music_news 91 posts

Last week there was news that Virgin Megastores might be opened in Russia. A Russian gambling holding Ritzio was negotiating with the company.

This Monday Virgin announced that the UK and Irland Virgin Megastores business was sold to a management buy-out team. The chain will undergo rebranding and the stores will be renamed “Zavvi”.

Read more:
Ritzio plays Virgin, Kommersant (In Russian)
Ritzio Owners Plan Virgin Megastores, The Moscow Times
Branson sells Virgin Megastores, The Guardian

Copyright on some popular music performed in 50’s is going to expire in few years. In UK and EU performers and what’s more important producers may benefit from a sound recording for 50 years. (While authors and their families receive royalties for their entire life plus 70 years on).

For example copyright on some recording by Beatles may expire in 2012 in EU. So music industry represented by IFPI, BPI and some musicians advocates for an increase of copyright term from 50 years to 95.

The UK government has taken the issue seriously and commissioned a report to help its decision. However, the study was a huge disappointment for the industry as the paper suggests that the increase is unnecessary. According to The Guardian the demands of music industry might be rejected thereof.

This report will be revealed next week. Nevertheless it already has been criticized by the industry.

CEO of rights societies the PPL and the VPL said that he “sincerely hope[s] this [UK] government will... read more

2000 young people aged 13-24 submitted their views on digital music in the study carried out in UK by 3, a mobile phone operator.

- 60% think CDs will disappear in 5 years;
- 85% think downloading music rather than buying a CD can help to save the planet;
- 76% say downloading is more attractive because music can be accessed instantly which is much more convenient than going to a shop.

Also the mobile operator expects that mobile downloads will overtake downloads to a PC in 5 years if the current grow rate of mobile downloading stays the same.

More here:
Mobile - the Future of the Music Industry, 3
Music fans to leave CDs on shelf,Times Online

Talking of what is legal what is not. Russia has been criticized for some time for its copyright legislation in connection with allofmp3.com.  However, Russian legislation could be the most modern one. The Civil Code in its part concerning copyright is being passed through the parliament this fall. Still, legislation is changing slower than technology and public opinion, especially with the amount of lobbying in some countries.
The article in Telegraph.co.uk this weekend brings up an interesting fact – in UK everyone who dares to copy a CD that he or she owns to an MP3-player or PC is breaking the law. This conclusion comes from a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research. The report says that “Unknown to many, the 1709 Statue of Anne which came into law as the first Copyright Act in 1710 still governs the enforcement of copyright in the UK. It thus prevents copying an artistic work into a different format, such as a record on to a tape, or a CD on to a computer file.”  Same report recommends to change the law to... read more