Microsoft Attacks Google on Copyright

As a company that deals daily with copyright and licensing, we've been scratching our heads at Google's approach to copyright law.  It appears Microsoft has been as well, although a bit more vehemently than us.  Seeing as how Google (and many other web companies) relies solely on the content of others to build and support what is really a service business model, it seems only a matter of time before some of Google's more cavalier decisions (YouTube, for example), come back to haunt them.

This week, Microsoft has launched what is basically an all-out attack on Google regarding their approach to copyright.  While this is very likely largely due to the fact that Microsoft is launching their own new video service, and being in the good graces of the copyright holders for a project like this could really help them, it still brings this issue to even greater attention.

When you combine this with the recent calls by Apple's Steve Jobs to end DRM (digital rights management), Microsoft is positioning itself as the "Good Guy" in all this.  I suppose it all makes sense though, when you figure in how much piracy Microsoft has had to battle over the years.  It's software, after all, a form of "content."

Warner/Chappell Signs Licensing Deal with Microsoft

In case you missed the news, Microsoft recently signed a licensing agreement with Warner/Chappell to administer music publishing for the Microsoft music catalog.  What this means for gamer-musicians is that it is now much more likely for official sheet music to be made available for Microsoft-published games, including Halo and Kameo.

Due to our licensing agreement with Alfred Music, and their exclusive publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell, it is now possible that Musicnotes may be able to start offering official sheet music for themes from these Microsoft games via Alfred.  If there's any particular theme you're looking for (other than Halo, since we already know some of you are looking for that one), please leave a comment and we'll forward the information along to relevant parties.

After all, nothing pushes supply more than demand.

Songwriting Contest from VH1 / Talentload.tv

Attention singer / songwriters: We just came across a contest that VH1 and Talentload.tv is running a songwriting contest where they are looking for videos of people performing their own original love songs.  The contest is being done in conjunction with the upcoming Warner Bros. movie "Music and Lyrics" starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore.

Unfortunately the contest ends in a few days, so we apologize for not getting this out there sooner. 

You can visit the official site for more details here: http://musicandlyrics.talentload.tv/index.html

Here's the official synopsis of the contest, from the site:

It's how YOU, the most talented people in America, get your shot at real fame.
Are you an undiscovered singer or songwriter?
Submit your video of an original love song to the "Music and Lyrics" contest at talentload.tv! If you're a singer, looking for a great song, check our message boards - same deal if you're a songwriter, looking for someone to really bring your song home!

Get your friends and family to vote for you at
talentload.tv/musicandlyrics, you can win one of
25 Warner Brothers' DVDs just for voting. Only the top vote getters have a chance to get their song on the "Music and Lyrics" DVD. "Music and Lyrics" stars Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore and hits theaters on Valentine's Day.

Buy Twelve Days of Christmas Sheet Music and Save over $75,000!

Wow... you must either really love your significant other, or you're extravagantly rich if you plan on fulfilling the gift-giving levels of the classic song.  According to this article, it would cost you $75,122 to give all the gifts mentioned in the song - an increase of 3.5% over last year.

And if you're looking to make a little money, maybe you should put your dancing skills to use.  According to the article, if you're a woman and can find 8 other women with some dancing skills, performing as "nine ladies dancing" will earn you $4,759.  That would give each of you nearly $530 to pay off your holiday credit card bills.

To keep your pocket book a bit safer while still spreading holiday joy, we recommend downloading the sheet music and just singing the song to your loved ones. 

At only $4.95 that's a savings of $75,117.05!

Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Dinner

Recently I had the distinct pleasure of  attending the 37th annual Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony.  What a fantastic night!  The event is co-sponsored by NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International, of which Musicnotes is a proud sponsor) and its sister organization Nashville Songwriters Foundation.  I've sprinkled in a number of photos from the event.

NSAI's tag-line is "It All Begins With A Song" which this event underscores in its recognition of great songwriting talent.  You may not be familiar with the names of all of the songwriters honored at the event, but you'll certainly recognize the songs they have penned.

There were three inductees into the Hall Of Fame, one singer-songwriter and two pure songwriters.   Jimmy Buffett was inducted as singer-songwriter while Hugh Prestwood and Jim Weatherly were inducted as songwriters.  The evening included covers of Buffett's "Margaritaville" by Big & Rich, Weatherly's "Midnight Train To Georgia" by George Huff of American Idol fame and Prestwood's "The Song Remembers When" by Trisha Yearwood. 

Here are links to the great songs available at musicnotes.com for all three of these Hall Of Fame inductees.

