Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Major labels preparing new album format

Contributed by Aubin. Posted by Bryne on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 3:00 PM (EDT)

The four major labels have announced plans to unveil a new digital album format - tentatively titled CMX - that would include songs, lyrics, videos, liner notes, artwork and possibly other bonus content such as ringtones. This news comes on the heels that Apple is working on an in-house alternative to the format called Cocktail. A representative from one of the labels elaborated on the format:

"Ours will be a file that you click on, it opens and it would have a brand new look, with a launch page and all the different options. When you click on it you're not just going to get the 10 tracks, you're going to get the artwork, the video and mobile products."

Given that Apple is building their own alternative to the format, it's unclear if CMX will be compatible with iTunes, iPods and other Apple products. The labels plan to give CMX a soft launch in November, starting with a few selected releases.

Games and Technology (93 comments)

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Seriously.

Report

dlangl4 (August 12, 2009)

I don't care what major labels do, but I wish punk bands would make their lyrics more readily available.

6+ Replies

Report

AmericanRiot (August 12, 2009)

yeah what happened to the "send a SASE to .... and we will [maybe] send you a lyrics sheet" days?

Report

dev (August 12, 2009)

Haha, I have Strung Out's lyrics to Twisted By Design by using that method.

Report

mikexdude (August 12, 2009)

songs meanings > plyrics

Report

DefianceOhioEqualsLove (August 12, 2009)

YES!!

Report

binaural111 (August 12, 2009)

yes this.i always *think* im singing it correctly

Report

PMAtill_ImDOA (August 17, 2009)

man, the amount of times i have thought to myself: If i see play a show i will feel like a fucktard when i sing the wrong words into the mic

Report

Dante3000 (rich) (August 12, 2009)

I was just thinking that digital music isn't muddled enough.
-Dante

Report

kidgotham (August 12, 2009)

I really don't think this is going to do a lot. People who want free music will always get it. Those who don't still likely buy records.
This seems like a way for labels to justify raising prices by giving people a little more. Enhanced CD's were useless too. It seems very similar.

4+ Replies

Report

655321 (August 12, 2009)

I agree. Perhaps the majors are trying to retire the cd format all together, and this way, people that still buy cds now will be less reluctant to move to the completely digital format when/if that happens. Just a thought

Report

jacknife737 (August 12, 2009)

I fucking loath advanced cds, especially in the age of mp3's, ripping a cd becomes chore. At least that shit seems to have gone away.

Report

McFlynnTHM (john) (August 12, 2009)

I've gotten a handful of CDs recently that have "enhanced" content. Fucking stupid. If you want me to see a video, just put it on your goddamned website/myspace.

Report

TheMike (August 12, 2009)

Seriously? You're angry over enhanced CDs? You need to get laid or something.

Report

minorkaty (katy) (August 13, 2009)

I hate them when they automatically open a window w/ the content and programming when you pop it in... If I want to see the enhanced part, I'll open the file. Don't make it automatic and fuck up my computer.

Report

timahelm (August 13, 2009)

+1, totally agree!!!

Report

scorpiondeathlock (August 12, 2009)

havent paid for music in over 5 years. wont start now.

3+ Replies

Report

kidgotham (August 12, 2009)

You haven't paid at all? Or have not purchased from a major label in five years?

Report

deadXlast (August 12, 2009)

Why won't you pay for music? Before I call you an asshole, I'd like to hear a reason.

Report

The4footpartysub (August 12, 2009)

you should at least buy stuff directly from smaller bands at shows... most of them really need your support.

Report

JohnnyClash (August 12, 2009)

Oh Neat! Another intangible piece of shit from major labels. I'm sure it sounds just as shitty as MP3s do. Another gold plated turd. Over it.

1+ Reply

Report

tainthuffer (August 12, 2009)

heeeeelarious.
the dinosaurs, theyre cowering...

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

That picture is hilarious/perfect. This is so fucking stupid. Vinyl or GTFO.

5+ Replies

Report

ExtraCheesePizza (August 12, 2009)

This. I wanna kiss on the mouth whoever decided on the Picard picture.
And
Vinyl with download card or GTFO.

Report

kidgotham (August 12, 2009)

My record player rips mp3's. It was a gift, and totally great.

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

That's the coolest thing I've ever heard.

Report

ExtraCheesePizza (August 12, 2009)

I just ordered one of those last week. I'm really excited. Is yours an Ion? and how is the sound quality?

