Sunday, February 24, 2008
Let me come straight to the point.
The Internet is an incredible promotional tool for independent musicians. You can get radio play, grow a fan base, create a distribution channel, manufacture and sell CDs and music downloads all online. You can use the Internet to create an amazing amount of exposure for your music. Wouldn't it be great if literally thousands of people heard your music every single day? What if you could use your web site to sell 50, 100 or even 200 CDs every month? Not to mention all the digital downloads of your music you can sell via iTunes, Rhapsody, Yahoo and dozens of other online retailers. Guess what? It doesn't take a brain-surgeon to make it happen, but it does take a lot of hard work – and you need to know what you're doing.
Public Performance Royalties for Internet Licenses
A) The Master RecordingWith respect to the non-interactive subscription services and Internet radio stations, there are currently two collection societies that collect money for owners (or those who have the right to collect for the owners) of the master recordings and featured artists. These two collection societies are SoundExchange and Royalty Logic.
SoundExchange was the first performing rights organization in the U.S. to collect and distribute royalties to sound recording copyright owners and featured artists and they are a not-for-profit organization governed by a board of artist representatives and major and independent label representatives.
Royalty Logic, based in Los Angeles, is an independent performing rights organization for the negotiation, licensing, collection and distribution of digital performance royalties payable to featured performing artists and sound recording copyright owners. Royalty Logic is actively engaged in promoting regulations to maximize license fee collections and royalty distributions on behalf of affiliates at the lowest possible cost.
WHO JOINS?
Record companies or any owner/controller of sound recordings; and
Recording artists, etc.
Featured recording artists have the same right to designate a collective as the sound recording copyright owner (i.e., their record company). Therefore, an artist can choose to be represented by a different collective than the artist’s record company.
THE PROFIT SPLIT
The law provides that the statutory license revenues be split as follows:
50% to the owner of the master recording (i.e., most often the record company)
45% to the featured artist*
5% to the non-featured musicians and vocalists (paid to the independent administrators who are responsible for paying the non-featured performers. Union membership is not required for payment)
*Please note that it has become industry custom to share a portion of the featured artist’s royalty with the producer of the sound recording through a letter of direction which is attached as an exhibit to the producer agreement between the recording artist and the producer.
SoundExchange and Royalty Logic receive license revenues from satellite, cable and Internet radio with licenses for both commercial and non-commercial services, which include track level accounting of performances to its members and the most up-to-date information on streaming and digital transmissions.
More information can be found at www.soundexchange.com and www.royaltylogic.com
B) The Musical CompositionWith respect to the musical composition, there are three (3) performing rights organizations in the U.S. -- ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC collect public performance income with respect to musical compositions and all have various licenses that allow these Internet services, whether interactive or non-interactive, to perform all of the songs in each of their repertory.
These Internet licenses do not allow the reproduction or distribution of the songs (which would be handled through the record company) nor do they allow the pubic performance of the master recordings (which would be handled through SoundExchange).
Types of Public Performance Internet Licenses
The following applies to the public performance of songs via the Internet BUT please note that a lot of these licenses are still in their “experimental stages” Accordingly, please regularly check the website of your respective performing rights organization to make sure they have the most up to date and accurate information.
ASCAP currently offers three (3) types of Internet licenses. The first is a non-interactive license that does not allow consumers to download or otherwise select particular songs. The second type of license is an interactive license that does allow consumers to download or otherwise select particular songs. ASCAP’s third type of license authorizes the public performance of its songs in its repertory via wireless devices such as mobile phones. The fees paid to ASCAP by these Internet sites are based on revenue or activity of each Internet service. For more information please log onto the ASCAP website at www.ASCAP.com and click on “Customer Licenses” on the left side of the page.
BMI’s main license type is one where fees are computed on a “gross revenue calculation” where music is the primary feature of the particular site or a "music area calculation” where music is only a part of the total website traffic for that particular site. For more information go to
www.BMI.com.
SESAC also offers a license that provides for fees based on the number of monthly page requests as well as whether or not there is advertising on the site. For more information go to
www.SESAC.com.
The above information is excerpted from the music business person’s bible, Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Industry (4th edition) by Jeffrey Brabec and Todd Brabec.
Music Used in Video Games and on Your Mobile PhoneA) Music in Video GamesIt appears as if the video game industry has followed the model used by the film industry when it comes to licensing music for video games. Accordingly, with few exceptions, most game companies license music as a ‘buy-out’ as opposed to paying a royalty per each game sold like is customary for CDs. Buy-outs are somewhere between $5,000 to $10,000 per master recording and $5,000 to $10,000 for the musical composition embodied on the master recording which is then divided up among the songwriters and/or music publishers relative to each parties’ copyright ownership interest. Most of these licenses tend to be short term usually spanning 5 to 10 years with some stating that they are for the ‘term of copyright’ or for as long the game is distributed. The territory is usually the world unless the artist has a lot of leverage. Additionally, there may be language providing for the game to be available on-line as well as any other ‘new media’ format that is developed in the future.
Beware of language in these agreements that grant the game company the right to release the music in the game on an audio only CD or a DVD. If this language is in the agreement try to take it out or at the very least try to pre-negotiate the royalties for the CD like obtaining a full mechanical royalty for the song (usually it will be 75% of the statutory rate) and a ‘most favored nations’ artist royalty rate for the master recording.
B) The MobileTone formerly known as the “RingTone”The downloading of music on cell phones has become a relatively new source of income for record companies and their recording artists. Prior to being able to download an actual master recording on to a cell phone (for purposes of this article we will refer to the downloading of master recordings on cell phones as MobileTones), a consumer could only download a ‘re-play’ of that recording which was referred to as a RingTone and only songwriters, music publishers, and performance rights societies made any money from the traditional RingTone. explanation of “who gets what” for every MobileTone download, it is important to understand how monies were paid out for the traditional RingTone. Because the traditional RingTone was a re-play (i.e., re-creation) of a song contained on a recording, there was no use of the actual recording which is usually owned by the record company. Accordingly, record companies and their recording artists were not entitled to any sound recording royalties for the downloading of the traditional RingTone (although crafty record company lawyers attempted to try and stop music publishers and their songwriting recording artists from licensing the right to re-create their songs for RingTones by limiting the re-recording provision in the recording agreement, few record companies were successful at this). The “traditional” RingTone was either a monophonic tone (i.e., single tone) or polyphonic tone (i.e., many tones) whereby the actual song was recreated through a series of tones/notes, most of them through MIDI (i.e., musical instrument digital interface) as opposed to the download of the actual master recording featuring the artist’s performances. Accordingly, only songwriters, music publishers, and performing rights societies (i.e., ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC) were receiving any income from traditional RingTones.
With respect to the old RingTone deals, an agreement was made between the cell phone carrier (such as Verizon or Cingular) or a third party cell phone aggregator (such as Xingy or Hudson) and music publishers and/or songwriters for the re-creation (i.e., re-play) of a song either monophonically (archaic) or polyphonically (preferred). The terms of these agreements were short ranging from 1 to 3 years. Although most of the deals were worldwide, the music publisher would most often try to limit the deal to the U.S. and Canada. The traditional way in which the phone carriers (or third party aggregators) paid royalties to the owners and controllers of musical compositions in the U.S. was the greater of ten cents ($0.10) or ten percent (10%) of the RingTone price paid by the consumer. Accordingly, there was always a floor of ten cents ($0.10) per RingTone which is a step up from what songwriters and publishers were used to being paid for each song contained on record albums pursuant to the statutory rates set by the U.S. Copyright Office (currently the rate is $0.091 cents for under 5 minutes of playing time). Accordingly, if a RingTone sold for $2.49 then the royalty paid to the owners and controllers of that particular musical composition would be $0.25 cents. In addition, many of these older RingTone deals were contingent on the company’s also obtaining licenses from the respective public performance organization (i.e., ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC), and those monies will flow to the publisher and songwriter as well.
Finally in the later part of 2005 and in 2006, the U.S. caught up with the rest of the world with respect to the 3G technology required on the cell phone in order to download the actual master recording (and other content) on cell phones. (As stated above, we will refer to master recording downloads on cell phones as MobileTones as opposed to RingTones). Because the technology has advanced so quickly, cell phone carriers now can provide customized cell phones which offer a number of personalized services such as music shops, music video channels, buying tickets to concerts through mobile ticketing, visual radio, personalization content such as wallpaper and imaging featuring your favorite artist, and editorial content. For these mobile deals, it is important to note that the cell phone carrier (i.e. Verizon, Cingular, etc) receives fifty percent (50%) of the fee paid by the consumer for each MobileTone downloaded. Accordingly, if a MobileTone costs $2.49 to download then the carrier receives $1.25. Please note that sometime in 2006, the carrier started paying the public performance societies (i.e., BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) directly out of their fifty percent (50%) share ($1.25) (see below) but this had not always been the case. Early on the public performance societies were being paid out of the remaining $1.24 along with everyone else! Of course this resulted in a lower royalty paid to the recording artist.
With respect to the licensing of the song contained on the MobileTone, it is important to remember that the old RingTone deals allocated music publishers and songwriters a mechanical royalty equal to ten percent (10%) of the retail price to the consumer so they were getting really used to a $0.25 cent royalty for every Ringtone sold for $2.49. Of course, as you can imagine, record companies flipped out when they were told by music publishers that the mechanical royalty for a MobileTone was $0.25 cents per download! REMEMBER, record companies are used to paying the minimum statutory rate (many times less!) for songs embodied on albums. As noted above, the current the minimum statutory rate is currently .091 cents for songs under 5 minutes of playing time. For the record company, that is a $0.16 cent increase per MobileTone! The key point is that this ‘mechanical royalty’ was freely negotiated between the parties because the MobileTone was considered a derivative work, outside the compulsory license system of Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act.
Fortuitously for the labels, the newly created Copyright Royalty Board ("CRB") had been engaged in a ‘mechanical rate setting procedure’ since the beginning of 2006 to set the mechanical royalty rate for all Section 115 uses. The record companies argued that MobileTones are not derivatives but instead “cover versions” of songs which would make them subject to the compulsory license requirements. Before the labels could attempt to try and enforce their position, they needed the CRB to rule on the matter and the RIAA (lobby group in Washington for the major labels) demanded such a ruling from the CRB who referred the question to the Copyright Office. On October 16, 2006, the Copyright Office ruled that a MobileTone is subject to the Section 115 compulsory license system. Currently, the CRB will now proceed to set mechanical royalty rates for MobileTones which could be as low as the $0.91 (or lower if the labels get their way!) that is currently paid for cover versions of songs. The songwriters and publishers, represented ostensibly by the National Music Publisher’s Association (NMPA), reacted very negatively to this ruling, as it effectively reduces their MobileTone income by over sixty percent (60%). In a weird quirk in the rules, the songwriter/publisher interests cannot appeal this decision to the DC Circuit Court until after the CRB sets the mechanical rate, which could happen sometime in 2007. Naturally, this has become a highly contentious issue between the RIAA and the NMPA. And this may not even be the most contentious issue raised before the CRB. In a daring move, the RIAA is also seeking a decrease in the rate for all Section 115 mechanical uses. Their filing asks for a return to the statutory rate as set in the year 1981. This would apply to both physical and online/satellite product. The statutory mechanical rate has never been reduced. If the RIAA succeeds, all songwriters and publishers will be faced with an unprecedented decrease in statutory revenue.
Portions of the foregoing section were contributed by Jay Rosenthal, Esq., co-legal counsel to the Recording Artist’s Coalition. Jay can be reached at JRose13@aol.com.
Current MobileTone Royalty Breakdown:
As for the other royalty participants of the MobileTone, here is a hypothetical breakdown:
Retail price to the consumer: $2.49
Less $1.25 to the carrier (i.e., Cingular, Verizon, etc) (representing 50% of retail)
(carrier pays the performing rights societies [ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC] 5% of retail which equals $0.12.5 cents per download)
Leaves $1.24
Less $0.25 to the music publishers/ songwriters (representing 10% of retail)
NOTE: As of October 16, 2006 the US Copyright Office ruled that compositions contained in MobileTones (formerly the RingTone) is subject to compulsory licensing. We are waiting for new rates to be determined!
Leaves .99 cents to record company (then record company the Artist a portion of this amount- see below)
c publishing and songwriter community, record companies are also having a battle with some of their recordings artists as to whether MobileTones (and downloads) constitute a sale or a license. Under the terms of a recording agreement, when the record company ‘licenses’ a recording featuring its artists’ performance, the artist is entitled to fifty percent (50%) of net as opposed to an artist royalty. Obviously paying an artist fifty percent (50%) of the $0.99 cents the record company is receiving for MobileTones (or fifty percent (50%) of what the record company is receiving from iTunes) amounts to far more than what they are paying their artists. Unfortunately, the “sale vs. license” battle is one in which the recording artists are losing. See below:
Sale vs. a License?
Sale:.99 ‘net’ to record company for a MobileTone download multiplied by the Artist net royalty rate as follows: EXAMPLE: $0.99 x 12% = $0.1188 paid to the artist if the Artist
License:
Artist receives 50% of the .99 ‘net’ to record company for MobileTone download as follows: EXAMPLE: 50% of .99 cents = $0.495 cents
By the time this article is published, much of the information in the article may have already changed as the music industry is moving at such a rapid pace. The good news is that there are plenty of new opportunities for artists- both signed and unsigned. For the most up to date information pertaining to the music industry, please visit the following websites: www.soundexhange.comwww.royaltylogic.com www.ascap.com www.bmi.com www.sesac.com www.cdbaby.net www.billboard.com www.copyright.gov www.recordingartistscoalition.com
SoundExchange was the first performing rights organization in the U.S. to collect and distribute royalties to sound recording copyright owners and featured artists and they are a not-for-profit organization governed by a board of artist representatives and major and independent label representatives.
Royalty Logic, based in Los Angeles, is an independent performing rights organization for the negotiation, licensing, collection and distribution of digital performance royalties payable to featured performing artists and sound recording copyright owners. Royalty Logic is actively engaged in promoting regulations to maximize license fee collections and royalty distributions on behalf of affiliates at the lowest possible cost.
WHO JOINS?
Record companies or any owner/controller of sound recordings; and
Recording artists, etc.
Featured recording artists have the same right to designate a collective as the sound recording copyright owner (i.e., their record company). Therefore, an artist can choose to be represented by a different collective than the artist’s record company.
THE PROFIT SPLIT
The law provides that the statutory license revenues be split as follows:
50% to the owner of the master recording (i.e., most often the record company)
45% to the featured artist*
5% to the non-featured musicians and vocalists (paid to the independent administrators who are responsible for paying the non-featured performers. Union membership is not required for payment)
*Please note that it has become industry custom to share a portion of the featured artist’s royalty with the producer of the sound recording through a letter of direction which is attached as an exhibit to the producer agreement between the recording artist and the producer.
SoundExchange and Royalty Logic receive license revenues from satellite, cable and Internet radio with licenses for both commercial and non-commercial services, which include track level accounting of performances to its members and the most up-to-date information on streaming and digital transmissions.
More information can be found at www.soundexchange.com and www.royaltylogic.com
B) The Musical CompositionWith respect to the musical composition, there are three (3) performing rights organizations in the U.S. -- ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC collect public performance income with respect to musical compositions and all have various licenses that allow these Internet services, whether interactive or non-interactive, to perform all of the songs in each of their repertory.
These Internet licenses do not allow the reproduction or distribution of the songs (which would be handled through the record company) nor do they allow the pubic performance of the master recordings (which would be handled through SoundExchange).
Types of Public Performance Internet Licenses
The following applies to the public performance of songs via the Internet BUT please note that a lot of these licenses are still in their “experimental stages” Accordingly, please regularly check the website of your respective performing rights organization to make sure they have the most up to date and accurate information.
ASCAP currently offers three (3) types of Internet licenses. The first is a non-interactive license that does not allow consumers to download or otherwise select particular songs. The second type of license is an interactive license that does allow consumers to download or otherwise select particular songs. ASCAP’s third type of license authorizes the public performance of its songs in its repertory via wireless devices such as mobile phones. The fees paid to ASCAP by these Internet sites are based on revenue or activity of each Internet service. For more information please log onto the ASCAP website at www.ASCAP.com and click on “Customer Licenses” on the left side of the page.
BMI’s main license type is one where fees are computed on a “gross revenue calculation” where music is the primary feature of the particular site or a "music area calculation” where music is only a part of the total website traffic for that particular site. For more information go to
www.BMI.com.
SESAC also offers a license that provides for fees based on the number of monthly page requests as well as whether or not there is advertising on the site. For more information go to
www.SESAC.com.
The above information is excerpted from the music business person’s bible, Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Industry (4th edition) by Jeffrey Brabec and Todd Brabec.
Music Used in Video Games and on Your Mobile PhoneA) Music in Video GamesIt appears as if the video game industry has followed the model used by the film industry when it comes to licensing music for video games. Accordingly, with few exceptions, most game companies license music as a ‘buy-out’ as opposed to paying a royalty per each game sold like is customary for CDs. Buy-outs are somewhere between $5,000 to $10,000 per master recording and $5,000 to $10,000 for the musical composition embodied on the master recording which is then divided up among the songwriters and/or music publishers relative to each parties’ copyright ownership interest. Most of these licenses tend to be short term usually spanning 5 to 10 years with some stating that they are for the ‘term of copyright’ or for as long the game is distributed. The territory is usually the world unless the artist has a lot of leverage. Additionally, there may be language providing for the game to be available on-line as well as any other ‘new media’ format that is developed in the future.
Beware of language in these agreements that grant the game company the right to release the music in the game on an audio only CD or a DVD. If this language is in the agreement try to take it out or at the very least try to pre-negotiate the royalties for the CD like obtaining a full mechanical royalty for the song (usually it will be 75% of the statutory rate) and a ‘most favored nations’ artist royalty rate for the master recording.
