Apple reverse 'no royalty' launch policy after Swift pulls out

Apple Music has reversed its (non) payment policy, a day after the singer Taylor Swift said she was refusing to allow the company to stream her album 1989 because the computer and music giant were offering no royalties in a three month launch period free trial period for subscribers. Indepdent record labels and their trade bodies including AIM (UK), A2IM (US), UFPI (France) and VUT (Germany) had already voiced their critcims. Now Apple says it will pay artists for music streamed during trial periods. "We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple," tweeted executive Eddy @Cue. Swift had said the plan was "unfair", arguing Apple had the money to cover the cost and AIM CEO Alison Wenham had written to AIM members to encourage them to "make their own decision" about Apple Music - but criticised the new streaming service for essentially "asking the independent music sector to hedge its risk, to fund their customer acquisition programme and to shoulder the financial burden for their global launch."

http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/german-and-french-organisations-latest-to-criticise-apple-music-terms/062110

And see Eamonn Forde's article in the Guadian here 

YouTube says it will purge indie resistance

It seems that YouTube is going ahead with its threat to purge material owned by Indie labels who have refused to sign a new YouTube streaming agreement - and the labels will see content pulled "in a matter of days" - that's according  YouTube's Head Of Content And Business Operations, Robert Kyncl, in an interview with the FT.  The global grouping for indie label trade bodies, the World Independent Network and pan-European indie labels trade body IMPALA have already announced their intention to take the dispute to the European Commission, arguing that YouTube's moves are anti-competitive - they also requested that the EC implement emergency measures. But Kyncl told the FT that the deal being offered would see the indie labels paid "fairly and consistently with the industry", and that YouTube's payouts to the music industry would hit $2 billion "soon". Responding, WIN said that the terms on offer are in fact "highly unfavourable and non-negotiable" and "undervalue existing rates in the marketplace from partners such as Spotify and Deezer". Meanwhile Alison Wenham, who heads up both WIN and UK indie label group AIM, disputed the suggestion that there are only a few stragglers causing a fuss who wouldn't be noticed if they were gone. For one thing, those stragglers include labels like Beggars Group and Domino who between them represent some major artists saying that indie labels who had agreed to sign the new deal are "very much in the minority", adding: "Put simply, by refusing to engage with and listen to the concerns of the independent music sector YouTube is making a grave error of commercial judgment in misreading the market. We have tried and will continue to try to help YouTube understand just how important independent music is to any streaming service and why it should be valued accordingly".

AIM Music Awards nominations out

The nominations are out for this year's Independent Music Awards, organised by the Association Of Independent Music are out and it was confirmed that Edwyn Collins will take the Outstanding Contribution trophy while Mute's Daniel Miller will take home the Pioneer Award. Other nominations include Hardest Working Band Or Artist: 65daysofstatic, Cancer Bats, Enter Shikari, Frank Turner, Skinny Lister; Best Live Act: The Cribs, Dub Pistols, Enter Shikari, The Prodigy, Frank Turner: The PPL Award For Most Played Independent Act: Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Caro Emerald, Madness, Travis; Independent Album Of The Year: Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls, Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood Of Colour, Liars - Wixiw, Future Of The Left - The Plot Against Common Sense, Rustie - Glass Swords; and Best Independent Festival (The Golden Welly): In The Woods Festival, Truck Festival, Y Not Festival, Leefest, Bearded Theory.

http://www.musicindie.com/awards/theceremony2012

Power Failure

Vince Power's listed company Music Festivals plc has called in administrators as of September 23rd.  Previously the company had said that it has unable to secure new funding, and that it was had asked the Alternative Investment Market to suspend trading in its shares. The company owns the UK's Hop Farm festival and Spain's Benicassim, The Feis Festival in Finsbury Park, London and a new festival called Costa de Fuego, also in Spain. The company suffered particularly from poor ticket sales at the Hop Farm, although the 2012 edition of Benicassim was also not sold out, prompting Power to lend the company £750,000.  In a statement yesterday the firm said: "The board of Music Festivals has resolved to appoint an administrator and once that appointment has been agreed a further announcement will be made in due course". Power owns 23.29% of the shares and his family another near 20% stake. COO / Finance Director Jon Hale owns 5%.