Report

655321 (August 12, 2009)

I have a Crosley that does it. Overall everything is okay - obviously the better the quality of the vinyl the better the recording comes out. I still would like the download coupon. No complaints though, for a turntable with built in speakers and the ability to record to mp3 for $100, what more can you ask for.

Once I have more room in my apartment I'll have to upgrade to a real turntable setup. Any suggestions on good home stereo turntables (obviously not for DJing) that won't break the wallet?

Report

Banal242 (August 12, 2009)

I have a Crosley like that. It's pretty cool for out of print albums, but I haven't figured out an efficient way to cut tracks.

Report

kidgotham (August 12, 2009)

Yeah, I have an Ion. The sound quality is pretty good. When i riped HWM's Caution, it sounded perfect, where as other records, even in mint condition are kinda quiet. The software it comes with is really easy. In fact, it is almost too easy.
Make sure you have your imput / output volume on your computer high. For the longest time I couldn't figure out why things were so quiet, and sure enough this caused it.
I love it because I have it hooked up to my surround sound system in my living room, and when I turn it up, it sounds so good. I haven't even converted many records yet because I am finding myself enjoying the actual wax.

Report

Michael_Berryman (August 12, 2009)

i use it to rip my 7"s so i don't have to keep getting up and flipping records.

Report

Banal242 (August 12, 2009)

That's one of those awesome simple ideas that I was too dumb to think of.

Report

xBadxAstronautx (August 17, 2009)

You realize you are getting the WORST of both worlds by doing that? The reason people still like vinyl is because it's analog, which [maybe] sounds more natural than digital CDs. But by converting to MP3 you get digital music with the added noise of vinyl.

Report

Medley (August 12, 2009)

Download cards really should be standard at this point. I only started buying vinyl fairly recently and have been dissapointed with some new releases not including downloads. It's not a deal breaker, really, but getting the mp3s is appreciated. I can't always find good torrents.

Report

Cheesetits (August 12, 2009)

The picture gave me a warming chuckle.

Report

sugarfull (August 12, 2009)

I would say that many times, digipack CDs are just as good looking as the vinyl. Sometimes they're even better. but I'm a CD man myself.

Report

Phantom_Maggot (August 12, 2009)

Aye, Dios Mios.

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

In other news, Story of the Year have completed their new album (hopefully similar to The Black Swan and not Page Avenue), and Jesse Lacey has compared Daisy to YFW.

2+ Replies

Report

carnivoroustree (August 12, 2009)

linx for Jesse?

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

http://www.spin.com/articles/qa-brand-news-jesse-lacey

Still seems like an awesome, down to earth kind of dude.

Report

carnivoroustree (August 12, 2009)

This totally didn't make news. I sent it in if you hadn't already. He really does seem like a really nice guy. I can't believe it's almost been 7 years since YFW came out.

Report

InaGreendase (brian) (August 12, 2009)

8*.

Report

mikexdude (August 12, 2009)

This makes me sad : (

Report

red_eye_inc (August 12, 2009)

We already have this, it's called mp3s and a pdf of the book

3+ Replies

Report

mikexdude (August 12, 2009)

And therer are websites to upload said MP3's into ringtones if you really wanted to. In otherwords: pointless/waste of money.

Report

mikexdude (August 12, 2009)

Oh, and youtube for the "videos"

Report

punckass (August 12, 2009)

i don't understand why people bother buying ringtones of songs anyway? i just set my ringtone to an mp3, am i missing something? most half decent phone nowadays play mp3s, and if u were desperate to edit it to a chorus or something you could edit it using free tools. i just pick songs with awesome intros, currently pbc - election day

and this idea sounds whack. like ringtones, its another last ditch attempt from the music industry to make a few quick bucks out of idiots. another dying gasp... somebody take it out and shoot it already.

Report

lostandclowned (August 12, 2009)

This will fail.

Report

veryEmergency (August 12, 2009)

Fonzie just jumped the fucking shark

Report

DrGunn (August 12, 2009)

picard > kirk

3+ Replies

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

Agreed, though it's a close battle.

Report

Knifetrader (August 12, 2009)

Rewatching DS9 lately after having watched TNG in its entirety during the last year and I am tempted to say that Cisco is even more badass than Picard...

