
Napster boss set to buy Metallica’s record label - jgilliam
http://rocknewsdesk.com/world-news/napster-boss-set-to-buy-metallicas-record-label/1034/
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nikcub
WB isn't Metallica's label, they are their distributor in North Americ, and
only on the last 3 records - a deal which ended a while ago.

Very very very very big difference, in that they don't own Metallica's music.
Metallica music has been owned by their own 'label'/corp since the first album
(which is why they went to court, directly).

Though the association they have creates a nice narrative for the story, so I
can see why this writer jumped on it.

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taylorlb
Not entirely accurate actually. All of Metallica's records came out (at least
in North America, not sure about the rest of the world) under the Warner Music
Group umbrella, which is what Sean is allegedly bidding on. Going all the way
back to Master of Puppets they were signed in NA to Elektra Records, which is
owned by WMG, and then more recently Warner Bros. Records (they moved them to
WBR when Elektra briefly closed about 10 years ago), which is also owned by
WMG.

Technically, if Sean and co. was to successfully purchase Warner Music Group,
they would be in control of the company that has negotiated rights to
Metallica's records, at least for the time being. So it is actually kind of a
(potentially) juicy story.

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myshoppio
Maybe he is trying to buy a record label for Facebook, as that is pretty much
the only thing FB are not able to get into fast - music. Buying Warner Music
(via SP) would enable FB to rapidly sell music via FB like iTunes. Also
putting the recent FB purchase of Israeli startup Snaptu in the same context,
they might well be trying to create their own mobile OS - which will be FREE
to mobile phone manufactures similar to Android. Massive advantage to FB if
they do this is they have 550+m users that mobile operators would love to tap
into with very litte marketing effort.

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harshpotatoes
They mention that Warner Music is also Metallica's label, but in my opinion
this would probably not factor into a business decision to purchase a record
label. Warner is a huge label, and in many ways has not adapted to modern
times. If Sean were to purchase Warner, I can't imagine him allowing the label
to continue operating as it has. Maybe he would shape it in way which would be
more appealing to how people wish to consume music. Who knows, maybe even
music start ups will have a much easier time with legal problems and costs?
That would be cool.

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marcamillion
Whether or not WMG is Metallica's record label, if he does pull this off, that
would be pretty Epic.

Come to think of it, why has someone else from Silicon Valley not done this ?

Why has Steve Jobs not bought a major record label ? I think the music
business needs a good old fashioned changing of the guard and some techifying.

If Bill G. or Jobs or Zuck or anyone that has a ton of money bought one (or
some) of those large labels, that could be pretty momentous.

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originalgeek
I think a better question is why hasn't Apple created the modern-day
replacement for the record label of olde? You know, doing stuff to increase
visibility of artists and pump up the various scenes than they currently do
with their current "you upload, we take a cut" mode. Like having local iTunes
concerts, performed by artists selling on iTunes. Free admission if you buy a
$20 iTunes card. Or putting on impromptu gigs at various venues like coffee
houses, dive bars, or local music clubs to generate some buzz around talent.
Get Woz involved and resurrect the Us Festival under the iTunes brand, with
indie artists from all sorts of genres. Music is about so much more than
pumping sound into your ears.

I agree with the "changing of the guard" sentiment, but I think it better to
disrupt from the outside, rather than prop up the old guard for a while
longer. There's on old saying "once a pickle, never a cucumber". I just don't
believe the industry can be un-pickled.

~~~
panacea
<http://www.itunesfestival.com/>

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paul9290
This would be great for the music business and music start-ups. Im thinking
music start-ups would be given better terms and or breathing room to create
innovative services that in turn strengthens the music industries's bottom
line.

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Aloisius
Napster boss? Parker? Uh. No.

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Apocryphon
Turnabout is fair play.

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mhiceoin
ha ha ha... maybe I will return later with a better comment, but have been
overcome by a fit of the giggles...

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hristov
Sean Parker seems to have a huge problem with grudges. He should let it go,
grudges and desire for revenge make for bad business decisions.

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ianl
It could be a great business decision, hes an advisor for Spotify. There is
more going on than meets the eye in this instance.

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myshoppio
Now that makes sense iani, if what I predict below is correct about FB and the
fact that Spotify have secured a US deal with Sony and EMI + they might buy
Warner Music. All of these put together would give them a tried and tested
advertising model away from search ads, at better margins than Apple. Plus
maybe musicians would possibly feel better, as less companies are taking cuts
before the musicians get paid. That said Spotify have 1m paid customers and
musicians are sort of only just understanding this new model...imagine their
tunes were selling (bought or in exchange of an add) to 550m+ listeners. Plus
why do you want a Spotify app when you could access it all from FB. Love it or
hate it, but for the end user simplicity counts.