B) The MobileTone formerly known as the “RingTone”The downloading of music on cell phones has become a relatively new source of income for record companies and their recording artists. Prior to being able to download an actual master recording on to a cell phone (for purposes of this article we will refer to the downloading of master recordings on cell phones as MobileTones), a consumer could only download a ‘re-play’ of that recording which was referred to as a RingTone and only songwriters, music publishers, and performance rights societies made any money from the traditional RingTone. explanation of “who gets what” for every MobileTone download, it is important to understand how monies were paid out for the traditional RingTone. Because the traditional RingTone was a re-play (i.e., re-creation) of a song contained on a recording, there was no use of the actual recording which is usually owned by the record company. Accordingly, record companies and their recording artists were not entitled to any sound recording royalties for the downloading of the traditional RingTone (although crafty record company lawyers attempted to try and stop music publishers and their songwriting recording artists from licensing the right to re-create their songs for RingTones by limiting the re-recording provision in the recording agreement, few record companies were successful at this). The “traditional” RingTone was either a monophonic tone (i.e., single tone) or polyphonic tone (i.e., many tones) whereby the actual song was recreated through a series of tones/notes, most of them through MIDI (i.e., musical instrument digital interface) as opposed to the download of the actual master recording featuring the artist’s performances. Accordingly, only songwriters, music publishers, and performing rights societies (i.e., ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC) were receiving any income from traditional RingTones.
With respect to the old RingTone deals, an agreement was made between the cell phone carrier (such as Verizon or Cingular) or a third party cell phone aggregator (such as Xingy or Hudson) and music publishers and/or songwriters for the re-creation (i.e., re-play) of a song either monophonically (archaic) or polyphonically (preferred). The terms of these agreements were short ranging from 1 to 3 years. Although most of the deals were worldwide, the music publisher would most often try to limit the deal to the U.S. and Canada. The traditional way in which the phone carriers (or third party aggregators) paid royalties to the owners and controllers of musical compositions in the U.S. was the greater of ten cents ($0.10) or ten percent (10%) of the RingTone price paid by the consumer. Accordingly, there was always a floor of ten cents ($0.10) per RingTone which is a step up from what songwriters and publishers were used to being paid for each song contained on record albums pursuant to the statutory rates set by the U.S. Copyright Office (currently the rate is $0.091 cents for under 5 minutes of playing time). Accordingly, if a RingTone sold for $2.49 then the royalty paid to the owners and controllers of that particular musical composition would be $0.25 cents. In addition, many of these older RingTone deals were contingent on the company’s also obtaining licenses from the respective public performance organization (i.e., ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC), and those monies will flow to the publisher and songwriter as well.
Finally in the later part of 2005 and in 2006, the U.S. caught up with the rest of the world with respect to the 3G technology required on the cell phone in order to download the actual master recording (and other content) on cell phones. (As stated above, we will refer to master recording downloads on cell phones as MobileTones as opposed to RingTones). Because the technology has advanced so quickly, cell phone carriers now can provide customized cell phones which offer a number of personalized services such as music shops, music video channels, buying tickets to concerts through mobile ticketing, visual radio, personalization content such as wallpaper and imaging featuring your favorite artist, and editorial content. For these mobile deals, it is important to note that the cell phone carrier (i.e. Verizon, Cingular, etc) receives fifty percent (50%) of the fee paid by the consumer for each MobileTone downloaded. Accordingly, if a MobileTone costs $2.49 to download then the carrier receives $1.25. Please note that sometime in 2006, the carrier started paying the public performance societies (i.e., BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC) directly out of their fifty percent (50%) share ($1.25) (see below) but this had not always been the case. Early on the public performance societies were being paid out of the remaining $1.24 along with everyone else! Of course this resulted in a lower royalty paid to the recording artist.
With respect to the licensing of the song contained on the MobileTone, it is important to remember that the old RingTone deals allocated music publishers and songwriters a mechanical royalty equal to ten percent (10%) of the retail price to the consumer so they were getting really used to a $0.25 cent royalty for every Ringtone sold for $2.49. Of course, as you can imagine, record companies flipped out when they were told by music publishers that the mechanical royalty for a MobileTone was $0.25 cents per download! REMEMBER, record companies are used to paying the minimum statutory rate (many times less!) for songs embodied on albums. As noted above, the current the minimum statutory rate is currently .091 cents for songs under 5 minutes of playing time. For the record company, that is a $0.16 cent increase per MobileTone! The key point is that this ‘mechanical royalty’ was freely negotiated between the parties because the MobileTone was considered a derivative work, outside the compulsory license system of Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act.
Fortuitously for the labels, the newly created Copyright Royalty Board ("CRB") had been engaged in a ‘mechanical rate setting procedure’ since the beginning of 2006 to set the mechanical royalty rate for all Section 115 uses. The record companies argued that MobileTones are not derivatives but instead “cover versions” of songs which would make them subject to the compulsory license requirements. Before the labels could attempt to try and enforce their position, they needed the CRB to rule on the matter and the RIAA (lobby group in Washington for the major labels) demanded such a ruling from the CRB who referred the question to the Copyright Office. On October 16, 2006, the Copyright Office ruled that a MobileTone is subject to the Section 115 compulsory license system. Currently, the CRB will now proceed to set mechanical royalty rates for MobileTones which could be as low as the $0.91 (or lower if the labels get their way!) that is currently paid for cover versions of songs. The songwriters and publishers, represented ostensibly by the National Music Publisher’s Association (NMPA), reacted very negatively to this ruling, as it effectively reduces their MobileTone income by over sixty percent (60%). In a weird quirk in the rules, the songwriter/publisher interests cannot appeal this decision to the DC Circuit Court until after the CRB sets the mechanical rate, which could happen sometime in 2007. Naturally, this has become a highly contentious issue between the RIAA and the NMPA. And this may not even be the most contentious issue raised before the CRB. In a daring move, the RIAA is also seeking a decrease in the rate for all Section 115 mechanical uses. Their filing asks for a return to the statutory rate as set in the year 1981. This would apply to both physical and online/satellite product. The statutory mechanical rate has never been reduced. If the RIAA succeeds, all songwriters and publishers will be faced with an unprecedented decrease in statutory revenue.
Portions of the foregoing section were contributed by Jay Rosenthal, Esq., co-legal counsel to the Recording Artist’s Coalition. Jay can be reached at JRose13@aol.com.
Current MobileTone Royalty Breakdown:
As for the other royalty participants of the MobileTone, here is a hypothetical breakdown:
Retail price to the consumer: $2.49
Less $1.25 to the carrier (i.e., Cingular, Verizon, etc) (representing 50% of retail)
(carrier pays the performing rights societies [ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC] 5% of retail which equals $0.12.5 cents per download)
Leaves $1.24
Less $0.25 to the music publishers/ songwriters (representing 10% of retail)
NOTE: As of October 16, 2006 the US Copyright Office ruled that compositions contained in MobileTones (formerly the RingTone) is subject to compulsory licensing. We are waiting for new rates to be determined!
Leaves .99 cents to record company (then record company the Artist a portion of this amount- see below)
c publishing and songwriter community, record companies are also having a battle with some of their recordings artists as to whether MobileTones (and downloads) constitute a sale or a license. Under the terms of a recording agreement, when the record company ‘licenses’ a recording featuring its artists’ performance, the artist is entitled to fifty percent (50%) of net as opposed to an artist royalty. Obviously paying an artist fifty percent (50%) of the $0.99 cents the record company is receiving for MobileTones (or fifty percent (50%) of what the record company is receiving from iTunes) amounts to far more than what they are paying their artists. Unfortunately, the “sale vs. license” battle is one in which the recording artists are losing. See below:
Sale vs. a License?
Sale:.99 ‘net’ to record company for a MobileTone download multiplied by the Artist net royalty rate as follows: EXAMPLE: $0.99 x 12% = $0.1188 paid to the artist if the Artist
License:
Artist receives 50% of the .99 ‘net’ to record company for MobileTone download as follows: EXAMPLE: 50% of .99 cents = $0.495 cents
By the time this article is published, much of the information in the article may have already changed as the music industry is moving at such a rapid pace. The good news is that there are plenty of new opportunities for artists- both signed and unsigned. For the most up to date information pertaining to the music industry, please visit the following websites: www.soundexhange.comwww.royaltylogic.com www.ascap.com www.bmi.com www.sesac.com www.cdbaby.net www.billboard.com www.copyright.gov www.recordingartistscoalition.com
Digital Downloads
Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 130% (wholesale markup) x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.1092 cents per download
Producer iTunes Royalty (with wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 130% (wholesale markup) x 3% (producer rate) = $0.027cents per download.
Artist iTunes Royalty (without wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.084 cents per download
Producer iTunes Royalty (without wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 3% (producer rate) = $0.021cents per download.
Although not widely practiced, there are some labels that take this further by first deducting the mechanical royalty from the $0.70 cents prior to calculating the iTunes royalty which is then paid to the artist and the producer which results in a lower royalty rate as follows:
Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumerless $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 less a digital mechanical royalty of $0.091 centsleft $0.609 x 130% ( wholesale markup) x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.095 Artist
iTunes Royalty (without wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumerless $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 less a digital mechanical royalty of $0.091 centsleft $0.609 x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.073
Producer iTunes Royalty (with wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 130% (wholesale markup) x 3% (producer rate) = $0.027cents per download.
Artist iTunes Royalty (without wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.084 cents per download
Producer iTunes Royalty (without wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumer less $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 x 3% (producer rate) = $0.021cents per download.
Although not widely practiced, there are some labels that take this further by first deducting the mechanical royalty from the $0.70 cents prior to calculating the iTunes royalty which is then paid to the artist and the producer which results in a lower royalty rate as follows:
Artist iTunes Royalty (with wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumerless $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 less a digital mechanical royalty of $0.091 centsleft $0.609 x 130% ( wholesale markup) x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.095 Artist
iTunes Royalty (without wholesale markup) $0.99 download single song price to the consumerless $0.29 to Appleleft $0.70 less a digital mechanical royalty of $0.091 centsleft $0.609 x 12% (net artist net rate) = $0.073
Can Unsigned Artists be digitally distributed through iTunes?
An artist who has not signed to a major or independent record label can still get their music distributed via iTunes by a number of various companies also affiliated with Apple. The two that I will mention in this article are cdbaby.com and iFanz.com. Out of the $0.70 cents remaining after Apple takes its $0.29 share, cdbaby only takes a 9% fee for each download, passing through to its artists a whopping 91% of the income! iFanz charges 40% per download. In both cases, the artist is responsible for all third party payments including any royalties payable to producers of the recordings and digital mechanical royalties which are paid to owners and/or controllers of the musical compositions contained in each recording. With respect to digital mechanical royalties, the online service (i.e., iTunes), like a physical retailer, pays these royalties to the record companies (who own and control the recordings containing the songs) who in turn pay either the songwriters, music publishers or the Harry Fox Agency who in turn pays the music publishers.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Can Video Games Save The Music Industry?
The music industry is changing, and fast. The old model based around full album consumption simply doesn't work anymore. Single track downloads grew by 53 percent in 2007 to $2.9 billion and digital sales account for 30 percent of sales in the US and 15 percent worldwide, all while CD sales continue to dive like broken Xbox 360s, falling between 10 to 20 percent in 2007. Heck, 2008 had one of the least-watched Grammy ceremonies in television history.
And yet in less than three months, Harmonix's video game Rock Band notched 2.5 million song downloads at around two bucks per -- twice as much as a regular iTunes song retails. Everyone who buys Rock Band downloads at least two songs, on average. With a little over one million copies of the game sold, that's some sexy math.
The relationship between games and music is only getting peachier: coming this June, Activision is planning to release a Guitar Hero game dedicated to Aerosmith and "celebrated artists that the band has either performed with or has been inspired by in some way." Clearly, bands are taking notice of gaming's reach and influence. Here's a look at the past, present and future of the mutually beneficial relationship between music and games.
And yet in less than three months, Harmonix's video game Rock Band notched 2.5 million song downloads at around two bucks per -- twice as much as a regular iTunes song retails. Everyone who buys Rock Band downloads at least two songs, on average. With a little over one million copies of the game sold, that's some sexy math.
The relationship between games and music is only getting peachier: coming this June, Activision is planning to release a Guitar Hero game dedicated to Aerosmith and "celebrated artists that the band has either performed with or has been inspired by in some way." Clearly, bands are taking notice of gaming's reach and influence. Here's a look at the past, present and future of the mutually beneficial relationship between music and games.
Friday, February 8, 2008
RSS - a Great Tool For Artists
RSS - Don’t Be Left BehindThe way people use the Internet changes faster than yesterday’s socks. If you are exploring new ways to make money from your music then you need to understand how humans are interacting with the web. RSS is a relatively new way to use the web and the use of RSS is exploding.RSS - Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site SummaryFrom a consumer or fan perspective, RSS is a service and a tool for selectively managing information feeds from any number of websites and blogs. From a content creator or artist perspective, RSS is a service that enables you to publish a stream or feed of information. This feed is formed from the sequential updates you make to your website or blog.
http://www.unsprungmedia.com/unsprung-lessons/2007/12/3/2007-rss-a-great-tool-for-artists.html
http://www.unsprungmedia.com/unsprung-lessons/2007/12/3/2007-rss-a-great-tool-for-artists.html
Create An Elaborate Plan
To persuade fans to tune in, to fall in love with, and to spend money on your brand, you need an elaborate plan that goes way beyond the album or singles decision. You will have go far beyond creating a MySpace page that features five of your songs and ten pictures of your band.
You will have to rethink what it means to be entertaining on the Internet.
name of your brand, the URL you use, the first word you type, the sequence in which you release your songs, your lyrics, the images you feature, the videos you release, the messages you type, and everything you put into your online presence should be part of an elaborate plan to seduce fans. The concept of seduction does not have to be sexual. I use the concept of seduction to convey complexity and long term planning. Map out a two year or three year plan that elaborately pulls people into your world of images, poetry, lyrics, stories, music, mystery, hints, clues, energy, characters, plot, storyline, drama, intrigue and excitement.
A regular old website or MySpace page is not the ideal vehicle for building a brand upon. Your name and your image may not be the ideal vehicle to build a brand upon. Start by thinking like the creator of a television series. What do you call it? What is it about? How many “seasons” will it take to tell the story? Make the presentation simple and compelling, but make your plan to seduce - elaborate, intriguing and complex.
You will have to rethink what it means to be entertaining on the Internet.
name of your brand, the URL you use, the first word you type, the sequence in which you release your songs, your lyrics, the images you feature, the videos you release, the messages you type, and everything you put into your online presence should be part of an elaborate plan to seduce fans. The concept of seduction does not have to be sexual. I use the concept of seduction to convey complexity and long term planning. Map out a two year or three year plan that elaborately pulls people into your world of images, poetry, lyrics, stories, music, mystery, hints, clues, energy, characters, plot, storyline, drama, intrigue and excitement.
A regular old website or MySpace page is not the ideal vehicle for building a brand upon. Your name and your image may not be the ideal vehicle to build a brand upon. Start by thinking like the creator of a television series. What do you call it? What is it about? How many “seasons” will it take to tell the story? Make the presentation simple and compelling, but make your plan to seduce - elaborate, intriguing and complex.
To Build a Brand on the Internet - Brand Together
This post will argue that the one of the most effective ways build a brand on the Internet is to join forces with other artists. Building a brand in any industry is difficult.
Building a nationwide or global brand in the music industry is a colossal undertaking. When it comes to entertainment, there are dozens of alternative and competing product categories, and when it comes to music there are millions of options to choose from.
If you are looking to build a business in music that generates ongoing revenue, the only real option is to build a brand on the Internet.
If you have a strong brand on the Internet, your live show traffic will increase, you will sell and stream more music, you will sell more merchandise, and you will attract sponsors and advertisers.
Building a nationwide or global brand in the music industry is a colossal undertaking. When it comes to entertainment, there are dozens of alternative and competing product categories, and when it comes to music there are millions of options to choose from.
If you are looking to build a business in music that generates ongoing revenue, the only real option is to build a brand on the Internet.
If you have a strong brand on the Internet, your live show traffic will increase, you will sell and stream more music, you will sell more merchandise, and you will attract sponsors and advertisers.
According to emarketer
While the total number of US music consumers has more than doubled to 96 million in 2006 from 45 million in 1980, annual per capita music expenditures have dropped drastically to $120 in 2006, from $198 in 1980.
April 2007 - Solutions Research Group reported that approximately 24,000,000 American men and 18,500,000 American women have an iPod.
April 2007 - Apple announced that is sold its 100 millionth iPod. Apple has also sold 2.5 billion songs, 50 million television shows and 1.3 million movies.
March 2007 - Combined sales of CDs, digital tracks, and ringtones are down 10% so far this year
2006 - MySpace is home to 2.2 million bands, 8,000 comedians, thousands of filmmakers
2006 - MySpace has more than 100,000,000 unique profiles
2006 - The iTunes store features 3.5 million songs
2006 - iTunes is selling 5 million songs per day, or 58 songs per second
2006 - 55% of the music bought through iTunes is sold as individual tracks
2006 - Americans spent 500 million on ringtones last year
2006 - 9.3 million people share music files each month
2006 - One billion tracks a month are traded worldwide on illegal file share networks
2006 - 800 music stores closed in 2006
2006 - 1 billion people speak English
April 2007 - Solutions Research Group reported that approximately 24,000,000 American men and 18,500,000 American women have an iPod.
April 2007 - Apple announced that is sold its 100 millionth iPod. Apple has also sold 2.5 billion songs, 50 million television shows and 1.3 million movies.