Report

DrHankMcCoy (August 12, 2009)

fun fact: they are both Shakespearean trained
but yeah, cisco wins in a fight

Report

ThisKidsAlright (August 12, 2009)

So it sounds like they're making it like a DVD. I guess this means when you go to sleep with music on the menu will repeat itself all night and slowly drive you insane.

Also... ten tracks?

5+ Replies

Report

mikexdude (August 12, 2009)

I guess this means when you go to sleep with music on the menu will repeat itself all night and slowly drive you insane.

HAHAHAHA, so true. The school of rock dvd is the worst. The line "I didn't get my allowance today, and now I'm really PISSED OFF" is drilled into my brain for ever.

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

Hahaha, the same thing happened to me with "What's your fat ass doing here?" "He's my only means of conveyance." from Family Guy Vol. 1.

Report

mikexdude (August 12, 2009)

That happened with me and that exact dvd too... wow...

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

Haha that's really funny. I got a terrible flashback the other night when that episode was on.

Report

SalsaShark (August 12, 2009)

Anyone let the Bad Santa DVD menu loop?

I'M ON MY FUCKIN LUNCH BREAK, OKAY? (Lettuce falls out of mouth)

I also grew to hate The Matrix DVD menu.

Report

ehx82 (August 12, 2009)

I made out with this girl for the first time to the chasing amy menu music for a good half hour. Now anytime I hear the soft guitar/hums theme from that movie I remember it like its happening. So, I win.

Report

spoon_of_grimbo (August 12, 2009)

the menus on The Ring will shit you up if you fall asleep watching the film and wake up to that. hell, i fell asleep at a mate's house once, and woke up to find everyone else asleep and that menu on loop. i damn near shat a brick!

Report

ahopeagainsthope (August 12, 2009)

Half-assed attempts like these are part of the reason why I don't purchase music from major labels. These fuckers just don't know what they're doing. If you want people to buy CDs, lower the goddamn prices. I went to Best Buy yesterday and almost everything was over $14. Between this and the RIAA, I've just had it with these self-interested fuckers and will download anything they put out.

Now indie labels like Fat Wreck, No Idea, SideOneDummy, etc., those guys still get my money because they're awesome.

2+ Replies

Report

thetakeover (August 12, 2009)

Last time I was at Best Buy, they actually had a pretty neat vinyl section, I was surprised. Too bad most of the records they had blew.

Report

The4footpartysub (August 12, 2009)

i totally agree. what also pisses me off is when i actually buy a cd from a major label and it has copy protection on it. i've begun completely boycotting the ones that do this.

Report

ChadReligion (August 12, 2009)

This is funny....
Its like the majors are trying to get juice from rocks

Report

CrotchRot (August 12, 2009)

lol at "soft launch"

also, at the idea

Report

blue_drink (August 12, 2009)

Hooray! Now we can pirate more than just the tracks!

1+ Reply

Report

SloaneDaley (August 12, 2009)

haha

Report

TheSandwiches (August 12, 2009)

Does anyone play in a band/book shows/ work at a bar Venue in TN or KY?

Red Collar(www.myspace.com/redcollarmusic) had a cancellation on august 21st and looking to fill the date.

they are looking for a show in one of the following cities:
Louisville, Ky
Lexington Ky
Memphis Tn
Nashville Tn

if anyone can help please email me at scotty At loosecharm.com

Report

trolley (August 12, 2009)

I'd put money on it using some bullshit form of DRM.

1+ Reply

Report

fox82 (August 13, 2009)

No shit.

Report

Timorous_Me (August 12, 2009)

A lot of people are focusing on the pirated music angle, but from what I heard this new format is supposed to attract the people who only buy one or two songs from an album off of itunes.

Personally, I think that this will have no effect on those people. Someone who only wants the single probably cares a lot less about having things like lyrics and album art than people who pirate whole albums.

But if record companies really want people to go back to buying whole albums, besides the obvious answer of putting out better albums, they should try and close the gap between singles and albums' price. If it's 1.29 a song, or 7 bucks for the whole 11 songs, more people might be willing to pay the few extra bucks.

-Steven

1+ Reply

Report

ehx82 (August 12, 2009)

Agreed! Brilliant! I vote we make this guy the head of the RIAA. What's that? I don't work there? And I have absoloutly no say at all? Oh, then nevermind.

Report

ashtraymonument (August 12, 2009)

hooray!

oh wait the other thing

Report

xchemicalx (August 12, 2009)

Just google "ringle" if you are curious has to how bad this will flop.

