we announce the re-birth of the Maestro Classical Podcast which features new releases, old classics and deep tracks from the depths of some of the best independent labels around. Each month, it brings you 3-6 songs that will keep you continuously in tune with the best independent classical music available. The focus is more on the music vs. the commentary but these podcasts are not only for the classically-inclined listener. The short monthly podcasts allow for a curated selection that is the sure to be the cream of the crop.

The relaunch after a brief hiatus begins with the first installment: Maestro 035: New in 2013 (thus far)

Don’t forget to follow Maestro Classical on Facebook, keep up with the podcasts on iTunes and visit the website to search old podcasts and stay on top of current releases.

Supporting the 3rd Annual AIM Indie Music Awards

We are excited to announce our involvement in this year’s 3rd annual AIM Independent Music Awards, held in London on September 3rd, 2013. As a member of the Association of Independent Music, The Orchard has always appreciated the goals and intentions of AIM to support and represent the independent music sector.

We look forward to this year’s awards ceremony which will recognize outstanding achievements and individuals from within our indie music family. After sponsoring the Independent Entrepreneur Of The Year award last year — proudly presented by our COO Colleen Theis — we’re excited to show our continued support this year by sponsoring the Pioneer Award, which will recognize a visionary indie label founder.

See below for a full list of this year’s categories, which include two new awards, Independent Track of The Year and Independent Video of The Year:

• Best Live Act
• Independent Breakthrough of the Year
• Hardest Working Band or Artist
• Best Small Label
• Special Catalogue Release of the Year
• Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival
• Independent Video of the Year
• Indie Champion Award
• Best ‘Difficult’ Second Album
• Independent Track of the Year
• PPL Award for Most Played New Artist
• Independent Album of the Year
• Independent Label of the Year
• Pioneer Award
• Outstanding Contribution to Music

Thanks to AIM for advocating and lobbying for the indies! We look forward to another great ceremony with you this year.

To get more details on this year’s ceremony and read the official press release, head over to AIM’s website.

Spotify Wants To Make You Weep (For Music)

We all know Spotify. Some of us have used it since launch in 2008, while others in Australia and Germany are still in their first year of streamin’ it up; or perhaps you know it for its long-standing residency in the Long Tail of Music discussion.

Whatever your knowledge of Spotify, it’s not because you’ve seen an informative or emotional TV commercial. This is because Spotify has dedicated its younger years to developing its product and identifying markets to which expansion is essential.

…until now.

In a strategic turn on March 25th, Spotify for the first time ever launched an ad campaign beginning with this (rather intense) commercial:

This video, which aired on NBC’s The Voice last week, is part of a $10 million campaign and will soon be followed by more commercials, like this emotional spot that reminds us of how a single song can often sum up memorable moments in our lives. There is also this spot that makes us remember our youth, cringe at its awkwardness and smirk at its honesty.

Go ahead, watch them all.

Admittedly, I didn’t expect the opening spot to be so heavy — especially coming from the brand whose fonts have included sketch and who has released cute little animated shorts for digital campaigns. I think their print ads capture more of what I see as “the Spotify spirit” and their mantra during this campaign: #formusic.

“For Music” is the answer to the questions that I immediately think of when I see these pictures (see one below). For example, why would anyone voluntarily strip down and expose dance moves like these? It’s all for the music. I get it.

Lest we forget, as this rebrand and “remarket” rolls out, the recent logo redesign that Spotify announced last week is important, too. What is the goal here? Is Spotify trying to reposition itself as a more serious and mature company? Given the emotive ads, corporate logo rebranding and the price tag on this ad campaign, seems like that’s exactly it. More power to you, Spotify.

SXSW Panels: Record Producers and Music Startups!

Newsfeeds, Twitter/Instagram feeds beware…. it’s SXSW time.

If you’re going to be in Austin this year, put a hold on the margs and BBQ and head over to the Austin Convention Center (ACC) for some actual brain food.

We have two of our staffers on panels this year and we wanted to make sure you were aware of them. This year we’re covering Record Producing and Start Up Growth.

Hope to see you there!

The Evolution of the Record Producer
w/ Richard Gottehrer

Friday, March 15
Room 17B — Austin Convention Center
Start Time: 5:00 PM End Time: 6:00 PM

When Music Startups Grow Up
w/ Josh Builder

Wednesday, March 13
Room 10C — Austin Convention Center
Start Time: 3:30PM End Time: 4:30PM

We’ll just leave you with Josh’s icy stare and Richard’s cheery grin for now, and see you in Texas.

Too Lazy To Read The 2013 IFPI Digital Music Report?

As many of you may know, the 2013 IFPI Digital Music Report was recently released (all 34 pages of it). In case you do not have time to kick your feet up and soak in the various statistics pouring throughout the report, I’ve put together a cheat sheet just for you.

Note that there are several sections in this report (including digital marketing case studies and further reports on the driving forces behind the digital world). For this post, I am focusing solely on the report’s Facts and Figures.

Everyone here at The Orchard is thrilled to see digital trends on an uptick from 2011 to 2012. It’s an encouraging time to work in the digital space and it certainly allows us to look forward to a solid 2013, continuing this pattern of growth, innovation and international expansion.

Industry

• Global Digital Revenue: 2011: 5.1 Billion and in 2012: 5.6 Billion (9% increase) which is 34% of total industry revenues

• Download sales (both singles and albums) increased 12% in 2012 to 4.3 billion units globally which represents around 70% of global digital revenue
  • Digital album sales grew at more than 2x the pace of single tracks
  • 2.3 billion single track downloads (8% increase since 2011)
  • 201 million digital albums sold (17% increase since 2011)

• In 2011, major international services were present in 23 countries, today they are in more than 100 countries

• 62% of internet users use licensed music services to download music

• Subscription services are now more than 10% of digital revenue — with 20 million paying subscribers (growth of 44%)

• Paying subscriber numbers for subscription services increased by 44% in 2012

• Pandora accounts for 8% of all radio listening in the US

• Music industry recovery can be roughly attributed to 3 key factors:
  • Expansion of digital services
  • Improved quality of existing services (due, in some cases, to competition)
  • New ways of connecting

Physical

• Physical sales decreased in 2011 61% and it is estimated that this number will reach a decrease of 58% for 2012

Performance Rights Income

• Revenues have grown by 9.3% in 2012 to 1 billion, which accounts for 6% of the total industry revenue globally and 17.8% of global digital sales (and as much as 10% in Europe and Latin America)

Video

• YouTube has more than 800 million active users globally
• 9 in 10 of the most watched videos on YouTube are music related

2012 Top Album List – Worldwide

On average 1 in 5 units of the top selling albums (21%) were bought in a digital format with 38% of One Direction’s tween contingent snatching up their album Up All Night digitally.

2012 Top Singles List – Worldwide

*The first Brazilian solo artist in 5 decades to have a song in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart AND is a client of The Orchard!