New Music Business Briefing: EMI Sell Off?, Beatport Adds Authentication, When Pigs Fly & Much More

>>> Terra Firma is already considering selling off some of EMI‘s assets to lower it’s exposure.  (NY Post) Weren’t these the guys who were going to transform the music business? In case you forgot, here’s the full text of the leaked Guy Hands memo to his staff.

>>> The Who to launch fee based subscription site for hardcore fans. (Harp)

>>> Nokia launches country specific local artist music sites. (cNet Asia)

>>> Brooklyn assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries is demanding that New York withdraw $84 million in pension funds invested in Universal and Vivendi unless rapper Nas changes the title his new album Nigger. (RollingStone.com)I’m not sure which is sadder; The Nas release title or the fact that this politician is just figuring out that labels sometimes support music with less than positive messages. Welcome to free speech.

>>> The new Canadian mp3 downloads tax makes "a sucker out of legal downloaders" according to McCleans.ca

>>> Is the upsurge in vinyl the final nail in the CD’s coffin? (Wired)

>>> Popular dance/electronic download store Beatport has added a new customer authentication system for users. (press release) Can someone explain to me why Beatport -who adds 5000 dance tracks a week and has a huge worldwide audience – needs a higher level of authentication then Amazon or iTunes?

>>> Starbuck’s Hear Music label signs its first developing artist. (Billboard)  This should be interesting to watch.

>>> The RIAA was denied a default judgement over questions of positive ID of the suspect. (ars)

>>> It’s official: Musicians have different brains. (NPR)

>>> Indie label Gold Standard Labs to shut down after 14 years. (GSL)

>>> WORTHY READ: "When Pigs Fly: The Death of Oink, the Birth of Dissent, and a Brief History of Record Industry Suicide." (demonbaby)