Minimal Wave Records

This is a really unfortunate decision:

The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has announced its decision on Internet radio royalty rates, rejecting all of the arguments made by Webcasters and instead adopting the “per play” rate proposal put forth by SoundExchange(a digital music fee collection body created by the RIAA).

So, does this mean Veronica, Mike and the others who make web-radio needs to set up a server in Sweden, or what?

More like in the North Pole somewhere!
People are already setting up server rooms disguised as igloos.

I don’t think Veronica plays much that the RIAA can issue a cease and desist against.  Unfortunately that can’t be said for many EVR shows.

What I think is interesting about this is that it becomes tough for terrestrial stations, even those owned by ‘big-radio’, to justify their online efforts.  American terrestrial radio is really only just embracing streaming.  They held out for a long time not because of the RIAA, but because of SAG demanding that voice talents in radio spots be paid when the spots were streamed.  If they now have to abandon streaming because the music is too expensive to stream then they’ll still be MIA from the internet.

I think terrestrial radio in the states is going to get a little less rigid soon because of the above and other reasons.  They won’t be playing minimal-wave, but there will be a new willingness to monkey around with formats.  In some markets the commercial stations are going to get a run for their money from the LPFMs.

Also, ‘big radio’ companies aggreed this week to donate *a lot* of airtime to indie labels not owned by the big 4:

http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=137071&pt=todaysnews

If I had an indie label I’d be talking to the American Association of Independent Music to secure my share of airtime.  Can you imagine all of Z-100s or KTUs listeners suddenly being exposed to Oppenheimer Analysis or Martial Canterel?  Hell yeah!