AOL In Biggest Live Concert Broadcast

NMA: All of the Live8 concerts, the successor to the iconic Live Aid concerts of 1985, will be broadcast online live and free, on AOL. Five concerts will take place around Europe and the US on 2 July. The London event in Hyde Park will see Madonna, Coldplay and REM perform live.
In an exclusive deal, AOL will broadcast all five concerts through its US, UK, German and French portals, as well as on the aolmusic.com site. The concerts will be available as a live stream on the site, alongside additional content.
More details on the live online broadcast on AOL site here...

13.6% Of US Mobile Users Downloaded A Ringtone In April

Press Release: M:Metrics' monthly Benchmark Survey has found that 24.58 million U.S. mobile subscribers -- 13.6 percent -- downloaded a ringtone in April. The report found that 61% downloaded a ringtone from a carrier portal, 49% downloaded tones from the web and 5% purchased them via SMS shortcodes.
"Although ringtone consumption still skews young -- two-thirds of ringtone downloaders are under 34 -- our data shows subscribers across all age groups are downloading ringtones to personalize their phone," said Mark Donovan, senior analyst and vice president, products, M:Metrics. "Indeed, the idea of ringtones as a fashion statement is prompting many to buy multiple ringtones. More than 60 percent of subscribers who downloaded a ringtone downloaded two or more, and more than a third downloaded three or more ringtones in the month of April."
Related stories:
--A Brief Description Of The Ringtone Market
--Another Record Year Thanks To Japanese Mobile Music
--Crazy Frog Outsells Coldplay Single

Melodeo To Offer EMI Songs To Mobiles

Press Release: Melodeo has signed a deal with EMI to " make 200,000 full music track downloads available to mobile phone users in Europe". The deal increases Melodeo's catalogue to just under half a million full track songs.
"Music is about variety and personal expression. Existing mobile music services don't recognize that music lovers may want more than the latest chart entries," said Duncan Ledwith, VP and European general manager, Melodeo. "By taking a new approach and working with both majors and independents Melodeo is meeting those needs."
Related stories:
--Warner Music puts catalogue on mobiles
--Mobile music comes calling: Seattle's Melodeo a challenge to iPod
--SK Telecom Buys Record Label

RCA Delivers American Idol Winner Through Musicrypt's DMDS

PressRelease: Musicrypt - a leading enabler of secure and user-friendly media distribution via the internet - announced today that the RCA Music Group has chosen its Digital Music Distribution System (DMDS) to be the first to deliver the hit songs from the new American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood, and runner up, Bo Bice. The Canadian company's patented DMDS is the leading secure B2B digital delivery solution for the music industry and is an easy-to-use, Web-based system that requires no expensive software or hardware...Basically, it eliminates the need to mail/send physical discs to distribute content as the system incorporates biometrics, high-value encryption and watermarking equating to a very robust solution...Most importantly, the technology allows content providers to control the delivery, receipt and use of their content...(Musicrypt claims its DMDS is the leading digital music distribution system in North America, currently delivering over 950 tracks to more then 400,000 destinations of today's hottest music hits...)

EMI and Warner Music?

TimesOnline: Could the timing finally be right for a deal between these two giants?..."If the latest murmurings from the music world are to be believed, EMI and New York-listed Warner Music are once again on the verge of full-blown merger talks...Both companies have done a good job of taking out costs. Putting them together would create further synergies in traditional and digital sales channels."

Top 10 Music Videos

Sales data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan - Issue Date:June 4, 2005.

1)  Elvis By The Presleys, Elvis Presley | RCA
2)  Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, The London Symphony Orchestra And London Voices (John Williams) | Sony Classical Video
3)  Family Jewels, AC/DC | Epic Music Video
4)  Chosen Few: El Documental, Chosen Few | Chosen Few
5)  The Documentary, The Game | Interscope Video
6)  Greatest Hits, Creed | Wind-Up Video
7)  MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups Presents: Collision Course, Jay-Z/Linkin Park | Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/Warner Bros.
8)  Live at Donington, AC/DC | Epic Music Video
9)  Fearless Freaks, The Flaming Lips | Shout! Factory
10) The Best Of Pantera: Far Beyond The Great Southern Cowboys' Vulgar Hits, Pantera | Elektra/Rhino Home Video

Top 10 Independent Albums

These are current titles that are sold via independent distribution, including those that are fulfilled via major branch distributors. Sales data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan - Issue Date: June 4, 2005

1)  Insane Clown Posse, The Calm (EP) | Psychopathic (HOT SHOT DEBUT)
2)  Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, Crunk Juice | BME
3)  Spoon, Gimme Fiction | Merge
4)  Hawthorne Heights, The Silence In Black And White | Victory   
5)  John Prine, Fair & Square | Oh Boy
6)  Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Greatest Hits | Ruthless
7)  Aimee Mann, The Forgotten Arm | SuperEgo
8)  Pitbull, M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is A Major Issue) | Diaz Brothers
9)  Bloc Party, Silent Alarm | Vice/Dim Mak
10) Mint Condition, Livin' The Luxury Brown | Caged Bird

Top 10 Albums from The Billboard 200

Top 10 selling Albums from sales data provided by Nielsen SoundScan - Issue Date: June 4, 2005.

1)  System Of A Down, Mezmerize | American/Columbia (HOT SHOT DEBUT)
2)  Toby Keith, Honkytonk University | DreamWorks-Nashville (NEW)
3)  Mariah Carey, The Emancipation Of Mimi | Island
4)  Dave Matthews Band, Stand Up | RCA
5)  Kem, Album II | Motown (NEW)
6)  Soundtrack, American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers | RCA (NEW)
7)  50 Cent, The Massacre | Shady/Aftermath
8)  Gwen Stefani, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. | Interscope
9)  Weezer, Make Believe | Geffen
10) Def Leppard, Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection | Bludgeon Riffola (NEW)

Hot Ringtones

Top selling ringtones compiled from internet reports collected and provided by Nielsen Mobile - Issue Date: June 4, 2005.

1)  Wait (The Whisper Song), Ying Yang Twins
2)  Candy Shop, 50 Cent Featuring Olivia
3)  Oh, Ciara Featuring Ludacris
4)  Just A Lil Bit, 50 Cent
5)  We Belong Together, Mariah Carey
6)  Super Mario Brothers Theme, Koji Kondo
7)  Lovers And Friends, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz Featuring Usher & Ludacris
8)  How We Do, The Game Featuring 50 Cent
9)  Disco Inferno, 50 Cent
10) Number One Spot, Ludacris

Hot Digital Tracks

Top selling downloaded tracks compiled from internet sales reports collected and provided by Nielsen SoundScan - Issue Date: June 4, 2005.

1)  Hollaback Girl, Gwen Stefani | Interscope
2)  Don't Phunk With My Heart, The Black Eyed Peas | A&M
3)  Feel Good Inc (Single Edit), Gorillaz/De La Soul | Parlophone
4)  Switch, Will Smith | Overbrook
5)  We Belong Together (Remix), Mariah Carey Featuring DJ Clue, Jadakiss & Styles P | Island
6)  Behind These Hazel Eyes, Kelly Clarkson | RCA
7)  We Belong Together, Mariah Carey | Island
8)  Beverly Hills, Weezer | Geffen
9)  Mr. Brightside, The Killers | Island
10) Incomplete (Album Version), Backstreet Boys | Jive