March 2007 - Combined sales of CDs, digital tracks, and ringtones are down 10% so far this year
2006 - MySpace is home to 2.2 million bands, 8,000 comedians, thousands of filmmakers
2006 - MySpace has more than 100,000,000 unique profiles
2006 - The iTunes store features 3.5 million songs
2006 - iTunes is selling 5 million songs per day, or 58 songs per second
2006 - 55% of the music bought through iTunes is sold as individual tracks
2006 - Americans spent 500 million on ringtones last year
2006 - 9.3 million people share music files each month
2006 - One billion tracks a month are traded worldwide on illegal file share networks
2006 - 800 music stores closed in 2006
2006 - 1 billion people speak English
Radio numbers declined
Radio numbers declined to their lowest level since Arbitron began keeping statistics in Fall 1998. Radio usage dropped in every cell except 50-54s. Steepest declines continue to be among teenagers and young adults, as their attention is increasingly diverted to other media. That’s especially true among males, with Men 18-24 and 18-34 cells posting the biggest year-over-year declines. But the crowded media world is also taking a toll on the 25-54 money demo, which fell 15.1-14.9. There’s also a disturbing trend among female demos. In the Summer book not a single female cell saw an increase in listening. All but two (50-54 and 65+) declined. Compare that to male demos. While older women mirror the trend of listening less, the Summer book shows Men 45-64 were listening to the radio more.
From The Long Tail
Concerts and merchandise: UP (+4%)
Digital tracks: UP (+46%)
Ringtones: UP (+86% last year, but probably just single-digit percent this year)
Licensing for commercials, TV shows, movies and videogames: UP (Warner Music saw licensing grow by about $20 million over the past year)
Even vinyl singles (think DJs): UP (more than doubled in the UK)
And, if you include the iPod in the music industry, as I'd argue a fair-minded analysis would: UP, UP, UP! (+31% this year)
Only CDs are down (-18%). They're around 60% of the industry not including the MP3 players, but just around 25% if you do include them.
Digital tracks: UP (+46%)
Ringtones: UP (+86% last year, but probably just single-digit percent this year)
Licensing for commercials, TV shows, movies and videogames: UP (Warner Music saw licensing grow by about $20 million over the past year)
Even vinyl singles (think DJs): UP (more than doubled in the UK)
And, if you include the iPod in the music industry, as I'd argue a fair-minded analysis would: UP, UP, UP! (+31% this year)
Only CDs are down (-18%). They're around 60% of the industry not including the MP3 players, but just around 25% if you do include them.
Digital Music New reports:
More than one-third of all PCs worldwide now have LimeWire installed, according to data jointly released by Digital Music News and media tracking specialist BigChampagne. The discovery is part of a steady ascent for LimeWire, easily the front-running P2P application and the target of a multi-year RIAA lawsuit. For the third quarter of this year, LimeWire was found on 36.4% of all PCs, a figure gleaned from a global canvass of roughly 1.66 million desktops.
According to eMarketer:
37% of the US adult Internet population used online social networking at least once a month - this year.
70% of all US teens visit social network sites on a monthly basis - this year.
49% of all online adults and 84% of online teens in the US will use social networking each month - by 2011.
70% of all US teens visit social network sites on a monthly basis - this year.
49% of all online adults and 84% of online teens in the US will use social networking each month - by 2011.
From Pew Internet via TechCrunch
39% of online teens share their own artistic creations online, such as artwork, photos, stories, or videos
33% create or work on webpages or blogs for others, including those for groups they belong to, friends, or school assignments
28% have created their own online journal or blog, up from 19% in 2004.
27% maintain their own personal webpage
26% remix content they find online into their own creations
33% create or work on webpages or blogs for others, including those for groups they belong to, friends, or school assignments
28% have created their own online journal or blog, up from 19% in 2004.
27% maintain their own personal webpage
26% remix content they find online into their own creations
According to Billboard Magazine
While not one track sold more than 500,000 digital units in 2004, 114 did in 2007, almost double the 61 tracks that crossed that threshold in 2006. Meanwhile, 36 tracks passed the 1 million sales mark, more than double the 17 in 2006.
The reality is:
The reality is: creators of packages or decks (artists) are actually uploading assets (music, images, video, schedule info, lyrics, etc.) to a database that resides on a system of servers (The Open System), and what users (fans) are manipulating, sharing or sending is a package of “links” that are tied to a Matrix of Permissions.The Matrix of Permissions is actually what ALLOWS things to happen.
Let’s say for example, an independent software developer wants to make a web-based music player for social networks that enables fans to “upload” any number of FAT Packages into a widget that features a slick cover flow interface; let’s call this widget the “FAT Cover Flow Player”.If the software designer has done a great job, the user will perceive that he or she is uploading, dragging, dropping and sorting a bunch of FAT Packages.
In reality, the user is transferring pointers or links to the assets that reside in The Open System, and when the “transfer” occurs, the Matrix of Permissions allows the FAT Cover Flow Player to access the assets within each package, and based upon the permission settings – do something with those assets, such a play music and display images and lyrics, and with or without advertisements. Conceptually, the same thing would happen when a user wants to transfer Packages to a portable device.
This seems much more complicated then tossing around MP3s, however the systems, the software, the devices and the networks we use now are much more powerful and capable than how we devote them to loving MP3s. If we want to restore the recorded music industry to growth and profitability, we have to invest in these types of seemingly-complex systems that are capable of TRANSPORTING value; that is, the type of value that consumers will pay for.
Let’s say for example, an independent software developer wants to make a web-based music player for social networks that enables fans to “upload” any number of FAT Packages into a widget that features a slick cover flow interface; let’s call this widget the “FAT Cover Flow Player”.If the software designer has done a great job, the user will perceive that he or she is uploading, dragging, dropping and sorting a bunch of FAT Packages.
In reality, the user is transferring pointers or links to the assets that reside in The Open System, and when the “transfer” occurs, the Matrix of Permissions allows the FAT Cover Flow Player to access the assets within each package, and based upon the permission settings – do something with those assets, such a play music and display images and lyrics, and with or without advertisements. Conceptually, the same thing would happen when a user wants to transfer Packages to a portable device.
This seems much more complicated then tossing around MP3s, however the systems, the software, the devices and the networks we use now are much more powerful and capable than how we devote them to loving MP3s. If we want to restore the recorded music industry to growth and profitability, we have to invest in these types of seemingly-complex systems that are capable of TRANSPORTING value; that is, the type of value that consumers will pay for.
CS - COOL STREAMS
CS - COOL STREAMS – THE NEW RADIO
If a FAT Package is the new “album” that fans acquire when they believe in an artist, then a Cool Stream is the new “radio” that consumers will use when they want to passively listen to music.
CS - COOL STREAMS ARE CUSTOM STREAMS
Music recommendation engines combined with music streaming services will enable anyone, almost anywhere, to dial into their own custom stream of music. Simple interfaces already enable users to funnel and filter music like never before. Basic programming options such as these (basic examples below) will continually shape the streams of music we passively listen to.
Enter twenty songs you like.
Enter five songs you hate.
Press/Click here if you never want to here that song again.
Press/Click here to skip that song into next week.
Press/Click here to put that song into heavy rotation.
Slide this dial to balance your playlist between existing hits and new music.
Press/Click here to add that song to your favorites.
Enable my friends to add songs to my playlist.
CS - COOL STREAMS EVERYWHERE
It won’t be long before you can listen to your own cool stream everywhere. Cool streams are already available on your computer, and more and more handheld devices will offer this capability. The automotive industry is embracing this technology, and you will even be able to push your stream into the locations you are traveling to such as bars and nightclubs, albeit with some restrictions.CS -
CROSS STREAMING
What happens when 100 people are trying to push their streams into the same bar? The "stream god" puts all of the streams into a funnel and plays what makes sense – given everyone’s lists and preferences.
CS - STREAM BIDDING
Want to listen to your Cool Stream in the pub between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM? Using your mobile phone, outbid the other patrons for the right to listen to your stream. Stream bidding is another example of the “user interfaces” that will change how music is consumed.
CS - GETTING IN WILL BE EASY
Have you heard the phrase “an ass for every seat”? Music recommendation engines will become so freaking useful over the next three years that it will be possible for the listeners that enjoy your exact flavor, color, genre, niche and brand of music, even if it’s just one listener, to FINALLY find your music. Every artist will have an opportunity to find the perfect genetic mate between his/her music and the fan(s) that may love it.
CS - EVERYWHERE AND ANYWHERE
The type of streaming services described here will be EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE. This is a bit of important redundancy, however this stuff will be so prevalent in life that it will seem like “pennies from heaven” for artists. Meaning: your music will be placed into so many streams, so often, and in so many places, that the micro revenue opportunities will be endless. Remember, these things will find the “ass for every seat”.
CS - GETTING PUSHED OUT WILL BE EASY
While getting into these streams may just mean passing some quality threshold standards, I believe getting pushed out may be just as easy. Let’s say your new song has been streamed 99 times, and on every occasion someone pushes the “I never want to hear that song again” button - well, your song may be on the way out of the system for good - or at the very least, your play frequency will drop to minimal.
CS - WITH ADS OR WITHOUT
It’s probably obvious, but services offering Cool Streams will make streams available with ads or without. In the case of without, consumers will purchase buckets of ad-free time. Either way, you will share in the revenue streams that are generated from the use of these services.
CS - HOW MUCH MONEY WILL YOU MAKE?
Unfortunately, I believe that the amount of, or fraction of “pennies” you may make from each stream is still unsettled, or it has not been clearly established in my mind. Some services are paying artists directly, while other services are using the established industry-royalty-infrastructure. What’s more clear to me is this: while today’s music industry can be characterized as “hit driven”, tomorrows music industry will be characterized as a “slow burn”.
CS - THE SLOW BURN
Let’s say for example that you have just created a very good (subjective - I know) alternative rock song; you entered the song into the recommendation-god-machine, and then you went about the business of your life. Given the complexity of the machine, the ebb and flow of popular culture, the size of the population, the amount of songs in the machine, and the durability of good songs – I would say that it MAY take two years to generate a return you can make a car payment with. Of course some songs will go like wildfire, but other songs may just slowly burn until they have been filtered into the adoption curve; which is continually shaped by culture and technology.
CS - WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
As I said at the top of this post, go back to making great music; that’s the best thing an artist can do period. There are a couple of other things you should consider: The Copyright Royalty Board is going to rule on the royalty rates that webcasters must pay when offering services such as those described here; you should consider how this may impact your future. I plan to look deeply into this – stay tuned. Also, be careful about tossing around your publishing rights. You may not be generating much of an income from publishing now, however this may be the horse that generates all of your winnings in the future.
Here are some questions I have been asked about FAT Packages, and my broad answer to all of the following questions.
QUESTIONS
How would packages be played in a song/media player?
How would one use packages on a social network?
Can I add my own content to a package before sharing it?
Can I break a package apart?
How can I use a package when disconnected from the Internet?
How would I use a package in a device?
ANSWER
The visual metaphor of a package or deck (shown here) is great for enabling users to grasp the concept of something larger and more powerful than an MP3; it is also great for building user interfaces around; as a software designer can enable people to perceive that they are truly building, managing, sharing and sending something concrete and tangible
If a FAT Package is the new “album” that fans acquire when they believe in an artist, then a Cool Stream is the new “radio” that consumers will use when they want to passively listen to music.
CS - COOL STREAMS ARE CUSTOM STREAMS
Music recommendation engines combined with music streaming services will enable anyone, almost anywhere, to dial into their own custom stream of music. Simple interfaces already enable users to funnel and filter music like never before. Basic programming options such as these (basic examples below) will continually shape the streams of music we passively listen to.
Enter twenty songs you like.
Enter five songs you hate.
Press/Click here if you never want to here that song again.
Press/Click here to skip that song into next week.
Press/Click here to put that song into heavy rotation.
Slide this dial to balance your playlist between existing hits and new music.
Press/Click here to add that song to your favorites.
Enable my friends to add songs to my playlist.
CS - COOL STREAMS EVERYWHERE
It won’t be long before you can listen to your own cool stream everywhere. Cool streams are already available on your computer, and more and more handheld devices will offer this capability. The automotive industry is embracing this technology, and you will even be able to push your stream into the locations you are traveling to such as bars and nightclubs, albeit with some restrictions.CS -
CROSS STREAMING
What happens when 100 people are trying to push their streams into the same bar? The "stream god" puts all of the streams into a funnel and plays what makes sense – given everyone’s lists and preferences.
CS - STREAM BIDDING
Want to listen to your Cool Stream in the pub between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM? Using your mobile phone, outbid the other patrons for the right to listen to your stream. Stream bidding is another example of the “user interfaces” that will change how music is consumed.
CS - GETTING IN WILL BE EASY
Have you heard the phrase “an ass for every seat”? Music recommendation engines will become so freaking useful over the next three years that it will be possible for the listeners that enjoy your exact flavor, color, genre, niche and brand of music, even if it’s just one listener, to FINALLY find your music. Every artist will have an opportunity to find the perfect genetic mate between his/her music and the fan(s) that may love it.
CS - EVERYWHERE AND ANYWHERE
The type of streaming services described here will be EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE. This is a bit of important redundancy, however this stuff will be so prevalent in life that it will seem like “pennies from heaven” for artists. Meaning: your music will be placed into so many streams, so often, and in so many places, that the micro revenue opportunities will be endless. Remember, these things will find the “ass for every seat”.
CS - GETTING PUSHED OUT WILL BE EASY
While getting into these streams may just mean passing some quality threshold standards, I believe getting pushed out may be just as easy. Let’s say your new song has been streamed 99 times, and on every occasion someone pushes the “I never want to hear that song again” button - well, your song may be on the way out of the system for good - or at the very least, your play frequency will drop to minimal.
CS - WITH ADS OR WITHOUT
It’s probably obvious, but services offering Cool Streams will make streams available with ads or without. In the case of without, consumers will purchase buckets of ad-free time. Either way, you will share in the revenue streams that are generated from the use of these services.
CS - HOW MUCH MONEY WILL YOU MAKE?
Unfortunately, I believe that the amount of, or fraction of “pennies” you may make from each stream is still unsettled, or it has not been clearly established in my mind. Some services are paying artists directly, while other services are using the established industry-royalty-infrastructure. What’s more clear to me is this: while today’s music industry can be characterized as “hit driven”, tomorrows music industry will be characterized as a “slow burn”.
CS - THE SLOW BURN
Let’s say for example that you have just created a very good (subjective - I know) alternative rock song; you entered the song into the recommendation-god-machine, and then you went about the business of your life. Given the complexity of the machine, the ebb and flow of popular culture, the size of the population, the amount of songs in the machine, and the durability of good songs – I would say that it MAY take two years to generate a return you can make a car payment with. Of course some songs will go like wildfire, but other songs may just slowly burn until they have been filtered into the adoption curve; which is continually shaped by culture and technology.
CS - WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
As I said at the top of this post, go back to making great music; that’s the best thing an artist can do period. There are a couple of other things you should consider: The Copyright Royalty Board is going to rule on the royalty rates that webcasters must pay when offering services such as those described here; you should consider how this may impact your future. I plan to look deeply into this – stay tuned. Also, be careful about tossing around your publishing rights. You may not be generating much of an income from publishing now, however this may be the horse that generates all of your winnings in the future.
Here are some questions I have been asked about FAT Packages, and my broad answer to all of the following questions.
QUESTIONS
How would packages be played in a song/media player?
How would one use packages on a social network?
Can I add my own content to a package before sharing it?
Can I break a package apart?
How can I use a package when disconnected from the Internet?
How would I use a package in a device?
ANSWER
The visual metaphor of a package or deck (shown here) is great for enabling users to grasp the concept of something larger and more powerful than an MP3; it is also great for building user interfaces around; as a software designer can enable people to perceive that they are truly building, managing, sharing and sending something concrete and tangible
FP - FAT PACKAGES
FP - ROLL YOUR OWN
In the near future, you will be able to sit down in front of something I will call your Digital Asset Browser; it’s something like iTunes for ALL of your digital stuff - including: your songs, your images, your blog entries, your videos, your show schedule, your fan widgets, your multi-player fan games, your friends list, your comments, your art, your lyrics, your links, your ringtones, YOUR advertisers, and etc. You will then be able to CUSTOM ROLL all of this stuff into a tidy FAT PACKAGE and sell it to your fans.
FP - RUNS ON EVERY DEVICE AND EVERYWHERE
Your Fat Package will run on every single capable mobile and desktop device on earth including television, and it will be deployable upon every social network on the planet.
FP - THE FREE AD-SUPPORTED VERSIONThe FREE, sharable, tradable version will be ad-supported. You will receive a portion of the ad revenue when users interact with your Fat Package. If you are worried about a world gone crazy with advertising, then you should know that this type of package would be one of the most attractive advertising vehicles on earth. The matrix of quality user info (iPhones spitting out profile data for example) combined with the “information-generating” value of this type of engaging content will attract higher CPMs (dollars per thousand impressions) then web pages do now.
FP - THE NO ADS VERSION
Consumers will purchase buckets of ad-free time, and they will have the option of applying these minutes to playing with your FAT Package without being molested by intrusive ads. You will also have the option of turning features on and off depending on which version (ads or not) of your FAT Package fans are using.
FP - THEFT WON’T MATTER
As soon as it’s “stolen” these things will switch to ad-mode. So, it doesn’t matter; theft (sharing) becomes a good thing.
FP - DYNAMIC PUBLISHING
Everything you change from your songs to your schedule is automatically reflected in every FAT Package you put into the marketplace. This isn’t MySpace or Facebook, this is your own FAT Package of things you will simply publish and sell. These things can appear everywhere and anywhere; fans will collect them, display them and trade them.
FP - HOW MUCH MONEY WILL YOU MAKE?
Like anything that is desirable or not, it depends on the quality of your package. Over time, I believe a single copy of a FAT Package will generate twenty times the revenue of an MP3. And don’t forget, you will be updating your package continually; thus increasing its’ value over time. FP -
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
Since this stuff is not in the marketplace yet, you should be asking yourself what you could do to get ready for the future? I am going to follow up with more on this later, but my primary advice is to learn how to be “episodic”. Your FAT package will have more value when fans know that it’s constantly and continually updated with a stream of good stuff. You may want to reconsider the notion of a “band”; team up with a filmmaker, a writer, a cartoonist, a photographer, and/or other creative people. At the very least, you should reconsider the notion of an album and/or what a song is. Where a song was a permanent snapshot in time, and an album was a time capsule, with FAT Packages this no longer has to be the case; songs could evolve forever, and albums will become journeys. You have to learn how to think like a television series writer; tell a story, develop characters, create drama and mysteries, lash your music to visuals, release things over a multi-year period, and continually evolve your “art”. (etc. etc. etc.). Yeah, this raises the bar and makes life more challenging, however think about this: in 2007-2008 there is barely a circumstance where people listen to music – when a screen or monitor is not present; this includes the car, the gym, the desk, and the pocket. The ability to have a visual or interactive component is always there now. This is not unprecedented; think back one hundred years – this was the only way music was experienced – live, with visuals, and/or attached to a story.The notion of JUST listening to music without experiencing something visual, physical or interactive is only 100 years old. All throughout the rest of time, “music” was always more than just an auditory experience.
