It seemed like just a short while ago that Starbucks was the new business model but, now they want out. From Variety…
After just a year of operation, Starbucks is getting out of the recorded music business.
Operations for the coffee vendor’s label, Hear Music, which released albums by Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor last year, are being turned over to Concord Music Group, which has handled back shop operations for the imprint…
Starbucks referred to the moves as a restructuring of its entertainment business to focus on digital strategy and core content with music and books. Starbucks will look for ways to increase wi-fi related offerings and other in-store technology.
Run away! Run awaaayyyy!
I think Starbucks has other problems right now like, they need to sell some coffee. Still, it seems an ominous sign when a label can’t make a go of it with Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor; even as a loss leader.
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Tags: digital strategy, james taylor, joni mitchell, Music, Music Business, ominous sign, Paul McCartney, Starbucks
J wrote,
Smug little fezz-wearing barristas w/ eyebrow piercings have no business in the music business. Hey wait!! Aren’t we still talking about Capitol Records?!
J’s last blog post..Thursday Blogroll
Link | April 25th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Kenski wrote,
Starbucks are evil and (blasphemy) for the most part their coffee sucks. Unless you go double shot ($$) it just tastes of hot milk. If you pay the extra cash it tastes of burnt rubber. The baristas may be trained, but not in anything related to frothing milk.
Ironically (as it’s your blog and you’re more or less a local) the Starbucks on the edge of Springfield (I wanna say on South Campbell) is the only one I’ve found that does a decent latte…
Kenski’s last blog post..07:47 Southbound
Link | April 25th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Sans Direction wrote,
The last thing anybody needs to do is create a record label. Most good musicians I know of are trying to do things without them.
Sans Direction’s last blog post..Commuting Grrr
Link | April 25th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
open a can of beans and eat the worms…
where is Zorba when ya need him?
open a bottle of ouzo
drink a toast to Wings, Mud and Bi –
flaming, with three coffee beans
Chase that with Raki, Grappa and beets,
OPA!
Now pick up a table with your teeth
and insult your white towel holding waiter in Greek*.
by the pierced balls of Sta. Anthony..
Why’d they make it so beautiful?
on the sunny side of the street
_______________________________
* ????? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ??? ?????, ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ‘????. ??????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ???????? ??????????? ??? blew ???? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ?????????. ??? ????, ????????? ??? ?????????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ????? ??? ???????? hustles ????? ??????????? ?? ????????. ???? ??? ????????? haircut ????, ?? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ????????? ?????????? ????????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ????????? ??? ??????? slung ???? ??? ??? ?????. ?? ??? ???????? ?????? ???? ???? ? ??????????? ???????? slouching ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ??? reciting:
“??????? ??? ??????? ??? ?? strings ???????? ??? ????. ???????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ? ????? ???? ?????????? ???? ????? ??? ???????????? string, ?????? ???????, ?????? ??????? ?? ??????????? ??? ?? ????? ?????. ???????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ????. ??????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??????????. Pus ??? ???????, ??????? ??? pus. ”
_________________________________
That’s all I got this am,, i’yam whad I’yam
Link | April 25th, 2008 at 11:38 am
J wrote,
The reason to have a record label is to get a catalog of enough saleable material together so that you can convince a distributor to make it available to a global marketplace like Amazon or I-tunes. Consumer buying preferences favor one-stop shopping spot (the Walmart model)so without a distribution pipeline, the musician has limited access to the marketplaces where most of the digital downloads occur. Thus we have an example of a “necessary evil”…
“You cannot reach them. We tried once, yes, preciousss. I tried once;but you cannot reach them. Only shapes to see, perhaps, not to touch. No Precioussss! All dead.”
J’s last blog post..Thursday Blogroll
Link | April 25th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
WalMart/SAM’s changed the direction of CW music with its Garth “Vader” Brook, irreparable saturation of whatever that s*&%t was… and it remains to this day one of my most unvivid memories in my small mind… while single handedly curtailing inflation for twenty years in US… leave it to J to be objective. I agree, that corporation organized markets, like the internet is becoming, are like adding gutters, downspouts and gutters to your house and domicile. That off fall of liquid assets is a tube wave any two-bit country singer can ride. Sour grapes? You bet.
Tell me More: –on Distribution Pipeline, and Supply Chain, and Value Added Retailers, any such benchmarks and anything such as Marketing to Gay/Lesbian Segments… and developing vertical markets, eh?
Link | April 25th, 2008 at 4:19 pm