Roundup: YouTube must pay songwriters, Queen Rania loves Twitter, and more
Here’s the latest action:
YouTube ordered to pay $1.6M to US songwriters — The fees are only temporary as YouTube and the ASCAP songwriters association go to court to reach a more long-term settlement.
Queen Rania of Jordan believes Twitter can change the world — TechCrunch has a full interview.
Project Playlist buys Total Music — However, Total Music still hasn’t resolved its lawsuits from Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group.
Air-filled battery could generate 10 times more power — The idea… Continue Reading
A label stops devouring one of its young: EMI licenses music to Project Playlist
Record labels are getting killed by falling compact disc sales while music startups are still figuring out new music business models — so what are labels to do? Sue the startups for as much money, equity, share of profit or other chunk of hide as they can. Which is what three out of the four major labels have been doing to streaming music startup Project Playlist since last year. Today, EMI has apparently found a… Continue Reading
Warner, EMI, Universal force MySpace (and Facebook?) to remove Project Playlist
Major music labels, including Warner, EMI and Universal Music Group, have been in litigation against online music company Project Playlist since this spring. They accuse the startup of not honoring its pledge to keep copyright-infringing music off its service. The latest twist: Today, MySpace has temporarily removed Project Playlist widgets from the site. The reason, sources close to MySpace say, is pressure from the labels.
Project Playlist claims to have more than 38 million fans. It… Continue Reading
Project Playlist hires Owen Van Natta and raises $20M, but for what?
Project Playlist, an interactive streaming music site and application provider on social networks, has raised nearly $20 million from the Pilot Group and brought on former Facebook executive Owen Van Natta as its new chief executive.
Van Natta, who held positions like Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Facebook from its early days until last February, was also an early investor in Project Playlist. After leaving Facebook, he was reportedly in the running to… Continue Reading
8tracks makes it easy to mix your own music play lists, and do it legally; 3,000 passes to early beta here
The music labels haven’t made it easy for unauthorized web sites to stream music on the web. But David Porter, the founder of 8tracks, has figured out a way around the copyright law obstacles to deliver a useful and legal sharing service to music fans.
New York-based 8tracks capitalizes on the same right that radio stations have to play live music over the air: it’s OK to stream recorded music over the web, as long as… Continue Reading
Roundup: Forterra, Appfuel, AOL’s plans? and more
Here’s a summary of the latest action. See below for more:
1) In-Q-Tel invests in Forterra Systems, a private virtual world creator
2) Appfuel, another Facebook ad network, but with better ad targeting
3) AOL to spin out advertising arm?
4) Project Playlist, for sharing music playlists on other sites, raises $3 million
5) Four Interactive, a local business review site, gets $10 million from Valley VC’s
In-Q-Tel invests in Forterra Systems, a private virtual world creator – San Mateo-based Forterra’s software… Continue Reading