In the near future, you will be able to sit down in front of something I will call your Digital Asset Browser; it’s something like iTunes for ALL of your digital stuff - including: your songs, your images, your blog entries, your videos, your show schedule, your fan widgets, your multi-player fan games, your friends list, your comments, your art, your lyrics, your links, your ringtones, YOUR advertisers, and etc. You will then be able to CUSTOM ROLL all of this stuff into a tidy FAT PACKAGE and sell it to your fans.
FP - RUNS ON EVERY DEVICE AND EVERYWHERE
Your Fat Package will run on every single capable mobile and desktop device on earth including television, and it will be deployable upon every social network on the planet.
FP - THE FREE AD-SUPPORTED VERSIONThe FREE, sharable, tradable version will be ad-supported. You will receive a portion of the ad revenue when users interact with your Fat Package. If you are worried about a world gone crazy with advertising, then you should know that this type of package would be one of the most attractive advertising vehicles on earth. The matrix of quality user info (iPhones spitting out profile data for example) combined with the “information-generating” value of this type of engaging content will attract higher CPMs (dollars per thousand impressions) then web pages do now.
FP - THE NO ADS VERSION
Consumers will purchase buckets of ad-free time, and they will have the option of applying these minutes to playing with your FAT Package without being molested by intrusive ads. You will also have the option of turning features on and off depending on which version (ads or not) of your FAT Package fans are using.
FP - THEFT WON’T MATTER
As soon as it’s “stolen” these things will switch to ad-mode. So, it doesn’t matter; theft (sharing) becomes a good thing.
FP - DYNAMIC PUBLISHING
Everything you change from your songs to your schedule is automatically reflected in every FAT Package you put into the marketplace. This isn’t MySpace or Facebook, this is your own FAT Package of things you will simply publish and sell. These things can appear everywhere and anywhere; fans will collect them, display them and trade them.
FP - HOW MUCH MONEY WILL YOU MAKE?
Like anything that is desirable or not, it depends on the quality of your package. Over time, I believe a single copy of a FAT Package will generate twenty times the revenue of an MP3. And don’t forget, you will be updating your package continually; thus increasing its’ value over time. FP -
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
Since this stuff is not in the marketplace yet, you should be asking yourself what you could do to get ready for the future? I am going to follow up with more on this later, but my primary advice is to learn how to be “episodic”. Your FAT package will have more value when fans know that it’s constantly and continually updated with a stream of good stuff. You may want to reconsider the notion of a “band”; team up with a filmmaker, a writer, a cartoonist, a photographer, and/or other creative people. At the very least, you should reconsider the notion of an album and/or what a song is. Where a song was a permanent snapshot in time, and an album was a time capsule, with FAT Packages this no longer has to be the case; songs could evolve forever, and albums will become journeys. You have to learn how to think like a television series writer; tell a story, develop characters, create drama and mysteries, lash your music to visuals, release things over a multi-year period, and continually evolve your “art”. (etc. etc. etc.). Yeah, this raises the bar and makes life more challenging, however think about this: in 2007-2008 there is barely a circumstance where people listen to music – when a screen or monitor is not present; this includes the car, the gym, the desk, and the pocket. The ability to have a visual or interactive component is always there now. This is not unprecedented; think back one hundred years – this was the only way music was experienced – live, with visuals, and/or attached to a story.The notion of JUST listening to music without experiencing something visual, physical or interactive is only 100 years old. All throughout the rest of time, “music” was always more than just an auditory experience.
Freaking Out About The Future - Don’t
CHILL OUT
The sky isn’t falling, and your music will have value beyond the pennies you are currently making from selling MP3s. The future is bright. Go back to making music and let the industry get over this unpleasant hump. Things are going to change and you will make money.
GIVE AWAY YOUR MP3
regularly advise artists NOT to hold out for download revenue. You can read to find out why I recommend giving away at least a demo version (or better) of your MP3s.
THE CD IS ALL DONE
no longer consider selling CDs as a serious revenue option (depends on the genre). Hoping that CD sales will magically rebound is for dreamers. This blog and this post are for those that have moved beyond the CD. You may sell some CDs in 2008-2009, but beyond 2010, CDs will become the novelty item that vinyl is today.
THE MP3 SHOULD BE ALL DONE
The MP3 sucks as a package; it was invented twenty years ago when Jimmy Carter was president, and at a time when computers had about as much power as today’s Happy Meal toys. The MP3 was a necessary evil that changed everything, but its’ time has come. It’s a blasted little invention that
TRANSPORTS
(key term here) nothing but a hearing problem. When Apple can transport 60 minutes of color television programming, soundtrack included, to your pocket for $1.99, you know the MP3 is a dinosaur in comparison.
YOU WILL MAKE MONEY
Here’s why you don’t have to freak out about the future: Fat Packages (FP) and Cool Streams (CS). (I know what you’re thinking – it’s a physical contradiction.)
The sky isn’t falling, and your music will have value beyond the pennies you are currently making from selling MP3s. The future is bright. Go back to making music and let the industry get over this unpleasant hump. Things are going to change and you will make money.
GIVE AWAY YOUR MP3
regularly advise artists NOT to hold out for download revenue. You can read to find out why I recommend giving away at least a demo version (or better) of your MP3s.
THE CD IS ALL DONE
no longer consider selling CDs as a serious revenue option (depends on the genre). Hoping that CD sales will magically rebound is for dreamers. This blog and this post are for those that have moved beyond the CD. You may sell some CDs in 2008-2009, but beyond 2010, CDs will become the novelty item that vinyl is today.
THE MP3 SHOULD BE ALL DONE
The MP3 sucks as a package; it was invented twenty years ago when Jimmy Carter was president, and at a time when computers had about as much power as today’s Happy Meal toys. The MP3 was a necessary evil that changed everything, but its’ time has come. It’s a blasted little invention that
TRANSPORTS
(key term here) nothing but a hearing problem. When Apple can transport 60 minutes of color television programming, soundtrack included, to your pocket for $1.99, you know the MP3 is a dinosaur in comparison.
YOU WILL MAKE MONEY
Here’s why you don’t have to freak out about the future: Fat Packages (FP) and Cool Streams (CS). (I know what you’re thinking – it’s a physical contradiction.)
The Future of Music Coalition
The Future of Music Coalition released a study in partnership with the Media Access Group that found radio consolidation to be detrimental to artists and listeners. Among the many findings of the study was that "A small number of companies control what music is played on specific formats. Coupled with a broad trend toward shorter playlists, this creates few opportunities for musicians to get on the radio. Further, overwhelming consolidation of these formats deprives citizens the opportunity to hear a wide range of music..
"Radio's Big Bully"
he history behind the radio conglomerates and the effects radio consolidation has had on the industry. "Thanks to laissez-faire regulators in Washington," he writes, "Clear Channel quickly has put together a stunning piece of vertical integration in big-money pop culture," he writes. "Last year, the company spent $4.4 billion to purchase SFX Entertainment, the nation's dominant concert venue owner and touring promoter. Clear Channel also owns a radio research company, a format consultancy, regional radio news networks, an airplay monitoring system, syndicated programming, radio trade magazines like the Album Network, 19 television stations and 700,000 outdoor billboards worldwide. With so many resources at hand, the company has all but cut off its business with outside vendors."
did the industry really die ?
Radio is so horrible right now. I don't even understand what the FCC was trying to accomplish. I just am like, what was the goal of this again? I thought you were supposed to be creating opportunity. You gave monopolies. You basically created monopolies. The richest and the strongest took over.
It's such a complicated game that it's hard to maneuver. If you've got a record that's working, and you're on there, you love the system. If you have a song like a "Hey Ya" that all thousand Clear Channel stations are playing, you're in heaven.
But if you have a record that none of the Clear Channel stations are playing, you're out. What do I do? Like, who do I have to pay? It's not good. There's no competition, there's no originality, the playlists don't entertain new artists. There's no new energy. …
Speaking Out
Clear Channel is always referred to as, you know, this great Satan, or the worst example of this. They've done nothing different from what other businesses would do given the state of their industry, what the FCC deregulation of the industry has said, that you are allowed to own thousands of radio stations if you want to. I mean, it makes sense that a businessman would say, "Well, let's do it. And then let's use our clout to make even more money." I think it's a bit of a red herring when people say that the music industry is all screwed up; it's Clear Channel and all this kind of thing. It's actually the way business is done in America that's kind of messed up. Because this is not unique to the music industry. I mean, look at the pharmaceutical industry and how business is done in that industry with free samples and holidays and going to doctors and all this kind -- I mean, this is how business is done in America today. It's not just the music industry. So it shouldn't surprise us. So why are we surprised? I don't know why we're surprised. I guess most people don't take too much notice of this stuff. You know, we all go about our lives. Everybody has got their lives to lead. We have to worry about paying the bills, the mortgage and getting the kids out of the house in the morning. Now, people are not worried about how the music industry is squeezing independent artists out of getting airplay. But, it's only when we think back and we say to ourselves, "my God, for 30 years I've been listening to the Rolling Stones and Elton John and Madonna and The Beatles. And 30 years from now what am I going to be listening to, because I can't find anything I like on the radio?" I mean, maybe that's when you suddenly say to yourself, maybe this matters. Well, maybe if you're our age, you're thinking that. But, if you're 20 you're not thinking that, because you weren't there when that golden era of FM radio was there and independent music did get heard, and record labels signed artists that actually expected it to take three albums before they brought them in. We know that because we were perhaps around then. But the younger generation of music listeners is not aware of that stuff. This stuff is not a surprise to them. Does it matter? Sure, it matters. It matters because in a society where artists are squeezed out of being heard or seen, whether it's in music or any other art form, then you're really not getting a challenge to the status quo. So, if music is being made by an independent artist, but is not being heard, then things are not going to change. There's no challenge to the accepted norm. And that's really what the artists are for, and that's the role that they play throughout history. … | ||||
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what do you have to say on this topic
Clear Channel controls the vast majority of the radio stations in the country. By any normal standards it's a monopoly. So instead of having lots of program directors, and maybe the guy in Philadelphia is a little crazy and he'll play a record nobody else will play, and people start hearing it, and requesting it, and the record takes off by itself. No more. Clear Channel is in control. If they don't want it played, it doesn't get played. The public doesn't get a chance to call in and vote, and speak. So now if you can't get through Clear Channel, or you can't get through MTV, how does anybody know your record is out? | ||||
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Opinion made about the music industry
There's essentially, I don't know, two or three radio stations for all intents and purposes right now, which limits the ability of music, different music, to get out there. Program lists are being devised on an almost national basis for certain kinds of formats. The independent thinker as used to exist in the radio station is no longer allowed to exist. In the early days of the music business, the record business, you could find a DJ in Cleveland, like Alan Fried, or in Buffalo, who would fall in love with a record, start playing it, people would react to it, and you could start a record off that way. It's much more difficult to do now with two or three conglomerates controlling all the radio formats. These problems beget their own solutions. Satellite radio may end up being what radio is about. Pirate radio has been a result of the consolidation of radio stations. And the lack of power of radio really, in terms of affecting people's lives, is a result of its dumbing down to a bland, one-dimensional approach to music. | ||||
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the way the music industry die
The radio business, in the early '90s, had really started to suffer. There were lots of stations that were doing poorly financially, and the broadcast lobby, which is a very powerful lobby in Washington, successfully lobbied Congress to raise the limits on station ownership. So, whereas before a company would be limited to owning roughly 40 stations nationwide, when this 1996 legislation was passed, there was suddenly no limit of what you could [own]. Thousands of radio stations changed hands and companies that wanted to really get on radio were able to pull up some enormous multi-billion dollar mergers. And suddenly a company that once owned three-dozen stations could suddenly own a thousand. And so you just had forces emerge that couldn't have legally existed before because of this change, and that's really revolutionized the music business. The effect has been? ... All of a sudden you have these companies emerge where they controlled every station in that city or they controlled a small station that you used to be able to hold sway over. But they also have a huge station that held sway over you, and they can use that to leverage the record companies. So, the bounds of power really shifted toward the radio conglomerates. And this idea of 20-song playlists, you're talking about a funnel being narrowed? Right. I think it's difficult to measure exactly what the effect on playlists has been. But, I think there's statistics that show at least at the top of the playlist, there are fewer new songs that are getting the heaviest rotations. So what you're seeing is essentially a trend where in most radio formats there's a small number of songs that get played over and over and over again. And the number of songs that get that opportunity has definitely shrunk. And so if you are someone who believes, as a lot of record executives do, that radio is the most powerful promotional tool that you have, and a big part of your week is spent trying to get spins on radio stations, that's a big problem. Because now you've got few opportunities to get into that pipeline where exposures would seem to translate to record sales. | ||||
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Fixing the Business Model
What we’ve discovered so far are two critical things: First, the implicit contract between the principals and the agents in the music market, far from creating the right incentives, in fact produces a moral hazard – because it doesn’t take into account problems in monitoring the record industry. Second, technology has allowed music listeners to take matter into their own hands, creating a double moral hazard.
Does understanding this help solve the record industry’s problems? Yes – in a major way. If the record labels can’t resolve the information asymmetries that let it operate under extreme moral hazard, and that cause listeners to retaliate with their own moral hazard, it should do exactly what these economics suggest: provide listeners with insurance. Of course, it would be better if the industry could resolve these information asymmetries, but I’ll leave that for another time.
How can the record industry offer insurance without creating a double moral hazard? The surest way is to offer a subscription service instead of charging for discrete bits of music. Otherwise, it might offer limited guarantees – the opportunity, for example, to sample any song in it’s catalogue an unlimited number of times, but to only download it once. It’s important to note that low quality 30-second snippets don’t really cut it – they most likely don’t provide enough information to ensure to consumers that the industry is doing it’s job.
But the simplest way might be to actually offer insurance – just like the standard model of the insurance industry. That is, for a fee (the deductible), offer consumers the ability to sell their risk of buying music they don’t prefer. For example, users might pay $20 a year, for the ability to return a certain amount of music.
Another way is to offer listeners a contingent contract. Contingent contracts are where payment is dependent on some property of a good, like quality. You sell a contingent contract every time you order from Domino’s: if it’s not there in 30 minutes, your pizza’s free. The points is that these contracts offer another form of insurance, by matching quality to price – and so create the incentive for agents that are also good for principals. Because they make up for quality slip-ups, contingent contracts help sell goods when quality is uncertain, by reducing risk. It’s difficult to see how this can apply to information goods like music – since the price is paid before the quality is discovered. But there are innovative ways to do so. For example, shipping companies offer rebates when they deliver late. Similarly, the music industry might offer rebates when the aggregate sales of a top singer’s latest album are less than expected.
A third way is to offer multilateral contracts, which offer the potential for risk-sharing among listeners. Multilateral contracts are made by one party, with many parties – but, crucially, whose terms to any one consumer depend on the acceptance of the contract by other consumers. For instance, labels might offer downloads from a given artist at a discount – but only if enough people offer to buy the good. Alternatively, they might try a pricing scheme where the industry offers steeper discounts the more people offer to buy an artists’ goods. The point is that schemes like this make private information and expectations public, allowing people to pool and share their risk.
All of these are essentially ways to let consumers hedge the extra risk they take selling a broken contract to agents they know are operating under conditions of extreme moral hazard. Right now, consumers only have one viable way to hedge that risk, and eliminate the moral hazard – by parceling it out, and sharing it with other listeners, via file-sharing.
So we’ve helped explain three crucial things. First, why many music listeners feel so much antipathy to the music industry – because they understand the moral hazard and large agency costs implicit in the risky broken contract they’re being offered. Second, why many feel morally conflicted about file-sharing, but continue to do so anyways – because they have no other risk-mitigating mechanism. Third, crucially, what the music industry can do in the face of these kinds of contract dynamics to revolutionize it’s business model.
Current Models
We can now take a look at what’s wrong with the latest efforts to market music over the net. Immediately, we can see that the most successful business model over the net will utilize prices to convey information rather than price everything at exactly the same value, and crucially, provide a mechanism for consumers to hedge their music risk. Sadly, all the major new services provide none of these things. They’re essentially the same old business model, minus physical distribution costs. Not a surprise from an industry that’s more afraid of change than death.
Itunes, for example, standardizes prices across most of its products – providing consumers no information about future value or risk. It also entirely ignores the role of the positive consumption externalities users produce, because it provides no mechanism to share playlists or file directories. Finally, and most importantly, the only mechanism that iTunes provides consumers to mitigate risk is 30 second sound samples. It’s unlikely that this is enough to eliminate the moral hazard labels operate under. But that’s besides the point: what it really means is that iTunes can be outcompeted easily by any service which provides everything iTunes does, as well as a more efficient risk-mitigation mechanism, such as more complete insurance, contingent contracts, or a limited and rights-protected file-sharing scheme.
Whatever the mechanism the industry decides to help listeners hedge risk, it’s important to note that it should be one that makes strategic sense. There is one simple risk reduction mechanism that would be even more destructive to the industry than file-sharing, and that the industry should avoid at all costs: price competition. If prices drop low enough – singles cost $0.99 on iTunes – listeners’ risk effectively disappears. But so do industry margins and the industry’s business architecture. It would be more strategically effective to construct a mechanism that creates value by hedging risk, eliminating the double moral hazard – and one that the industry can then trade for additional profits.
