Notes &
The amount being paid to the music industry, even though [these] games are entirely dependent on the content we own and control, is far too small,” Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman told analysts last summer. The money Warner receives for the use of its songs is “paltry,” he said, and if the gamemakers don’t pony up more cash, “we will not license to those games.” In response, Rock Band publisher MTV Games is now boycotting Warner artists, according to a source close to the negotiations.
Why the Music Industry Hates Guitar Hero (via fred-wilson)
Perhaps more aptly titled “Why Everyone Hates the Music Industry” …I have very occasionally dabbled in Guitar Hero / Rock Band, and I’ll say that I definitely have went ahead and purchased a few new songs from iTunes just because of my exposure to them in the video game. If the transaction was made easier (e.g. buying directly while playing and having the un-DRMed MP3 emailed to me), I probably would have bought a lot more.
Even if they want to increase the licensing fees to some degree, why can’t the music labels figure out how to come across as decent and foreward looking? Why are they so obviously “the enemy” in every discussion about the future of music?