------------

Jimmy Buffett

http://search.musicnotes.com/?artist=jimmy+buffett&hl=y

------------

Hugh Prestwood

http://search.musicnotes.com/?artist=hugh+prestwood&hl=y

------------

Jim Weatherly

http://search.musicnotes.com/?artist=Jim+Weatherly&hl=y

The evening also included NSAI's "Ten Songs I Wish I Had Written" awards for the past year, including song of the year "Jesus Take The Wheel," a top-seller at Musicnotes.  Here's the list and links to the 10 songs where available

1) "Jesus Take The Wheel" - Song of the Year written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson; recorded by Carrie Ubderwood  http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0053248

2) "Believe" written by Ronnie Dunn and Craig Wiseman; recorded by Brooks & Dunn http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0051752

3) "If You're Going Through Hell" written by Dave Berg, Annie Tate and Sam Tate; recorded by Rodney Atkins http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/scorch.asp?ppn=SC0027961

4) "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" written by Marty Dodson and Jason Matthews; recorded by Billy Currington http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/scorch.asp?ppn=SC0023761

5) "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way" written by John Kennedy and Tammi Kidd; recorded by LeAnn Rimes http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/scorch.asp?ppn=SC0022399

6) "Rose Garden" written by Joe South; recorded by Martina McBride http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0053546

7) "Skin (Sarabeth)"" written by Joe Henry and Doug Johnson; recorded by Rascal Flatts http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0049663

8) "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Come Off" written by Gary Hannon and John Wiggins; recorded by Joe Nichols

9) "What Hurts The Most" written by Steve Robson and Jeffrey Steele; recorded by Rascal Flatts http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/scorch.asp?ppn=SC0025773

10) "When I Get Where I'm Going" written by Rivers Rutherford and George Teren; recorded by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0052053

Finally, Jeffrey Steele was named songwriter of the year ("What Hurts The Most," Rascal Flatts and "Something To Be Proud Of," Montgomery Gentry) while songwriter/artist of the year honors were shared between Toby Keith ("As Good As I Once Was" and "A Little Too Late") and Phil Vassar ("Last Day Of My Life" and "Good Ole Days").  Here are links to their musicnotes.com search results:

http://search.musicnotes.com/?artist=jeffrey+steele&hl=y

http://search.musicnotes.com/?artist=Toby+Keith&hl=y

http://search.musicnotes.com/?artist=Phil+Vassar&hl=y

Obviously a great evening!  We look forward to next year's songwriters dinner and the great new songs that will delight our ears between now and then.   -Tim

We are Born to Make Music

It looks like the scientists are discovering what we already know.  Human beings are born to be musical.  Check out the interesting article below.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2006/09/03/survival_of_the_harmonious/?page=full

Kathy

Music Lyrics and Teen Behavior

I think every mother and father should read this article:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060807/D8JBCDJO0.html

Kathleen

Condoleezza Rice to Play Piano at Asian Gala

Just came across this article.  It appears our Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice is an accomplished classical pianist and will be performing a work (perhaps by Shostakovich or Brahms) at the upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur this year.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1043929

Poor Baby James

The latest from Blender:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-07-11-blender-wuss-list_x.htm?POE=click-refer

A Customer Service Story

The best part of my job is talking to people from all over the world.  The nicest lady called this afternoon from New Orleans, Louisiana. What she told me just broke my heart.

She lives in the heart of New Orleans where the hurricane hit.  She said that the post office doesn't have a phone system yet, as the hurricane took out all of the phone lines. They also don't have a computer system up as a result.  Everything is manually done with scales and etc.  She said it's rare you receive your mail because they are so under staffed.

In addition, she says doctors are hard to come by, as they no longer have a hospital and most of the doctors left New Orleans to peruse their careers elsewhere.

She works at a school.  She said most of the teachers also left and they are working on about a 1/4 of the staff as a result of the hurricane. 

She said the population of New Orleans is about 1/4 of what it once was. 

The National Guard is still stationed in New Orleans and they are going to reinstate the nightly curfew because 5 men killed a teenager over the weekend.  They also have to protect from looting.

She was purchasing music for one of her students that lost everything, just to help her smile.

Imagine this is 9 months after the storm hit.  When I went to see my father in Louisiana after he had his heart attack a couple of months ago, the town he lives in was hit by Hurricane Rita, the second one.  I couldn't believe the devastation that was still left behind.  Partial buildings, roofs blown off, trees still sitting on houses and cars - nothing I've ever witnessed.

We forget how lucky we are and how things are in the news one minute and forgotten the next.  I just had to share this story, as I felt honored that we could assist her and help her find the music that she wanted for her student.

Ellen Paulson, Musicnotes Customer Service Representative

Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards

For the last six years, I have attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony in New York to support an organization that honors the most important people in our business - the songwriters.  Musicnotes.com would not exist if it were not for the creative talents of these remarkable people.  Almost all of the songs and songwriters that were honored can be found on the Musicnotes.com website.

The event is always great, and everyone who attends always comments that it is the most intimate and heartfelt event on the music award calendar.  The people who are celebrated are not as well known as the artists who sing and play their songs, but they are worthy of everyone's recognition, since it is their efforts that allow artists to find fame and fortune.

A description of the event can be found on the Songwriter's Hall of Fame Website.  I have also posted a series of pictures that were taken at the event.  It was a great evening and it reminded me of how grateful I am to work in the music business.

We've also put together a great Flickr Slide Show of photos from the event, featuring Stevie Wonder, Gavin DeGraw and others.

Kathleen

When He's Sixty-Four

I was just reminded that Paul McCartney turns 64 on Sunday.  This is a pretty big milestone for him, especially if you're familiar with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Here's a Yahoo! News Story about it: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060616/ap_en_mu/when_he_s64_1

... and of course, we have the sheet music to mark the occasion