Does understanding this help solve the record industry’s problems? Yes – in a major way. If the record labels can’t resolve the information asymmetries that let it operate under extreme moral hazard, and that cause listeners to retaliate with their own moral hazard, it should do exactly what these economics suggest: provide listeners with insurance. Of course, it would be better if the industry could resolve these information asymmetries, but I’ll leave that for another time.
How can the record industry offer insurance without creating a double moral hazard? The surest way is to offer a subscription service instead of charging for discrete bits of music. Otherwise, it might offer limited guarantees – the opportunity, for example, to sample any song in it’s catalogue an unlimited number of times, but to only download it once. It’s important to note that low quality 30-second snippets don’t really cut it – they most likely don’t provide enough information to ensure to consumers that the industry is doing it’s job.
But the simplest way might be to actually offer insurance – just like the standard model of the insurance industry. That is, for a fee (the deductible), offer consumers the ability to sell their risk of buying music they don’t prefer. For example, users might pay $20 a year, for the ability to return a certain amount of music.
Another way is to offer listeners a contingent contract. Contingent contracts are where payment is dependent on some property of a good, like quality. You sell a contingent contract every time you order from Domino’s: if it’s not there in 30 minutes, your pizza’s free. The points is that these contracts offer another form of insurance, by matching quality to price – and so create the incentive for agents that are also good for principals. Because they make up for quality slip-ups, contingent contracts help sell goods when quality is uncertain, by reducing risk. It’s difficult to see how this can apply to information goods like music – since the price is paid before the quality is discovered. But there are innovative ways to do so. For example, shipping companies offer rebates when they deliver late. Similarly, the music industry might offer rebates when the aggregate sales of a top singer’s latest album are less than expected.
A third way is to offer multilateral contracts, which offer the potential for risk-sharing among listeners. Multilateral contracts are made by one party, with many parties – but, crucially, whose terms to any one consumer depend on the acceptance of the contract by other consumers. For instance, labels might offer downloads from a given artist at a discount – but only if enough people offer to buy the good. Alternatively, they might try a pricing scheme where the industry offers steeper discounts the more people offer to buy an artists’ goods. The point is that schemes like this make private information and expectations public, allowing people to pool and share their risk.
All of these are essentially ways to let consumers hedge the extra risk they take selling a broken contract to agents they know are operating under conditions of extreme moral hazard. Right now, consumers only have one viable way to hedge that risk, and eliminate the moral hazard – by parceling it out, and sharing it with other listeners, via file-sharing.
So we’ve helped explain three crucial things. First, why many music listeners feel so much antipathy to the music industry – because they understand the moral hazard and large agency costs implicit in the risky broken contract they’re being offered. Second, why many feel morally conflicted about file-sharing, but continue to do so anyways – because they have no other risk-mitigating mechanism. Third, crucially, what the music industry can do in the face of these kinds of contract dynamics to revolutionize it’s business model.
Current Models
We can now take a look at what’s wrong with the latest efforts to market music over the net. Immediately, we can see that the most successful business model over the net will utilize prices to convey information rather than price everything at exactly the same value, and crucially, provide a mechanism for consumers to hedge their music risk. Sadly, all the major new services provide none of these things. They’re essentially the same old business model, minus physical distribution costs. Not a surprise from an industry that’s more afraid of change than death.
Itunes, for example, standardizes prices across most of its products – providing consumers no information about future value or risk. It also entirely ignores the role of the positive consumption externalities users produce, because it provides no mechanism to share playlists or file directories. Finally, and most importantly, the only mechanism that iTunes provides consumers to mitigate risk is 30 second sound samples. It’s unlikely that this is enough to eliminate the moral hazard labels operate under. But that’s besides the point: what it really means is that iTunes can be outcompeted easily by any service which provides everything iTunes does, as well as a more efficient risk-mitigation mechanism, such as more complete insurance, contingent contracts, or a limited and rights-protected file-sharing scheme.
Whatever the mechanism the industry decides to help listeners hedge risk, it’s important to note that it should be one that makes strategic sense. There is one simple risk reduction mechanism that would be even more destructive to the industry than file-sharing, and that the industry should avoid at all costs: price competition. If prices drop low enough – singles cost $0.99 on iTunes – listeners’ risk effectively disappears. But so do industry margins and the industry’s business architecture. It would be more strategically effective to construct a mechanism that creates value by hedging risk, eliminating the double moral hazard – and one that the industry can then trade for additional profits.
File-Sharing and Double Moral Hazard
Every major label 's setting up an iTunes these days. They're all, in the immortal words of Johnny Cash, 'born to lose, and destined to fail'. Why? The music industry doesn't understand the microeconomics of it's own business. If it did, it would see that it's business model is not just misguided, but broken- because, DRM or not, the implicit contract it signs with listeners is being broken in both directions.
I reached this conclusion because, as I was scoping BoingBoing one day, I read Cory's statement, and it struck me as exactly right. For many people, digital music's more about risk than it is about music itself. Not legal risk - but transactional risk, the kind of risk you take when you buy a used car. Now, this statement has deep economic meaning. I'd like to explain why.
Fundamentally, I'm going to argue that consumers download music, as much to derive extra value from getting something for free, as they do because they want insurance against buying something they didn't want in the first place. File-sharing is as much about risk-sharing as it is about the 'theft' of value. Technological changes have made this possible - but the way the business model of the music industry is at odds with the implicit contract it signs with listeners is what makes it probable.
Here are the basic economics of the music industry: The major record labels assume market risk in exchange for value. They take on the risk of assuming search, development, and distribution costs, in exchange for uncertain profits.
We can also look at this through the lens of contract theory. Contract theory says that principals contract agents to do things they're unable - for whatever reason - to do. In every such transaction, we can say that there are extra costs incurred. Economists call these costs agency costs.
So we can say that labels are agents hired by music listeners - principals - to perform a function they don't have the time to do - find interesting and entertaining musical artists. The problem is that this simple transaction creates massive information asymmetries. There's no monitoring mechanism, so listeners can't see what the labels are doing; conversely, labels can't really tell what listeners' preferences are. Even worse, the principals can't influence the agent unless they can coordinate amongst themselves to do so.
Now, in most real-world markets, information is an issue. Neither side in a transaction is perfectly well-informed about costs and benefits. But in most markets, prices are considered the central economic mechanism of information transmission, because they convey information about future benefits and future risks. This point is intuitive if we think about it: prices reflect the scarcity of a good. Think of the price of blue-chip stock, for example.
But, partly because of massive buyer power (the influence the biggest retailers exert over the record labels), prices in the music business have long since failed to carry any pertinent information. Prices have become, if not fixed, as many suspect, certainly standardized. And this robs consumers of a vital means to gauge how much future value they derive and risk they take when purchasing different music goods. It also robs labels of the ability to really understand consumer preferences.
So this forces listeners to rely even more on the record industry's - the agent's - choices. In this case, the principals are kind of blindly reliant on the agent - they have no mechanism to monitor the agent.
So what if, under such a contract, the interests of the record labels - the agent - diverge from the interests of the listeners - the principal? What if, for business reasons, the labels are more interested in economies of scale, scope, and brand than providing music listeners with music they value?
In an extreme case, the labels might begin to impose agency costs beyond the search costs the listeners are exchanging value for - making transactions with record labels provide negative value for listeners. Conversely, we can say that listeners might find it more efficient to take on their own search costs. And this is what's happened today. Many people are more happy to spend time searching for new music on the net than they are simply buying the goods the industry selects and promotes.
It's traditionally argued that the web reduces search costs. But this argument helps explain a very curious phenomenon: why music today is one of the few markets in which people, are, curiously, willing to pay very high search costs.
So the net actually begins to make it possible for people to pay higher search costs at all. They do so because they replace the agency costs imposed by the music industry - which provide them little value - with their own search costs, which do result in a transaction that provides them value. Before the web, people had little option but to pay the agency costs the music industry demanded.
Economists have a name for problems like this: moral hazard. Moral hazard happens when the actions of an agent can be hidden from a principal, creating agency costs - because the agent is able to shirk, take additional risks, and generally not deliver on his end of the bargain. In this case, the moral hazard is that the record industry, because listeners can't monitor or influence it, can effectively shirk, and choose artists not based on listeners' preferences, but based on business efficiencies. This is effectively what the record industry has been doing - adding massive agency costs that replace the search value it is supposed to provide. It's compounded by the fact that music is an experience good, whose value is not directly knowable to buyers - another fact the music industry has been exploiting.
The way to change the incentives implicit in such a moral hazard-creating contract is straightforward in economic terms - insurance. Insurance provides an incentive for the recording industry to choose only acts listeners value. At the same time, insurance means that consumers don't have to pay agency costs - the costs of the music industry selecting acts no one wants to hear.
But doing so would create a double moral hazard. The second moral hazard is trickier: offering insurance to listeners provides listeners an opportunity to hide their actions from the recording industry. Listeners might take advantage of the insurance, and renege on buying music altogether. If the industry offered consumers the ability to simply return any music they didn't like, consumers might return all the music - even the music they did like, after having copied or consumed it.
But this is exactly what the internet has done - offered music listeners a second moral hazard, in opposition to the first. The net offers a kind of gigantic way to renege on buying music goods produced under moral hazard, and completely eliminate the risk listeners take in buying such risky experience goods.
The point is this: the net offers listeners insurance against the music industry itself. File-sharing isn't simply theft. Rather, file-sharing is risk-sharing - against an industry with the freedom to undertake hidden action in the extreme, and not live up to the contract it has written. Remember, the contract said that labels would assume the risk in exchange for dollars from listeners - so when moral hazard lets labels try and push risk to listeners, is it any surprise that listeners try and minimize it by parceling it out? In fact, we could go even further - saying that file-sharing is a way for principals to punish agents operating under extreme moral hazard, with the hope of bringing the agents incentives into line.
In this sense, we can see that the music industry has played a large part in creating it's own problems, which we can call a massive double moral hazard. Next time, we'll examine how it can begin to solve them.
I reached this conclusion because, as I was scoping BoingBoing one day, I read Cory's statement, and it struck me as exactly right. For many people, digital music's more about risk than it is about music itself. Not legal risk - but transactional risk, the kind of risk you take when you buy a used car. Now, this statement has deep economic meaning. I'd like to explain why.
Fundamentally, I'm going to argue that consumers download music, as much to derive extra value from getting something for free, as they do because they want insurance against buying something they didn't want in the first place. File-sharing is as much about risk-sharing as it is about the 'theft' of value. Technological changes have made this possible - but the way the business model of the music industry is at odds with the implicit contract it signs with listeners is what makes it probable.
Here are the basic economics of the music industry: The major record labels assume market risk in exchange for value. They take on the risk of assuming search, development, and distribution costs, in exchange for uncertain profits.
We can also look at this through the lens of contract theory. Contract theory says that principals contract agents to do things they're unable - for whatever reason - to do. In every such transaction, we can say that there are extra costs incurred. Economists call these costs agency costs.
So we can say that labels are agents hired by music listeners - principals - to perform a function they don't have the time to do - find interesting and entertaining musical artists. The problem is that this simple transaction creates massive information asymmetries. There's no monitoring mechanism, so listeners can't see what the labels are doing; conversely, labels can't really tell what listeners' preferences are. Even worse, the principals can't influence the agent unless they can coordinate amongst themselves to do so.
Now, in most real-world markets, information is an issue. Neither side in a transaction is perfectly well-informed about costs and benefits. But in most markets, prices are considered the central economic mechanism of information transmission, because they convey information about future benefits and future risks. This point is intuitive if we think about it: prices reflect the scarcity of a good. Think of the price of blue-chip stock, for example.
But, partly because of massive buyer power (the influence the biggest retailers exert over the record labels), prices in the music business have long since failed to carry any pertinent information. Prices have become, if not fixed, as many suspect, certainly standardized. And this robs consumers of a vital means to gauge how much future value they derive and risk they take when purchasing different music goods. It also robs labels of the ability to really understand consumer preferences.
So this forces listeners to rely even more on the record industry's - the agent's - choices. In this case, the principals are kind of blindly reliant on the agent - they have no mechanism to monitor the agent.
So what if, under such a contract, the interests of the record labels - the agent - diverge from the interests of the listeners - the principal? What if, for business reasons, the labels are more interested in economies of scale, scope, and brand than providing music listeners with music they value?
In an extreme case, the labels might begin to impose agency costs beyond the search costs the listeners are exchanging value for - making transactions with record labels provide negative value for listeners. Conversely, we can say that listeners might find it more efficient to take on their own search costs. And this is what's happened today. Many people are more happy to spend time searching for new music on the net than they are simply buying the goods the industry selects and promotes.
It's traditionally argued that the web reduces search costs. But this argument helps explain a very curious phenomenon: why music today is one of the few markets in which people, are, curiously, willing to pay very high search costs.
So the net actually begins to make it possible for people to pay higher search costs at all. They do so because they replace the agency costs imposed by the music industry - which provide them little value - with their own search costs, which do result in a transaction that provides them value. Before the web, people had little option but to pay the agency costs the music industry demanded.
Economists have a name for problems like this: moral hazard. Moral hazard happens when the actions of an agent can be hidden from a principal, creating agency costs - because the agent is able to shirk, take additional risks, and generally not deliver on his end of the bargain. In this case, the moral hazard is that the record industry, because listeners can't monitor or influence it, can effectively shirk, and choose artists not based on listeners' preferences, but based on business efficiencies. This is effectively what the record industry has been doing - adding massive agency costs that replace the search value it is supposed to provide. It's compounded by the fact that music is an experience good, whose value is not directly knowable to buyers - another fact the music industry has been exploiting.
The way to change the incentives implicit in such a moral hazard-creating contract is straightforward in economic terms - insurance. Insurance provides an incentive for the recording industry to choose only acts listeners value. At the same time, insurance means that consumers don't have to pay agency costs - the costs of the music industry selecting acts no one wants to hear.
But doing so would create a double moral hazard. The second moral hazard is trickier: offering insurance to listeners provides listeners an opportunity to hide their actions from the recording industry. Listeners might take advantage of the insurance, and renege on buying music altogether. If the industry offered consumers the ability to simply return any music they didn't like, consumers might return all the music - even the music they did like, after having copied or consumed it.
But this is exactly what the internet has done - offered music listeners a second moral hazard, in opposition to the first. The net offers a kind of gigantic way to renege on buying music goods produced under moral hazard, and completely eliminate the risk listeners take in buying such risky experience goods.
The point is this: the net offers listeners insurance against the music industry itself. File-sharing isn't simply theft. Rather, file-sharing is risk-sharing - against an industry with the freedom to undertake hidden action in the extreme, and not live up to the contract it has written. Remember, the contract said that labels would assume the risk in exchange for dollars from listeners - so when moral hazard lets labels try and push risk to listeners, is it any surprise that listeners try and minimize it by parceling it out? In fact, we could go even further - saying that file-sharing is a way for principals to punish agents operating under extreme moral hazard, with the hope of bringing the agents incentives into line.
In this sense, we can see that the music industry has played a large part in creating it's own problems, which we can call a massive double moral hazard. Next time, we'll examine how it can begin to solve them.
poetic justice
The Music Industry, artists and recording companies alike, grew rich over the last 40 years by corrupting the youth of the world. Their current troubles are an illustration of Karma in action. What goes around comes back to bite you in the butt.
big big picture in my opinion
(This might be obvious to everybody but I'll babble it anyway)
Whether the music industry are screwing the consumer or being screwed by the consumer I think theres a bigger picture.
Record companies historically made their business by discovering or creating talent, then marketing the talent to millions, and finally distributing their product.
As it turns out there is now something much bigger than them that can do all those things even better, more efficiently and in a more democratic process. I don't need to tell you what that is.
But what will become of the poor millionaire musicians now if their music was freely traded? Well it turns out they make a LOT of their money from tours (so much the record companies try to get a piece of it)
There probably is a hard limit to touring (factors of time and audience size) so Britneys unrealized extra millions will probably distribute out over smaller acts.
This will hurt the talent that prefers to stay in the studio or maybe they can figure something else out after the boy bands are crashing and burning without relentless record company marketing and promotion.
Whether the music industry are screwing the consumer or being screwed by the consumer I think theres a bigger picture.
Record companies historically made their business by discovering or creating talent, then marketing the talent to millions, and finally distributing their product.
As it turns out there is now something much bigger than them that can do all those things even better, more efficiently and in a more democratic process. I don't need to tell you what that is.
But what will become of the poor millionaire musicians now if their music was freely traded? Well it turns out they make a LOT of their money from tours (so much the record companies try to get a piece of it)
There probably is a hard limit to touring (factors of time and audience size) so Britneys unrealized extra millions will probably distribute out over smaller acts.
This will hurt the talent that prefers to stay in the studio or maybe they can figure something else out after the boy bands are crashing and burning without relentless record company marketing and promotion.
Music Industry Problems: Maybe The Music Just Sucks
Well, it's good to see some of the more mainstream press picking up on this idea. CBS Marketwatch is suggesting to the music industry that maybe (just maybe) the music industry's problems have less to do with all this downloading activity, and more to do with the fact that, well, um, we hate to break it to you, but most of the music coming out these days really (no, really) sucks. The article describes "musical lulls" between great periods of music creation, where most musical acts are more about "McDonald's rock" - taking a successful manufactured act and copying it over and over again. The article also suggests that the world has fragmenting tastes. That is, not everyone likes the same music, and not everyone wants to be forced to listen to yet another boy band. This, of course, is the perfect situation for the internet, where the music industry could produce much more customized niche acts for all the varied audiences. However, they've grown so accustomed to producing for the lowest common denominator that now that this plan has backfired, they've turned around and started blaming (and suing) their own customers.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/genre_index.jsp
check the billboard out know who's the best... that you are competing to beat.
Monday, February 4, 2008
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WHITE PLAINS, NY 10601
(914) 684‑5500
TITLE ADDITION SHEET
To add a title to the SOUNDSCAN database, each field on the title addition sheet must be completed in order for it to be accepted. Please use a separate form for each additional title.
Title: ___________________________________________ Release Date: ____________________
Artist: __________________________________________
Label Information as it applies to this product
Parent Label: ____________________________________ Distribution Co.