2+ Replies

Report

skottybloodbank (August 12, 2009)

holy shit thats terrible...

Report

xchemicalx (August 12, 2009)

They never even got released. I wonder if this format ever will....

Report

skottybloodbank (August 12, 2009)

my friend had a guitar ...its name was Jean Luc Pickguard!!!

Report

Tom_Delonge (August 12, 2009)

Captain Picard is a circular narrative in many ways. Where he kind of sums up the human race in a time capsule.

Report

kevgren (August 12, 2009)

So give your ID card to the border guard
Now your alias says that you're Jean Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets
Cause he won't speak English anyways...

2+ Replies

Report

Tom_Delonge (August 12, 2009)

The Refreshments are a circular narrative in many ways where they kind of sum up the human race in a time capsule.

Report

kevgren (August 12, 2009)

You've got good taste in music, Tom.

Report

Misanthropee (August 12, 2009)

Nothing more than another desperate attempt to jump-start DRM while they still have some revenue stream. Death spasms. I love it.

Report

kylewagoner (August 12, 2009)

This also just in: bands still make albums on vinyl and CDs that come with artwork, songs, lyrics, and liner notes and vinyls often have codes for bonus material and CDs will often have bonus material on them. Who knew?! AND you can hold it all in your hands.

Report

jacknife737 (August 12, 2009)

Yeah, i'm still never going to pay for digital music.

Report

MattRamone (August 12, 2009)

Pic is win.

Report

Jelone (joe) (August 12, 2009)

No one gave a darn about Enhanced CD or DualDisc. Same shit; different format.

Report

PoliticsOfStarving (August 12, 2009)

So the new format is basically their own version of a zip or rar archive? That's stupid.

Report

Stenny (August 13, 2009)

I'll call him an asshole. Music fan

Report

Brett-NOLA (August 13, 2009)

Dear Punknews.org---- please stop reporting on major label crap. It's like you're reporting on how many corpses Count Dracula left behind last night.

Your readers simply don't care what the Offspring are doing, or what shit band Victory Records just signed to their shit label, or even what shit band some sub-imprint of Epitaph just signed.

We want to read stories about real, progressive fucking punk and indie music. Let's do it. Let's stop all this silliness.

1+ Reply

Report

PoliticsOfStarving (August 13, 2009)

I'm interested in reading about this.

There's big difference between hearing about some shitty major label pop music and keeping up to date with major labels current idiocies.

There were only 2 stories that grabbed my attention today. Streetlight Manifesto and this.

Will you argue that perhaps I'm not the target audience of this site? But I listen almost exclusively to orgcore and folk punk. And I dress stereotypically with flannel shirts and band tshirts.
I also argue to the death with some of my closest friends that any music that is outside of the scope that I listen to is just fucking horrible.

Report

fox82 (August 13, 2009)

So, uh, I guess they just discovered that you can use Flash animation for stuff other than making websites and hentai dating sims, right? It sounds like an awesome concept on paper, but nobody really cares that much about having all that shit together (videos, lyrics, ring-tones etc) in one digital file, because 9 out of 10 times, people listen to mp3s on the go (where it's inconvenient to watch all that crap roll on a 1.5" LCD screen, or have them blasting in the background doing other stuff on their computer.

Didn't they try something similar with music DVDs and it failed? Why do I get the impression that this is going to be as popular as mini-discs were? It will cost a shitload (compared to other formats, like 'good ol' mp3s') and when it fails for being a horrible format that nobody really needs or wants (apart from yuppie-type assholes who get high on the c

show rest of comment

1+ Reply

Report

nick_s (August 13, 2009)

I went round to a friend's the other day and she had about 200 mini disks, couldn't help but laugh a little.

Report

nick_s (August 13, 2009)

It just reads as an attempt to try and create a format that people can't duplicate and file share, they don't seem to realise the concept is pretty useless. Whichever way they point the finger there is no justification for trying to sell albums at £16.99 like they were in most music stores, especially as most the bands who were releasing through these major labels had 2 or 3 marketable songs and 9 filler tracks. Greed came to bite them in the arse. The only time i'll spend a decent amount on a cd is if the band are touring, otherwise is bargain city all the way.

Lets put it this way, really cheap or free for mp3's or £15 if it includes liner notes and a ringtone....