NEWS BRIEF: CES, Ripping Spotify, Wind-Up, Artists + SOPA, Hello Music, ReverbNation Contest & More

The action shifts this week to CES, where the announcements are much more about hardware than music or marketing. We'll keep you informed of any music industry related developments.

• Could music stream ripping software put Spotify and other music services at major risk? (Digital Trends)
• Wind-up EVP/Promotion Shanna Fischer has left the label after sixteen years. Drew Hauser is promoted to SVP of Promotion. (FMQB)
• An Artist’s Guide To SOPA

• Universal Republic Records has expanded its marketing team with the appointment of industry veteran Jim Roppo to Executive Vice President of Marketing.
• Hello Music, a Groupon style style site for musicians received a Retail Excellence Award from Music Inc. Magazine
• ReverbNation and the Hard Rock Cafes are sponsoring a world wide talent search starting in each of its 86 properties and culminating at the Hard Rock Calling 2012 music festival in London’s Hyde Park. Details on entering free here
• Independent, Artist-Owned Labels Surge (American Songwriter)
• NARM and digitalmusic.org offer the full content of the Nielsen & Billboard 2011 Music Industry Report. (pdf)
• Discover Indie Jams Quickly & Easily With Songspin.fm (O Music)
• ESSENCE will celebrate 2012 GRAMMY week with its 3^rd annual ESSENCE Black Women in Music event honoring GRAMMY Award-winning artist Kelly Rowland and music industry veteran Sylvia Rhone on February 8, 2012 in Los Angeles.