Sub Label: ______________________________________ Label Abbr: __ __ __ __
Please enter all digits of the U.P.C. Code. (Including Prefix and Suffix)
To enter identification codes on how your product should be listed please check the example below.
PLEASE PRINT IN ONE CONFIGURATION FOR EACH LINE.
U.P.C. Code
EXAMPLE PRICE TYPE Configuration Types
ALBUM SINGLES
A= LP 12" ALBUM E=CD SINGLE
B=CASS.ALBUM F=LP 12” SINGLE
C=CD ALBUM G=CASS. SINGLE
D= DVD AUDIO I=CD MAXI
VIDEO
M=VHS
L=DVD
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9.99 _A_
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____ 400 - COUNTRY ____ 184 - WORLD VIDEO SUBMISSIONS ONLY
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____ 186 - LATIN ____ 620 - COMEDY _____ 900 MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
____ 102 - METAL ____ 640 - GOSPEL _____ 901 SPORTS
____ 200 - CLASSICAL ____ 630 - CHRISTIAN _____ 907 MOVIE
____ 152 - RAP ____ 625 - KARAOKE _____ 905 OTHER (E.G. EXERCISE, DOCUMENTARY)
____ 180 - REGGAE ____ 360 - NEW AGE
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Illinois Radio Broadcasting Stations
Illinois Radio Broadcasting Stations
Call
Freq
Description
Location
Category
KFNS
590 AM
Wood River
Sports
KMJM
104.9 FM
Columbia
Adult R&B
KSGM
980 AM
Chester
News/Talk
WAAG
94.9FM
Galesburg
Country
WACF
98.5 FM
Paris
Country
WAES
88.1 FM
Lincolnshire
Variety
WAHI
98.5 FM
Augusta
Religious
WAIK
1590 AM
Galesburg
Nostalgia
WAIT
850 AM
Crystal Lake
Talk
WAJK
99.3 FM
La Salle
Hot AC
WAKO
910 AM
Lawrenceville
Adult Contemporary
WAKO
103.1 FM
Lawrenceville
Adult Contemporary
WALS
102.1 FM
"Walls 102"
Oglesby
Country
WAOX
105.3 FM
"105.3 the Ox"
Staunton
Hot AC
WAPO
90.5 FM
Mount Vernon
Religious
WARG
88.9 FM
Summit
Other
WAUR
930 AM
Sandwich
Religious
WAWF
88.3 FM
Kankakee
Christian Contemporary
WAWJ
90.1 FM
Marion
Religious
WAXR
88.1 FM
Geneseo
Christian Contemporary
WBBA
1580 AM
Pittsfield
Country
WBBA
97.5 FM
Pittsfield
Country
WBBM
780 AM
Chicago
News
WBBM
96.3 FM
Chicago
Top-40
WBCP
1580 AM
Urbana
Urban Contemporary
WBEE
1570 AM
Harvey
Jazz
WBEL
88.5 FM
Cairo
Religious
WBEZ
91.5 FM
Chicago
Public Radio
WBGL
91.7 FM
Champaign
Christian Contemporary
WBGZ
1570 AM
Alton
News/Talk
WBHI
90.7 FM
Chicago
Unknown Format
WBIG
1280 AM
Aurora
Talk
WBJW
91.7 FM
Albion
Religious
WBMV
89.7 FM
Illinois Bible Institute
Mount Vernon
Christian Contemporary
WBNH
88.5 FM
Pekin
Religious
WBNQ
101.5 FM
Bloomington
Top-40
WBVN
104.5 FM
"the Gift of 104.5"
Carrier Mills
Christian Contemporary
WBVS
100.7 FM
"100.7 the Bus"
Coal City
Top-40
WBWN
104.1 FM
"B104"
Le Roy
Country
WBYS
1560 AM
Canton
Nostalgia
WBYS
107.9 FM
"the Lite 107.9"
Canton
Adult Contemporary
WBZG
100.9 FM
Peru
Rock
WCAZ
990 AM
Carthage
Farm
WCBH
104.3 FM
"104.3 the Party"
Casey
Top-40
WCBU
89.9 FM
Bradley University
Peoria
Public Radio
WCBW
880 AM
Highland
Christian Contemporary
WCBW
89.7 FM
East Saint Louis
Religious
WCCI
100.3 FM
Savanna
Country
WCCQ
98.3 FM
Crest Hill
Country
WCEV
1450 AM
Cicero
Ethnic
WCEZ
93.9 FM
Carthage
Adult Contemporary
WCFJ
1470 AM
Chicago Heights
Ethnic
WCFL
104.7 FM
Morris
Christian Contemporary
WCGO
1600 AM
Chicago Heights
Nostalgia
WCIC
91.5 FM
Pekin
Christian Contemporary
WCIL
1020 AM
Carbondale
News/Talk
WCIL
101.5 FM
Carbondale
Top-40
WCKG
105.9 FM
"Talk that Rocks"
Elmwood Park
Talk
WCMY
1430 AM
Ottawa
Adult Contemporary
WCNL
94.3 FM
"the Point"
Chillicothe
Hot AC
WCOY
99.5 FM
"the Coyote"
Quincy
Country
WCRA
1090 AM
Effingham
News/Talk
WCRC
95.7 FM
Effingham
Country
WCRX
88.1 FM
Columbia College
Chicago
College
WCSF
88.7 FM
"88.7 the Edge"
Joliet
Hot AC
WCSJ
1550 AM
Morris
News/Talk
WCSN
820 AM
Chicago
Sports
WCVS
96.7 FM
Virden
Classic Rock
WCXO
96.7 FM
Carlyle
Oldies
WCZQ
105.5 FM
"Hot 105.5"
Monticello
Hip Hop
WDAN
1490 AM
Danville
News/Talk
WDBQ
107.5 FM
Galena
Oldies
WDBR
103.7 FM
Springfield
Top-40
WDBX
91.1 FM
Carbondale
Variety
WDCB
90.9 FM
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn
Jazz
WDDD
810 AM
Johnston City
Sports
WDDD
107.3 FM
"W3D"
Marion
Country
WDEK
92.5 FM
"Energy 92.5"
Dekalb
Dance
WDGC
88.3 FM
Downers North High School
Downers Grove
Grade School (K-12)
WDID
1510 AM
Highland
Religious
WDKB
94.9 FM
Dekalb
Adult Contemporary
WDKR
107.3 FM
Maroa
Oldies
WDLM
960 AM
East Moline
Religious
WDLM
89.3 FM
Moody Bible Institute
East Moline
Religious
WDML
106.9 FM
Woodlawn
Classic Rock
WDNL
102.1 FM
Danville
Hot AC
WDQN
1580 AM
Duquoin
AC
WDQN
95.9 FM
Duquoin
AC
WDQX
102.3 FM
"the Eagle"
Morton
Classic Rock
WDQZ
99.5 FM
"the Eagle"
Lexington
Classic Rock
WDRV
97.1 FM
"97.1 the Drive"
Chicago
Classic Rock
WDUK
99.3 FM
Havana
Country
WDWS
1400 AM
Champaign
News/Talk
WDZ
1050 AM
"Magic 1050"
Decatur
Adult R&B
WDZQ
95.1 FM
"95Q"
Decatur
Country
WEAI
107.1 FM
"107.1 the Eagle"
Lynnville
Oldies
WEBQ
1240 AM
Harrisburg
Country
WEBQ
102.3 FM
Eldorado
Adult Contemporary
WEBX
93.5 FM
Tuscola
Rock
WEEF
1430 AM
Highland Park
Ethnic
WEFT
90.1 FM
Champaign
Variety
WEIC
1270 AM
Charleston
Gospel
WEIU
88.9 FM
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston
Variety
WEJT
105.1 FM
"105EJT"
Shelbyville
Adult Contemporary
WEPS
88.9 FM
Elgin
Grade School (K-12)
WERV
95.9 FM
Aurora
Oldies
WESL
1490 AM
East Saint Louis
Urban Contemporary
WESN
88.1 FM
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington
College
WETN
88.1 FM
Wheaton College
Wheaton
College
WEVX
95.3 FM
Rantoul
Rock
WFEN
88.3 FM
Rockford
Religious
WFIW
1390 AM
Fairfield
News/Talk
WFIW
104.9 FM
Fairfield
Adult Contemporary
WFMB
1450 AM
Springfield
Sports
WFMB
104.5 FM
Springfield
Country
WFMT
98.7 FM
Chicago
Classical
WFPS
92.1 FM
Freeport
Country
WFRL
1570 AM
Freeport
Nostalgia
WFRX
1300 AM
West Frankfort
Nostalgia
WFUN
95.5 FM
Bethalto
Hip Hop
WFYR
97.3 FM
Elmwood
Country
WGBK
88.5 FM
Glenview
Variety
WGCA
88.5 FM
Quincy
Christian Contemporary
WGCI
107.5 FM
Chicago
Hip Hop
WGCY
106.3 FM
Gibson City
Easy Listening
WGEL
101.7 FM
Greenville
Country
WGEM
1440 AM
Quincy
News/Talk
WGEM
105.1 FM
Quincy
Country
WGEN
1500 AM
"the Hawk"
Geneseo
Adult Contemporary
WGFA
1360 AM
Watseka
Adult Contemporary
WGFA
94.1 FM
Watseka
Adult Contemporary
WGFB
103.1 FM
Rockton
Adult Contemporary
WGGH
1150 AM
Marion
Gospel
WGIL
1400 AM
Galesburg
News/Talk
WGKC
105.9 FM
Mahomet
Classic Rock
WGLC
100.1 FM
Mendota
Country
WGLO
95.5 FM
Pekin
Classic Rock
WGLT
89.1 FM
Illinois State University
Normal
Jazz
WGN
720 AM
Chicago
News/Talk
WGNJ
89.3 FM
Saint Joseph
Religious
WGNN
102.5 FM
Fisher
Religious
WGNU
920 AM
Granite City
News/Talk
WGRN
89.5 FM
Greenville College
Greenville
Christian Contemporary
WGSL
91.1 FM
Christian Life Center School
Loves Park
Religious
WHCO
1230 AM
Sparta
News
WHFH
88.5 FM
Flossmoor
Alternative
WHHK
102.5 FM
"the Hawk"
Galva
Adult
WHMS
97.5 FM
Champaign
Adult Contemporary
WHOW
1520 AM
Clinton
Country
WHOW
95.9 FM
Clinton
Easy Listening
WHPK
88.5 FM
University of Chicago
Chicago
College
WHPO
100.9 FM
Hoopeston
Country
WHQQ
98.9 FM
Neoga
Oldies
WHSD
88.5 FM
Hinsdale
Alterntive
WHTS
98.9 FM
"All-Hit 98.9"
Rock Island
Top-40
WIAI
99.1 FM
Danville
Classic Rock
WIBH
1440 AM
Anna
Country
WIBI
91.1 FM
Illinois Bible Institute
Carlinville
Christian Contemporary
WIBV
102.1 FM
"Star 102"
Mount Vernon
Classic Rock
WIHM
1410 AM
Taylorville
Religious
WIHN
96.7 FM
"I-ROCK "
Normal
Rock
WIIT
88.9 FM
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago
Variety
WIKK
103.5 FM
Newton
Adult Contemporary
WILL
580 AM
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana
Public Radio
WILL
90.9 FM
University of Illinois
Urbana
Classical
WILY
1210 AM
Centralia
Oldies
WIND
560 AM
Chicago
Spanish
WINI
1420 AM
Murphysboro
News/Talk
WINU
1560 AM
Shelbyville
Religious
WIPA
89.3 FM
University of Illinois-Springfield
Pittsfield
Public Radio
WISH
98.9 FM
"Wish 98"
Galatia
Adult Contemporary
WITY
980 AM
Danville
Nostalgia
WIUM
91.3 FM
Western Illinois University
Macomb
Public Radio
WIUS
88.3 FM
Western Illinois University
Macomb
College
WIUW
89.5 FM
Western Illinois University
Warsaw
Public Radio
WIVQ
103.3 FM
Spring Valley
Top-40
WIXN
1460 AM
Dixon
Oldies
WIXN
101.7 FM
Dixon
Country
WIXO
99.9 FM
"99X"
Bartonville
Rock
WIXY
100.3 FM
Champaign
Country
WJBC
1230 AM
Bloomington
Talk
WJBD
1350 AM
Salem
Country
WJBD
100.1 FM
Salem
Adult Contemporary
WJBM
1480 AM
Jerseyville
Oldies
WJCG
88.9 FM
Monee
Religious
WJCH
91.9 FM
Joliet
Religious
WJCI
1460 AM
1460 Sports
Rantoul
Sports
WJDK
95.7 FM
Seneca
Adult Contemporary
WJEQ
102.7 FM
"Classic 103"
Macomb
Classic Rock
WJEZ
93.7 FM
Pontiac
Oldies
WJIL
1550 AM
"Star 1550"
Jacksonville
Nostalgia
WJJG
1530 AM
Elmhurst
Talk
WJKL
94.3 FM
Elgin
Christian Contemporary
WJLY
88.3 FM
Ramsey
Religious
WJMK
104.3 FM
"Magic 104.3"
Chicago
Oldies
WJMU
89.5 FM
Millikin University
Decatur
Modern Rock
WJOL
1340 AM
Joliet
Talk
WJPF
1340 AM
Herrin
News/Talk
WJPL
96.5 FM
"the Point"
Farmington
Hot AC
WJRE
93.9 FM
Kewanee
Hot AC
WJTW
93.5 FM
"Star 93.5"
Joliet
Adult Contemporary
WJVO
105.5 FM
South Jacksonville
Country
WKAI
100.1 FM
"K100"
Macomb
Top-40
WKAN
1320 AM
Kankakee
Country
WKAY
105.3 FM
Knoxville
Adult Contemporary
WKBF
1270 AM
Rock Island
Nostalgia
WKEI
1450 AM
Kewanee
News/Talk
WKIB
96.5 FM
"Mix 96.5"
Anna
Top-40
WKIE
92.7 FM
"Energy 92.7"
Arlington Heights
Dance
WKIF
92.7 FM
Kankakee
Dance
WKIO
92.5 FM
"Oldies 92"
Urbana
Oldies
WKJT
102.3 FM
"KJ Country 102.3"
Teutopolis
Country
WKKC
89.3 FM
Chicago
R&B
WKKD
1580 AM
Aurora
Spanish AC
WKMQ
96.7 FM
Loves Park
Oldies
WKOT
96.5 FM
Marseilles
ldies
WKQX
101.1 FM
Chicago
Alternative
WKRI
94.9 FM
Mount Carmel
Classic Rock
WKRO
1490 AM
Cairo
Country
WKRS
1220 AM
Waukegan
Talk
WKRV
107.1 FM
Vandalia
Adult Contemporary
WKSC
103.5 FM
Chicago
Top-40
WKTA
1330 AM
Evanston
Ethnic
WKXQ
92.5 FM
"92Q"
Rushville
Oldies
WKZI
800 AM
Casey
Religious
WLBH
1170 AM
Mattoon
Nostalgia
WLBH
96.9 FM
Mattoon
Hot AC
WLBK
1360 AM
Dekalb
Standard
WLCA
89.9 FM
Godfrey
Modern Rock
WLDC
98.9 FM
"Wild Country"
Dwight
Country
WLDS
1180 AM
Jacksonville
Adult Contemporary
WLEY
107.9 FM
"La Ley 107.9"
Aurora
Spanish
WLIE
94.3 FM
Golconda
Classic Rock
WLIT
93.9 FM
Chicago
Adult Contemporary
WLKL
89.9 FM
Mattoon
College
WLLI
96.7 FM
Joliet
Rock
WLLM
1370 AM
Lincoln
Nostalgia
WLLR
1230 AM
Moline
Country
WLLT
107.7 FM
Polo
Adult Contemporary
WLMD
104.7 FM
Bushnell
Country
WLNX
88.9 FM
Lincoln
Classical
WLPO
1220 AM
Lasalle
Oldies
WLRA
88.1 FM
"the Start"
Lockport
College
WLRB
1510 AM
Macomb
Nostalgia
WLRW
94.5 FM
Champaign
Top-40
WLS
890 AM
Chicago
News/Talk
WLSR
92.7 FM
"the Laser"
Galesburg
Rock
WLTL
88.1 FM
La Grange
Alternative
WLUJ
89.7 FM
Springfield
Religious
WLUP
97.9 FM
Chicago
Rock
WLUV
1520 AM
Loves Park
Country
WLUW
88.7 FM
Loyola University-Chicago
Chicago
Alternative
WLWJ
88.1 FM
Petersburg
Religious
WLXX
1200 AM
Chicago
Spanish
WMAY
970 AM
Springfield
Talk
WMBD
1470 AM
Peoria
Talk
WMBI
1110 AM
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago
Religious
WMBI
90.1 FM
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago
Religious
WMCI
101.3 FM
Neoga
Country
WMCL
1060 AM
Mcleansboro
Country
WMCW
1600 AM
Harvard
Adult Contemporary
WMHX
93.9 FM
Lincoln
Hot AC
WMIX
940 AM
Mount Vernon
News/Talk
WMIX
94.1 FM
Mount Vernon
Country
WMKR
94.3 FM
Taylorville
Country
WMLL
104.1 FM
Jerseyville
80's Rock
WMMC
105.9 FM
"Magic 106"
Marshall
Top-40
WMOI
97.7 FM
Monmouth
80's Rock
WMOK
920 AM
Metropolis
Country
WMQZ
104.1 FM
Colchester
Adult Contemporary
WMTH
90.5 FM
Park Ridge
Variety
WMVP
1000 AM
Chicago
Sports
WMXM
88.9 FM
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest
College
WNIE
89.1 FM
Northern Illinois University
