Well folks, the time has come. Verizon is to shut down its MP3 business. Starting this Sunday, April 1st (it’s no April Fool’s joke my friends!), RealNetworks will halt its ingestion of new content from Verizon. Current content in the Verizon MP3 catalogue will continue to be available until the service completely shuts down on May 17th, at which point all MP3s in the Verizon catalogue will be no more than a memory. However, ringtones and ringback tones will continue to be available, for all callers’ and being-called’s listening pleasure.
But that’s not all!
On a lighter note, Verizon FiOS just rolled our their new Facebook Timeline. With it, they launched new entertainment hub features, which means more opportunities for artists to build and promote music programs. With almost 80,000 “Likes” on their page and a renewed focus on programming and content, that’s definitely good news and bodes well for the development of an engaged social community. You can expect collaborations with Spotify, Rdio, Rhapsody and more in the forms of playlists, live streams and video content.
One of FiOS’ big advantages is their targeted markets, which allow for increased success with geo-targeted promotions. So take the time you need to mourn the end of Verizon MP3s and meet us on the next boat with the exciting opportunities ahead with Verizon FiOS.
It doesn’t roll off the tongue with quite the same alliterative ease but let’s call this Freeloader Monday.
If you’re heading down to Austin next week, it’s a good bet that you have started to assemble an elaborate SXSW itinerary that will take you all over the city to see literally dozens of shows, from day parties, to official showcases, to late night performances taking place in weird and wonderful locations like, say, the middle of a bridge at 4 am. (Said itinerary will hopefully also take you to many many delicious Tex-Mex and BBQ joints as well but that’s for another post. Sleep, however, is for the weak).
Navigating the list of artists can be a daunting experience but we’re here to help. Our free Don’t Mess with Texas: SXSW 2012 New Music Sampler contains tracks from 23 can’t-miss-artists.
Click HERE to download the compilation. Starting tomorrow it will also be available for streaming on services like Spotify, Rdio and Amazon.
Check out the track list after the jump.
“Boy,” the first single from Ra Ra Riot’s sophomore album The Orchard, is available now at iTunes, where it can be purchased along with “Keep It Quiet (Bear)” (a stripped down version of The Orchard track that the band previewed last month) and a cover of Sparks’ “Saccharin and the War.” The track “Boy” is currently streaming at Stereogum and available as a free MP3 via rarariot.com.
Buy Ra Ra Riot’s “Boy” on iTunes:
http://bit.ly/itunesboy
Due out August 24th on Barsuk Records (U.S.) and Arts & Crafts (Canada), The Orchard was hailed this week by NPR as “Incredible… An epic album with soaring strings and fat bass lines,” and is now available for pre-order. The Orchard will be issued in standard physical and digital versions, as well as a number of special editions including limited colored vinyl, and a bonus DVD featuring a beautiful 38 minute impressionist behind-the-scenes documentary on the writing and making of The Orchard directed by Taryn Gould and Emily Kowalczyk. To place pre-orders and/or view a full list of configurations, go to http://bit.ly/preorchard.
Stereogum Premieres the Track “TAOS” for Free Download
“With Mines, this Portland trio continues what they started on their epic debut I Am The Fun Blame Monster! and builds upon their ingenious third album, Friend and Foe. Magical.” – Filter
Menomena, the acclaimed Portland, OR art-rock trio, will release their fourth full-length record, Mines, July 27th on Barsuk Records (and July 30th in Germany, and August 2nd in the UK and the rest of Europe, all on City Slang). The record is now streaming in its entirety as part of National Public Radio’s Exclusive First Listen series.
Listen to Menomena’s Mines [Barsuk Records] in full on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128568845
Additionally, our friends at Stereogum are offering the track “TAOS” for free download, right here:
Download and share Menomena’s “TAOS” from Mines [Barsuk Records]:
http://stereogum.com/442631/menomena-taos-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/
The praise being bestowed upon LA’s Local Natives is thanks, in large part, to the gloriously arranged harmonies and relentless energy that propels Gorilla Manor to places like the #11 spot on NPR’s recently-released Best of 2010 reader’s poll. The rest of the thanks is owed to the band’s stage show, an imposing wall of voices, sweat and roiling vigor. You can hear and see a bit of both on the band’s recent stop in AOL’s LA offices, where the Natives tore through characteristically emphatic renditions of Manor faves “Sun Hands,” “Airplanes,” “World News” and “Wide Eyes.” The performances are available to watch, embed or download over on AOL Spinner.
Watch Local Natives Perform On AOL’s Interface:
http://www.spinner.com/interface/local-natives
