— Universal: The label is letting Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) sell its repertoire with no copy protection on its Amazon MP3 stores across Europe. Doing licenses across the continent is still cumbersome but Universal used DEAL, its partnership with French royalty collector SACEM, to do pan-European licensing. The UK store launched in December. UMG artists include Amy Winehouse.
— New U2 track: Online music services are falling over themselves to leverage a pre-release window U2’s UMG label has given on online platforms. Get On Your Boots is available via streaming and social sites, though isn’t available for purchase until February 15 (digital) and 16 (physical). Last.fm and amazing new Swedish/British music player Spotify are shouting about availability via their platforms. Online pre-releases are nothing new. The point is, labels are coming to view social/streaming services in radio terms – good promo for the single, which will still be available to buy next month.
— Iglesias: Enrique Iglesias at MidemNet bemoaned the effect of online: “Unfortunately, I don’t know if people realise that when they put music on to the Internet for free it’s influencing not only the artistes but also the (other) people who make their livings from it. Each week you see that they’re firing people from the record companies. Earlier in Spain you would sell 500,000 albums and nowadays the highest-selling albums are just 200,000 … and if you get there, it’s insane.” Iglesias said that artists “don’t earn the money (they) made before – there’s no doubt of that”. Via Newkerala.