Freeport
Public Radio
WNIJ
90.5 FM
Northern Illinios University
Rockford
Public Radio
WNIQ
91.5 FM
Northern Illinois University
Sterling
Public Radio
WNIU
89.5 FM
Northern Illinois University
Rockford
Classical
WNIW
91.3 FM
Northern Illinois University
La Salle
Public Radio
WNLD
88.1 FM
Illinois Bible Institute
Decatur
Christian Contemporary
WNLF
95.9 FM
"95.9 the Buzz"
Macomb
Rock
WNND
100.3 FM
"Windy 100"
Chicago
Adult Contemporary
WNNS
98.7 FM
Springfield
Hot AC
WNOI
103.9 FM
Flora
Hot AC
WNSV
104.7 FM
Nashville
Hot AC
WNTA
1330 AM
Rockford
News/Talk
WNTD
950 AM
Chicago
Spanish
WNTH
88.1 FM
Winnetka
Variety
WNUA
95.5 FM
Chicago
Smooth Jazz
WNUR
89.3 FM
Northwestern University
Evanston
College
WNVR
1030 AM
Vernon Hills
Ethnic
WNWI
1080 AM
Oak Lawn
International
WOAM
1350 AM
Peoria
Nostalgia
WOJO
105.1 FM
Evanston
Spanish
WOKZ
105.9 FM
Fairfield
Country
WOLG
95.9 FM
Carlinville
Religious
WONC
89.1 FM
North Central College
Naperville
Rock
WONU
89.7 FM
Olivet Nazarene University
Kankakee
Christian Contemporary
WONX
1590 AM
Evanston
Spanish
WOOZ
99.9 FM
"Z100"
Harrisburg
Country
WPBG
93.3 FM
Peoria
Oldies
WPCD
88.7 FM
Parkland College
Champaign
College
WPEO
1020 AM
Peoria
Religious
WPGU
107.1 FM
Urbana
Alternative
WPMB
1500 AM
Vandalia
Nostalgia
WPNA
1490 AM
Oak Park
Ethnic
WPPY
101.1 FM
Glasford
Top-40
WPRS
1440 AM
Paris
News/Talk
WPTH
88.1 FM
Olney
Religious
WPWQ
106.7 FM
Mount Sterling
Oldies
WPXN
104.9 FM
Paxton
Adult Contemporary
WQCY
103.9 FM
Quincy
Top-40
WQFL
100.9 FM
Rockford
Christian Contemporary
WQKQ
92.1 FM
Carthage
Classic Rock
WQLZ
92.7 FM
Taylorville
Rock
WQNA
88.3 FM
Springfield
Variety
WQQB
96.1 FM
"Q96"
Rantoul
Top-40
WQQL
101.9 FM
Springfield
Oldies
WQRL
106.3 FM
Benton
Oldies
WQUB
90.3 FM
Quincy University
Quincy
Public Radio
WQUL
97.7 FM
West Frankfort
Classic Rock
WRAM
1330 AM
Monmouth
Country
WRAN
98.3 FM
Tower Hill
Easy Listening
WRDZ
1300 AM
La Grange
Children's
WREZ
105.5 FM
Metropolis
Adult Contemporary
WRHK
94.9 FM
Danville
Rock
WRHL
1060 AM
Rochelle
News
WRHL
102.3 FM
Rochelle
Adult Contemporary
WRIK
750 AM
Brookport
News/Talk
WRIK
98.3 FM
Metropolis
Top-40
WRKX
95.3 FM
Ottawa
Hot AC
WRMJ
102.3 FM
Aledo
Country
WRMN
1410 AM
Elgin
News/Talk
WRMS
94.3 FM
Beardstown
Country
WROK
1440 AM
Rockford
News/Talk
WROY
1460 AM
Carmi
Oldies
WRPW
92.9 FM
"POWER 92"
Colfax
Top-40
WRRG
88.9 FM
Triton College
River Grove
Variety
WRSE
88.7 FM
Elmhurst College
Elmhurst
College
WRTE
90.5 FM
Chicago
Spanish
WRUL
97.3 FM
Carmi
Country
WRVP
98.5 FM
Eureka
Top-40
WRVY
100.5 FM
Henry
Classic Rock
WRXX
95.3 FM
Centralia
Classic Rock
WRYT
1080 AM
Edwardsville
Religious
WRZA
99.9 FM
Park Forest
Spanish
WSBC
1240 AM
Chicago
Variety
WSCR
670 AM
Chicago
Sports
WSCT
90.5 FM
Illinois Bible Insitute
Springfield
Christian Contemporary
WSDR
1240 AM
Sterling
Variety
WSDZ
1260 AM
Belleville
Children's
WSEI
92.9 FM
Olney
Country
WSEY
95.7 FM
Mount Morris
Classic Rock
WSIE
88.7 FM
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville
Jazz
WSIU
91.9 FM
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale
Public Radio
WSMI
106.1 FM
Litchfield
Country
WSMI
1540 AM
Litchfield
Country
WSOY
1340 AM
Decatur
News/Talk
WSOY
102.9 FM
Decatur
Top-40
WSPL
1250 AM
Streator
News/Talk
WSPY
1480 AM
Geneva
Adult Contemporary
WSPY
107.1 FM
Plano
Oldies
WSQR
1560 AM
Sycamore
Nostalgia
WSSD
88.1 FM
Chicago
Urban Contemporary
WSSM
106.5 FM
Granite City
Smooth Jazz
WSSQ
94.3 FM
"Q94"
Sterling
Hot AC
WSTQ
97.7 FM
Streator
Top-40
WSWT
106.9 FM
"Lite Rock 107"
Peoria
Adult Contemporary
WTAD
930 AM
Quincy
News/Talk
WTAQ
105.1 FM
"Rock 105"
Murphysboro
Rock
WTAX
1240 AM
Springfield
News/Talk
WTAY
1570 AM
Robinson
Adult Contemporary
WTIM
97.3 FM
Taylorville
Talk
WTJK
1380 AM
"the Jock"
South Beloit
Sports
WTKC
91.1 FM
Kankakee Community College
Kankakee
College
WTMX
101.9 FM
Skokie
Adult Contemporary
WTNX
96.9 FM
Zion
Hot AC
WTPC
105.3 FM
Principia College
Elsah
College
WTRH
93.3 FM
Ramsey
Religious
WTSG
90.1 FM
Carlinville
Gospel
WTYE
101.7 FM
Robinson
soft AC
WUEZ
95.1 FM
Carterville
Adult Contemporary
WUIS
91.9 FM
University of Illinois - Springfield
Springfield
Public Radio
WUSI
90.3 FM
Southern Illinois University
Olney
Public Radio
WUSN
99.5 FM
Chicago
Country
WVAZ
102.7 FM
Oak Park
Urban Contemporary
WVEL
1140 AM
Pekin
Religious
WVIK
90.3 FM
Augustana College
Rock Island
Public Radio
WVIL
101.3 FM
Virginia
Country
WVJC
89.1 FM
Wabash Valley College
Mount Carmel
College
WVKC
90.7 FM
Knox College
Galesburg
College
WVLI
95.1 FM
Kankakee
Oldies
WVLN
740 AM
Olney
Country
WVMC
1360 AM
Mount Carmel
Nostalgia
WVON
1450 AM
Cicero
Talk
WVRV
101.1 FM
"101.1 the River"
East Saint Louis
Hot AC
WVSI
88.9 FM
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Mount Vernon
Public Radio
WVZA
92.7 FM
Herrin
Top-40
WWCT
105.7 FM
Peoria
Rock
WWFS
1290 AM
Peoria
Sports
WWGN
88.9 FM
Ottawa
Religious
WWGO
92.1 FM
Charleston
Rock
WWHN
1510 AM
Joliet
Gospel
WWHP
98.3 FM
Farmer City
Country
WXAJ
99.7 FM
Hillsboro
Top-40
WXAN
103.9 FM
Ava
Gospel
WXAV
88.3 FM
St. Xavier College
Chicago
Variety
WXCL
104.9 FM
Pekin
Country
WXEF
97.9 FM
Effingham
Hot AC
WXET
107.9 FM
Arcola
Adult Contemporary
WXFM
99.3 FM
Mount Zion
Adult Contemporary
WXLC
102.3 FM
Waukegan
Top-40
WXLP
96.9 FM
"97X"
Moline
Classic Rock
WXLT
103.5 FM
Christopher
Rock
WXRT
93.1 FM
Chicago
Adult Album Alternative
WXRX
104.9 FM
"104.9 the X"
Belvidere
Rock
WXXQ
98.5 FM
Freeport
Country
WXXY
103.1 FM
Highland Park
Spanish
WYBA
102.3 FM
Crete
Rhythmic Oldies
WYCA
106.3 FM
Lansing
Religious
WYCH
106.3 FM
Genoa
Gospel
WYDS
93.1 FM
"93.1 the Party"
Decatur
Top-40
WYHY
95.3 FM
"Y95"
Winnebago
Classic Rock
WYKT
105.5 FM
Wilmington
Rock
WYLL
1160 AM
Chicago
Religious
WYMG
100.5 FM
Jacksonville
Classic Rock
WYST
107.7 FM
"the Eagle"
Fairbury
Classic Rock
WYVR
97.7 FM
Petersburg
Modern AC
WYXX
103.1 FM
Morris
Spanish
WYYS
106.1 FM
Streator
Talk
WZCH
103.9 FM
Dundee
Spanish
WZFS
106.7 FM
Des Plaines
Christian Contemporary
WZNX
106.7 FM
Sullivan
Rock
WZOE
1490 AM
Princeton
News/Talk
WZOE
98.1 FM
Princeton
Oldies
WZOK
97.5 FM
Rockford
Top-40
WZPW
92.3 FM
"Power 92"
Peoria
Top-40
WZRD
88.3 FM
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago
College
WZSR
105.5 FM
Woodstock
Hot AC
WZUS
100.9 FM
Macon
Country
WZZN
94.7 FM
"94.7 the Zone"
Chicago
Alternative
WZZT
102.7 FM
Morrison
Oldies
Call
Freq
Description
Location
Category
KFNS
590 AM
Wood River
Sports
KMJM
104.9 FM
Columbia
Adult R&B
KSGM
980 AM
Chester
News/Talk
WAAG
94.9FM
Galesburg
Country
WACF
98.5 FM
Paris
Country
WAES
88.1 FM
Lincolnshire
Variety
WAHI
98.5 FM
Augusta
Religious
WAIK
1590 AM
Galesburg
Nostalgia
WAIT
850 AM
Crystal Lake
Talk
WAJK
99.3 FM
La Salle
Hot AC
WAKO
910 AM
Lawrenceville
Adult Contemporary
WAKO
103.1 FM
Lawrenceville
Adult Contemporary
WALS
102.1 FM
"Walls 102"
Oglesby
Country
WAOX
105.3 FM
"105.3 the Ox"
Staunton
Hot AC
WAPO
90.5 FM
Mount Vernon
Religious
WARG
88.9 FM
Summit
Other
WAUR
930 AM
Sandwich
Religious
WAWF
88.3 FM
Kankakee
Christian Contemporary
WAWJ
90.1 FM
Marion
Religious
WAXR
88.1 FM
Geneseo
Christian Contemporary
WBBA
1580 AM
Pittsfield
Country
WBBA
97.5 FM
Pittsfield
Country
WBBM
780 AM
Chicago
News
WBBM
96.3 FM
Chicago
Top-40
WBCP
1580 AM
Urbana
Urban Contemporary
WBEE
1570 AM
Harvey
Jazz
WBEL
88.5 FM
Cairo
Religious
WBEZ
91.5 FM
Chicago
Public Radio
WBGL
91.7 FM
Champaign
Christian Contemporary
WBGZ
1570 AM
Alton
News/Talk
WBHI
90.7 FM
Chicago
Unknown Format
WBIG
1280 AM
Aurora
Talk
WBJW
91.7 FM
Albion
Religious
WBMV
89.7 FM
Illinois Bible Institute
Mount Vernon
Christian Contemporary
WBNH
88.5 FM
Pekin
Religious
WBNQ
101.5 FM
Bloomington
Top-40
WBVN
104.5 FM
"the Gift of 104.5"
Carrier Mills
Christian Contemporary
WBVS
100.7 FM
"100.7 the Bus"
Coal City
Top-40
WBWN
104.1 FM
"B104"
Le Roy
Country
WBYS
1560 AM
Canton
Nostalgia
WBYS
107.9 FM
"the Lite 107.9"
Canton
Adult Contemporary
WBZG
100.9 FM
Peru
Rock
WCAZ
990 AM
Carthage
Farm
WCBH
104.3 FM
"104.3 the Party"
Casey
Top-40
WCBU
89.9 FM
Bradley University
Peoria
Public Radio
WCBW
880 AM
Highland
Christian Contemporary
WCBW
89.7 FM
East Saint Louis
Religious
WCCI
100.3 FM
Savanna
Country
WCCQ
98.3 FM
Crest Hill
Country
WCEV
1450 AM
Cicero
Ethnic
WCEZ
93.9 FM
Carthage
Adult Contemporary
WCFJ
1470 AM
Chicago Heights
Ethnic
WCFL
104.7 FM
Morris
Christian Contemporary
WCGO
1600 AM
Chicago Heights
Nostalgia
WCIC
91.5 FM
Pekin
Christian Contemporary
WCIL
1020 AM
Carbondale
News/Talk
WCIL
101.5 FM
Carbondale
Top-40
WCKG
105.9 FM
"Talk that Rocks"
Elmwood Park
Talk
WCMY
1430 AM
Ottawa
Adult Contemporary
WCNL
94.3 FM
"the Point"
Chillicothe
Hot AC
WCOY
99.5 FM
"the Coyote"
Quincy
Country
WCRA
1090 AM
Effingham
News/Talk
WCRC
95.7 FM
Effingham
Country
WCRX
88.1 FM
Columbia College
Chicago
College
WCSF
88.7 FM
"88.7 the Edge"
Joliet
Hot AC
WCSJ
1550 AM
Morris
News/Talk
WCSN
820 AM
Chicago
Sports
WCVS
96.7 FM
Virden
Classic Rock
WCXO
96.7 FM
Carlyle
Oldies
WCZQ
105.5 FM
"Hot 105.5"
Monticello
Hip Hop
WDAN
1490 AM
Danville
News/Talk
WDBQ
107.5 FM
Galena
Oldies
WDBR
103.7 FM
Springfield
Top-40
WDBX
91.1 FM
Carbondale
Variety
WDCB
90.9 FM
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn
Jazz
WDDD
810 AM
Johnston City
Sports
WDDD
107.3 FM
"W3D"
Marion
Country
WDEK
92.5 FM
"Energy 92.5"
Dekalb
Dance
WDGC
88.3 FM
Downers North High School
Downers Grove
Grade School (K-12)
WDID
1510 AM
Highland
Religious
WDKB
94.9 FM
Dekalb
Adult Contemporary
WDKR
107.3 FM
Maroa
Oldies
WDLM
960 AM
East Moline
Religious
WDLM
89.3 FM
Moody Bible Institute
East Moline
Religious
WDML
106.9 FM
Woodlawn
Classic Rock
WDNL
102.1 FM
Danville
Hot AC
WDQN
1580 AM
Duquoin
AC
WDQN
95.9 FM
Duquoin
AC
WDQX
102.3 FM
"the Eagle"
Morton
Classic Rock
WDQZ
99.5 FM
"the Eagle"
Lexington
Classic Rock
WDRV
97.1 FM
"97.1 the Drive"
Chicago
Classic Rock
WDUK
99.3 FM
Havana
Country
WDWS
1400 AM
Champaign
News/Talk
WDZ
1050 AM
"Magic 1050"
Decatur
Adult R&B
WDZQ
95.1 FM
"95Q"
Decatur
Country
WEAI
107.1 FM
"107.1 the Eagle"
Lynnville
Oldies
WEBQ
1240 AM
Harrisburg
Country
WEBQ
102.3 FM
Eldorado
Adult Contemporary
WEBX
93.5 FM
Tuscola
Rock
WEEF
1430 AM
Highland Park
Ethnic
WEFT
90.1 FM
Champaign
Variety
WEIC
1270 AM
Charleston
Gospel
WEIU
88.9 FM
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston
Variety
WEJT
105.1 FM
"105EJT"
Shelbyville
Adult Contemporary
WEPS
88.9 FM
Elgin
Grade School (K-12)
WERV
95.9 FM
Aurora
Oldies
WESL
1490 AM
East Saint Louis
Urban Contemporary
WESN
88.1 FM
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington
College
WETN
88.1 FM
Wheaton College
Wheaton
College
WEVX
95.3 FM
Rantoul
Rock
WFEN
88.3 FM
Rockford
Religious
WFIW
1390 AM
Fairfield
News/Talk
WFIW
104.9 FM
Fairfield
Adult Contemporary
WFMB
1450 AM
Springfield
Sports
WFMB
104.5 FM
Springfield
Country
WFMT
98.7 FM
Chicago
Classical
WFPS
92.1 FM
Freeport
Country
WFRL
1570 AM
Freeport
Nostalgia
WFRX
1300 AM
West Frankfort
Nostalgia
WFUN
95.5 FM
Bethalto
Hip Hop
WFYR
97.3 FM
Elmwood
Country
WGBK
88.5 FM
Glenview
Variety
WGCA
88.5 FM
Quincy
Christian Contemporary
WGCI
107.5 FM
Chicago
Hip Hop
WGCY
106.3 FM
Gibson City
Easy Listening
WGEL
101.7 FM
Greenville
Country
WGEM
1440 AM
Quincy
News/Talk
WGEM
105.1 FM
Quincy
Country
WGEN
1500 AM
"the Hawk"
Geneseo
Adult Contemporary
WGFA
1360 AM
Watseka
Adult Contemporary
WGFA
94.1 FM
Watseka
Adult Contemporary
WGFB
103.1 FM
Rockton
Adult Contemporary
WGGH
1150 AM
Marion
Gospel
WGIL
1400 AM
Galesburg
News/Talk
WGKC
105.9 FM
Mahomet
Classic Rock
WGLC
100.1 FM
Mendota
Country
WGLO
95.5 FM
Pekin
Classic Rock
WGLT
89.1 FM
Illinois State University
Normal
Jazz
WGN
720 AM
