The Digital Music Weblog retires
Thursday, February 1st, 2007
As regular readers know, as of today. The blog will continue to exist as a searchable archive. Grant and Gordon, who have written so splendidly in this space, are staying in the network.
Whenever we make a change, there is some disappointment among readers, and sadness for everyone -- including those of us involved in decision-making. We take it all seriously; nothing about this is capricious. TDMW has lived close to our hearts, and especially close to mine.
This blog was my starting point at WIN ( if you're interested). It was a little tough to let it go when I was hired by AOL, but Grant, Gordon (Tommy Perkins and Sharky Laguna before them) have done an amazing job carrying onward the blog's relentless examinations of the RIAA's colossal machinations and the opportunistic maneuvers of the indie music scene. And it's tough now to move the blog into retirement.
It's important to point out that a blog retirement is not a blog failure. Here at Weblogs, Inc. we are continually honing our network to be the best content engine for readers and bloggers both. In part, that means figuring out how to divide our resources that, sadly, are not infinite. We have changed tremendously in the last three years, expanding wildly at the start into a sort of bulk publishing model, then refining and contracting somewhat into a leaner machine. We have more bloggers than ever before, and fewer blogs than a year ago. That means a dazzling concentration of minds and voices in our chosen fields of publication. A good example is , his new home.
I speak for everyone on the Weblogs, Inc. team when I give the greatest appreciation to our amazing bloggers, who wake up every single day thinking, "What will I dig up today?" Professional blogging is unlike any other freelance writing gig, in both its relentless schedule and editorial freedom. I am always proud of our team, and frequently awed.
Finally, thanks to everyone who took an interest in The Digital Music Weblog, both casual visitors and dedicated readers. | | |
Whenever we make a change, there is some disappointment among readers, and sadness for everyone -- including those of us involved in decision-making. We take it all seriously; nothing about this is capricious. TDMW has lived close to our hearts, and especially close to mine.
This blog was my starting point at WIN ( if you're interested). It was a little tough to let it go when I was hired by AOL, but Grant, Gordon (Tommy Perkins and Sharky Laguna before them) have done an amazing job carrying onward the blog's relentless examinations of the RIAA's colossal machinations and the opportunistic maneuvers of the indie music scene. And it's tough now to move the blog into retirement.
It's important to point out that a blog retirement is not a blog failure. Here at Weblogs, Inc. we are continually honing our network to be the best content engine for readers and bloggers both. In part, that means figuring out how to divide our resources that, sadly, are not infinite. We have changed tremendously in the last three years, expanding wildly at the start into a sort of bulk publishing model, then refining and contracting somewhat into a leaner machine. We have more bloggers than ever before, and fewer blogs than a year ago. That means a dazzling concentration of minds and voices in our chosen fields of publication. A good example is , his new home.
I speak for everyone on the Weblogs, Inc. team when I give the greatest appreciation to our amazing bloggers, who wake up every single day thinking, "What will I dig up today?" Professional blogging is unlike any other freelance writing gig, in both its relentless schedule and editorial freedom. I am always proud of our team, and frequently awed.
Finally, thanks to everyone who took an interest in The Digital Music Weblog, both casual visitors and dedicated readers. | | |
Watch out Mariah Carey, the diva days are coming to an end. According to , cost conscious labels are starting to cut the cord on bratty divas and their expensive entourages. No surprise given the overall tightening of the purse strings, and its certainly encouraging to see labels wising up to the idea of running like a real business. 
, a unique crowd sourcing site which allows emerging independent artists to take seed money from fans until they amass enough capital to record a full professional studio album, has announced its second fan funded breakthrough. 
Rumours are circulating that the Beatles and Apple have finally settled their long running feud and as a result that Beatles tracks will finally be available on iTunes. The members of the legendary 60s pop group had a long running trade mark dispute with Apple over the Apple trade mark - which the Beatles controlled in terms of the music industry - as a result of their Apple Recordings label. 
What happens when your label's advertising budget runs thin? Well, you can't purchase ads in major music magazines. What happens when you stop purchasing ads in major music magazines? They stop covering your releases*. 
Ok, we admit it, we were glued to the TV just like you last night, watching the part of American Idol which pays entertainment dividends like no other; The auditions.