What Is The Next Digital Musi Industry Hit ?

From DigitalMusicNews.com Editor Paul Resnikoff: "Ask Clive Davis about success in the music business, and he’ll talk to about making hits. Big smashes, the kind that grow moss at the top of the charts."

"Davis, one of the most successful figures in the industry, has crafted countless careers by stringing together a series of smash songs. Whether it’s The Beatles or 50 Cent, big hit songs have been a major part of this industry, perking ears and opening wallets…"

"…So how does this relate to new music distribution technologies? The digital music industry is also tremendously hits-driven, with the killer app taking the place of the #1 smash song. What are the big technology hits so far? The mp3 codec, the original Napster P2P file-sharing network, decentralized sharing after that, ringtones, and the iPod are all major hits in this early business…"

"…Within the context of the iPod, iTunes can be considered a technology hit, facilitating…nut as a stand-alone service, paid downloads have yet to catch fire. Apple recently pointed to 300 million downloads, but those levels are simply dwarfed by P2P sharing volumes. Other digital delivery options, like the Rhapsody subscription service, have also failed to catch fire, still smoldering with the promise of future success."

"Ask any A&R veteran, and you’ll find out that hits often come out of nowhere.. The same
is true in digital music, with applications like the original Napster experiencing a similar path to glory. Now, several new technologies could be poised to pop, including portable subscription downloads, satellite radio, mobile music videos and mobile full song downloads. Theoretically, all of those technologies make great sense, offering consumers lots of convenience, fun and access…"

"But coaxing the kind of consumer frenzy that surrounds formats like ringtones is tricky business, with the value proposition not always obvious or predictable. That certainly keeps things interesting, with the next big hit potentially a big surprise."