Thursday’s Music 2.0 Briefing: Qtrax, SpiralFrog, UMG’s Double Standard & More

HYPEBOT FEATURES:

• The budget axe is yielding higher profits at Sony BMG. But are cuts the only way forward?
• Fancorps and Gydget team for fan engagement
• This weeks CIMS indie store charts
• imeem joins Google’s Open Social

> Ad supported QTrax has signed its fourth major publisher Warner/Chappell. (Listening Post)

> SpiralFrog is expanding its sales team with the addition of industry vets Jesse Paynter as senior vice president of sales and Paul Rothkopf as senior vice president of sales strategy. (press release)

> Neal Diamond unseats Madonna to score his first Billboard #1 debut.  (FMQB) No offense to Mr. Diamond, but what does this say about who is still paying for music?  And what can the labels learn from this?

> Singer songwriter Josh Rouse has launched a membership only digital music store. (Glider)

> Double standard? UMG fights "excessive" infringement damages. (ars) I can’t decide if I think this is sad or amusing.