Chicago
News/Talk
WGNJ
89.3 FM
Saint Joseph
Religious
WGNN
102.5 FM
Fisher
Religious
WGNU
920 AM
Granite City
News/Talk
WGRN
89.5 FM
Greenville College
Greenville
Christian Contemporary
WGSL
91.1 FM
Christian Life Center School
Loves Park
Religious
WHCO
1230 AM
Sparta
News
WHFH
88.5 FM
Flossmoor
Alternative
WHHK
102.5 FM
"the Hawk"
Galva
Adult
WHMS
97.5 FM
Champaign
Adult Contemporary
WHOW
1520 AM
Clinton
Country
WHOW
95.9 FM
Clinton
Easy Listening
WHPK
88.5 FM
University of Chicago
Chicago
College
WHPO
100.9 FM
Hoopeston
Country
WHQQ
98.9 FM
Neoga
Oldies
WHSD
88.5 FM
Hinsdale
Alterntive
WHTS
98.9 FM
"All-Hit 98.9"
Rock Island
Top-40
WIAI
99.1 FM
Danville
Classic Rock
WIBH
1440 AM
Anna
Country
WIBI
91.1 FM
Illinois Bible Institute
Carlinville
Christian Contemporary
WIBV
102.1 FM
"Star 102"
Mount Vernon
Classic Rock
WIHM
1410 AM
Taylorville
Religious
WIHN
96.7 FM
"I-ROCK "
Normal
Rock
WIIT
88.9 FM
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago
Variety
WIKK
103.5 FM
Newton
Adult Contemporary
WILL
580 AM
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana
Public Radio
WILL
90.9 FM
University of Illinois
Urbana
Classical
WILY
1210 AM
Centralia
Oldies
WIND
560 AM
Chicago
Spanish
WINI
1420 AM
Murphysboro
News/Talk
WINU
1560 AM
Shelbyville
Religious
WIPA
89.3 FM
University of Illinois-Springfield
Pittsfield
Public Radio
WISH
98.9 FM
"Wish 98"
Galatia
Adult Contemporary
WITY
980 AM
Danville
Nostalgia
WIUM
91.3 FM
Western Illinois University
Macomb
Public Radio
WIUS
88.3 FM
Western Illinois University
Macomb
College
WIUW
89.5 FM
Western Illinois University
Warsaw
Public Radio
WIVQ
103.3 FM
Spring Valley
Top-40
WIXN
1460 AM
Dixon
Oldies
WIXN
101.7 FM
Dixon
Country
WIXO
99.9 FM
"99X"
Bartonville
Rock
WIXY
100.3 FM
Champaign
Country
WJBC
1230 AM
Bloomington
Talk
WJBD
1350 AM
Salem
Country
WJBD
100.1 FM
Salem
Adult Contemporary
WJBM
1480 AM
Jerseyville
Oldies
WJCG
88.9 FM
Monee
Religious
WJCH
91.9 FM
Joliet
Religious
WJCI
1460 AM
1460 Sports
Rantoul
Sports
WJDK
95.7 FM
Seneca
Adult Contemporary
WJEQ
102.7 FM
"Classic 103"
Macomb
Classic Rock
WJEZ
93.7 FM
Pontiac
Oldies
WJIL
1550 AM
"Star 1550"
Jacksonville
Nostalgia
WJJG
1530 AM
Elmhurst
Talk
WJKL
94.3 FM
Elgin
Christian Contemporary
WJLY
88.3 FM
Ramsey
Religious
WJMK
104.3 FM
"Magic 104.3"
Chicago
Oldies
WJMU
89.5 FM
Millikin University
Decatur
Modern Rock
WJOL
1340 AM
Joliet
Talk
WJPF
1340 AM
Herrin
News/Talk
WJPL
96.5 FM
"the Point"
Farmington
Hot AC
WJRE
93.9 FM
Kewanee
Hot AC
WJTW
93.5 FM
"Star 93.5"
Joliet
Adult Contemporary
WJVO
105.5 FM
South Jacksonville
Country
WKAI
100.1 FM
"K100"
Macomb
Top-40
WKAN
1320 AM
Kankakee
Country
WKAY
105.3 FM
Knoxville
Adult Contemporary
WKBF
1270 AM
Rock Island
Nostalgia
WKEI
1450 AM
Kewanee
News/Talk
WKIB
96.5 FM
"Mix 96.5"
Anna
Top-40
WKIE
92.7 FM
"Energy 92.7"
Arlington Heights
Dance
WKIF
92.7 FM
Kankakee
Dance
WKIO
92.5 FM
"Oldies 92"
Urbana
Oldies
WKJT
102.3 FM
"KJ Country 102.3"
Teutopolis
Country
WKKC
89.3 FM
Chicago
R&B
WKKD
1580 AM
Aurora
Spanish AC
WKMQ
96.7 FM
Loves Park
Oldies
WKOT
96.5 FM
Marseilles
ldies
WKQX
101.1 FM
Chicago
Alternative
WKRI
94.9 FM
Mount Carmel
Classic Rock
WKRO
1490 AM
Cairo
Country
WKRS
1220 AM
Waukegan
Talk
WKRV
107.1 FM
Vandalia
Adult Contemporary
WKSC
103.5 FM
Chicago
Top-40
WKTA
1330 AM
Evanston
Ethnic
WKXQ
92.5 FM
"92Q"
Rushville
Oldies
WKZI
800 AM
Casey
Religious
WLBH
1170 AM
Mattoon
Nostalgia
WLBH
96.9 FM
Mattoon
Hot AC
WLBK
1360 AM
Dekalb
Standard
WLCA
89.9 FM
Godfrey
Modern Rock
WLDC
98.9 FM
"Wild Country"
Dwight
Country
WLDS
1180 AM
Jacksonville
Adult Contemporary
WLEY
107.9 FM
"La Ley 107.9"
Aurora
Spanish
WLIE
94.3 FM
Golconda
Classic Rock
WLIT
93.9 FM
Chicago
Adult Contemporary
WLKL
89.9 FM
Mattoon
College
WLLI
96.7 FM
Joliet
Rock
WLLM
1370 AM
Lincoln
Nostalgia
WLLR
1230 AM
Moline
Country
WLLT
107.7 FM
Polo
Adult Contemporary
WLMD
104.7 FM
Bushnell
Country
WLNX
88.9 FM
Lincoln
Classical
WLPO
1220 AM
Lasalle
Oldies
WLRA
88.1 FM
"the Start"
Lockport
College
WLRB
1510 AM
Macomb
Nostalgia
WLRW
94.5 FM
Champaign
Top-40
WLS
890 AM
Chicago
News/Talk
WLSR
92.7 FM
"the Laser"
Galesburg
Rock
WLTL
88.1 FM
La Grange
Alternative
WLUJ
89.7 FM
Springfield
Religious
WLUP
97.9 FM
Chicago
Rock
WLUV
1520 AM
Loves Park
Country
WLUW
88.7 FM
Loyola University-Chicago
Chicago
Alternative
WLWJ
88.1 FM
Petersburg
Religious
WLXX
1200 AM
Chicago
Spanish
WMAY
970 AM
Springfield
Talk
WMBD
1470 AM
Peoria
Talk
WMBI
1110 AM
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago
Religious
WMBI
90.1 FM
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago
Religious
WMCI
101.3 FM
Neoga
Country
WMCL
1060 AM
Mcleansboro
Country
WMCW
1600 AM
Harvard
Adult Contemporary
WMHX
93.9 FM
Lincoln
Hot AC
WMIX
940 AM
Mount Vernon
News/Talk
WMIX
94.1 FM
Mount Vernon
Country
WMKR
94.3 FM
Taylorville
Country
WMLL
104.1 FM
Jerseyville
80's Rock
WMMC
105.9 FM
"Magic 106"
Marshall
Top-40
WMOI
97.7 FM
Monmouth
80's Rock
WMOK
920 AM
Metropolis
Country
WMQZ
104.1 FM
Colchester
Adult Contemporary
WMTH
90.5 FM
Park Ridge
Variety
WMVP
1000 AM
Chicago
Sports
WMXM
88.9 FM
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest
College
WNIE
89.1 FM
Northern Illinois University
Freeport
Public Radio
WNIJ
90.5 FM
Northern Illinios University
Rockford
Public Radio
WNIQ
91.5 FM
Northern Illinois University
Sterling
Public Radio
WNIU
89.5 FM
Northern Illinois University
Rockford
Classical
WNIW
91.3 FM
Northern Illinois University
La Salle
Public Radio
WNLD
88.1 FM
Illinois Bible Institute
Decatur
Christian Contemporary
WNLF
95.9 FM
"95.9 the Buzz"
Macomb
Rock
WNND
100.3 FM
"Windy 100"
Chicago
Adult Contemporary
WNNS
98.7 FM
Springfield
Hot AC
WNOI
103.9 FM
Flora
Hot AC
WNSV
104.7 FM
Nashville
Hot AC
WNTA
1330 AM
Rockford
News/Talk
WNTD
950 AM
Chicago
Spanish
WNTH
88.1 FM
Winnetka
Variety
WNUA
95.5 FM
Chicago
Smooth Jazz
WNUR
89.3 FM
Northwestern University
Evanston
College
WNVR
1030 AM
Vernon Hills
Ethnic
WNWI
1080 AM
Oak Lawn
International
WOAM
1350 AM
Peoria
Nostalgia
WOJO
105.1 FM
Evanston
Spanish
WOKZ
105.9 FM
Fairfield
Country
WOLG
95.9 FM
Carlinville
Religious
WONC
89.1 FM
North Central College
Naperville
Rock
WONU
89.7 FM
Olivet Nazarene University
Kankakee
Christian Contemporary
WONX
1590 AM
Evanston
Spanish
WOOZ
99.9 FM
"Z100"
Harrisburg
Country
WPBG
93.3 FM
Peoria
Oldies
WPCD
88.7 FM
Parkland College
Champaign
College
WPEO
1020 AM
Peoria
Religious
WPGU
107.1 FM
Urbana
Alternative
WPMB
1500 AM
Vandalia
Nostalgia
WPNA
1490 AM
Oak Park
Ethnic
WPPY
101.1 FM
Glasford
Top-40
WPRS
1440 AM
Paris
News/Talk
WPTH
88.1 FM
Olney
Religious
WPWQ
106.7 FM
Mount Sterling
Oldies
WPXN
104.9 FM
Paxton
Adult Contemporary
WQCY
103.9 FM
Quincy
Top-40
WQFL
100.9 FM
Rockford
Christian Contemporary
WQKQ
92.1 FM
Carthage
Classic Rock
WQLZ
92.7 FM
Taylorville
Rock
WQNA
88.3 FM
Springfield
Variety
WQQB
96.1 FM
"Q96"
Rantoul
Top-40
WQQL
101.9 FM
Springfield
Oldies
WQRL
106.3 FM
Benton
Oldies
WQUB
90.3 FM
Quincy University
Quincy
Public Radio
WQUL
97.7 FM
West Frankfort
Classic Rock
WRAM
1330 AM
Monmouth
Country
WRAN
98.3 FM
Tower Hill
Easy Listening
WRDZ
1300 AM
La Grange
Children's
WREZ
105.5 FM
Metropolis
Adult Contemporary
WRHK
94.9 FM
Danville
Rock
WRHL
1060 AM
Rochelle
News
WRHL
102.3 FM
Rochelle
Adult Contemporary
WRIK
750 AM
Brookport
News/Talk
WRIK
98.3 FM
Metropolis
Top-40
WRKX
95.3 FM
Ottawa
Hot AC
WRMJ
102.3 FM
Aledo
Country
WRMN
1410 AM
Elgin
News/Talk
WRMS
94.3 FM
Beardstown
Country
WROK
1440 AM
Rockford
News/Talk
WROY
1460 AM
Carmi
Oldies
WRPW
92.9 FM
"POWER 92"
Colfax
Top-40
WRRG
88.9 FM
Triton College
River Grove
Variety
WRSE
88.7 FM
Elmhurst College
Elmhurst
College
WRTE
90.5 FM
Chicago
Spanish
WRUL
97.3 FM
Carmi
Country
WRVP
98.5 FM
Eureka
Top-40
WRVY
100.5 FM
Henry
Classic Rock
WRXX
95.3 FM
Centralia
Classic Rock
WRYT
1080 AM
Edwardsville
Religious
WRZA
99.9 FM
Park Forest
Spanish
WSBC
1240 AM
Chicago
Variety
WSCR
670 AM
Chicago
Sports
WSCT
90.5 FM
Illinois Bible Insitute
Springfield
Christian Contemporary
WSDR
1240 AM
Sterling
Variety
WSDZ
1260 AM
Belleville
Children's
WSEI
92.9 FM
Olney
Country
WSEY
95.7 FM
Mount Morris
Classic Rock
WSIE
88.7 FM
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville
Jazz
WSIU
91.9 FM
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale
Public Radio
WSMI
106.1 FM
Litchfield
Country
WSMI
1540 AM
Litchfield
Country
WSOY
1340 AM
Decatur
News/Talk
WSOY
102.9 FM
Decatur
Top-40
WSPL
1250 AM
Streator
News/Talk
WSPY
1480 AM
Geneva
Adult Contemporary
WSPY
107.1 FM
Plano
Oldies
WSQR
1560 AM
Sycamore
Nostalgia
WSSD
88.1 FM
Chicago
Urban Contemporary
WSSM
106.5 FM
Granite City
Smooth Jazz
WSSQ
94.3 FM
"Q94"
Sterling
Hot AC
WSTQ
97.7 FM
Streator
Top-40
WSWT
106.9 FM
"Lite Rock 107"
Peoria
Adult Contemporary
WTAD
930 AM
Quincy
News/Talk
WTAQ
105.1 FM
"Rock 105"
Murphysboro
Rock
WTAX
1240 AM
Springfield
News/Talk
WTAY
1570 AM
Robinson
Adult Contemporary
WTIM
97.3 FM
Taylorville
Talk
WTJK
1380 AM
"the Jock"
South Beloit
Sports
WTKC
91.1 FM
Kankakee Community College
Kankakee
College
WTMX
101.9 FM
Skokie
Adult Contemporary
WTNX
96.9 FM
Zion
Hot AC
WTPC
105.3 FM
Principia College
Elsah
College
WTRH
93.3 FM
Ramsey
Religious
WTSG
90.1 FM
Carlinville
Gospel
WTYE
101.7 FM
Robinson
soft AC
WUEZ
95.1 FM
Carterville
Adult Contemporary
WUIS
91.9 FM
University of Illinois - Springfield
Springfield
Public Radio
WUSI
90.3 FM
Southern Illinois University
Olney
Public Radio
WUSN
99.5 FM
Chicago
Country
WVAZ
102.7 FM
Oak Park
Urban Contemporary
WVEL
1140 AM
Pekin
Religious
WVIK
90.3 FM
Augustana College
Rock Island
Public Radio
WVIL
101.3 FM
Virginia
Country
WVJC
89.1 FM
Wabash Valley College
Mount Carmel
College
WVKC
90.7 FM
Knox College
Galesburg
College
WVLI
95.1 FM
Kankakee
Oldies
WVLN
740 AM
Olney
Country
WVMC
1360 AM
Mount Carmel
Nostalgia
WVON
1450 AM
Cicero
Talk
WVRV
101.1 FM
"101.1 the River"
East Saint Louis
Hot AC
WVSI
88.9 FM
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Mount Vernon
Public Radio
WVZA
92.7 FM
Herrin
Top-40
WWCT
105.7 FM
Peoria
Rock
WWFS
1290 AM
Peoria
Sports
WWGN
88.9 FM
Ottawa
Religious
WWGO
92.1 FM
Charleston
Rock
WWHN
1510 AM
Joliet
Gospel
WWHP
98.3 FM
Farmer City
Country
WXAJ
99.7 FM
Hillsboro
Top-40
WXAN
103.9 FM
Ava
Gospel
WXAV
88.3 FM
St. Xavier College
Chicago
Variety
WXCL
104.9 FM
Pekin
Country
WXEF
97.9 FM
Effingham
Hot AC
WXET
107.9 FM
Arcola
Adult Contemporary
WXFM
99.3 FM
Mount Zion
Adult Contemporary
WXLC
102.3 FM
Waukegan
Top-40
WXLP
96.9 FM
"97X"
Moline
Classic Rock
WXLT
103.5 FM
Christopher
Rock
WXRT
93.1 FM
Chicago
Adult Album Alternative
WXRX
104.9 FM
"104.9 the X"
Belvidere
Rock
WXXQ
98.5 FM
Freeport
Country
WXXY
103.1 FM
Highland Park
Spanish
WYBA
102.3 FM
Crete
Rhythmic Oldies
WYCA
106.3 FM
Lansing
Religious
WYCH
106.3 FM
Genoa
Gospel
WYDS
93.1 FM
"93.1 the Party"
Decatur
Top-40
WYHY
95.3 FM
"Y95"
Winnebago
Classic Rock
WYKT
105.5 FM
Wilmington
Rock
WYLL
1160 AM
Chicago
Religious
WYMG
100.5 FM
Jacksonville
Classic Rock
WYST
107.7 FM
"the Eagle"
Fairbury
Classic Rock
WYVR
97.7 FM
Petersburg
Modern AC
WYXX
103.1 FM
Morris
Spanish
WYYS
106.1 FM
Streator
Talk
WZCH
103.9 FM
Dundee
Spanish
WZFS
106.7 FM
Des Plaines
Christian Contemporary
WZNX
106.7 FM
Sullivan
Rock
WZOE
1490 AM
Princeton
News/Talk
WZOE
98.1 FM
Princeton
Oldies
WZOK
97.5 FM
Rockford
Top-40
WZPW
92.3 FM
"Power 92"
Peoria
Top-40
WZRD
88.3 FM
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago
College
WZSR
105.5 FM
Woodstock
Hot AC
WZUS
100.9 FM
Macon
Country
WZZN
94.7 FM
"94.7 the Zone"
Chicago
Alternative
WZZT
102.7 FM
Morrison
Oldies
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