Interview With Andre Gray, Founder/CEO Of Digital Electronic Music Organization
by Todd Beals, Â Recording Industry Association of America has officially launched its RIAA Digital Award Program this month with a recent reception in Miami as an expansion of its Gold and Platinum program. This is obviously the natural evolution of a growing new sales channel that is becoming widely adopted. According to Clive Davis, CEO of BMG North America, "even though U.S. music sales are up +9 percent so far this year, retailers are struggling to hold their ground in a market where digital sales are growing." According to recent reports by SoundScan , "there were 54 million legal downloads in the first half of 2004, compared to 19 million for the last half of 2003."

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By Keith Holzman
By Jeff Tamarkin

As we approach the final quarter, we should start thinking about the coming year and all that it might entail. Which means that not only should we be thinking about what artists and recordings we hope to release next year, but that we also should build financial projections and budgets so see that we remain fiscally healthy. This assumes you're already fiscally healthy.

By Carla Hall, CEOs at record labels probably aren't sleeping too well these days. Not because they're having second thoughts about rejecting your demo...again. Not because Clear Channel has a lock on radio playlists. Record label execs are now counting sheep due to a new wrinkle in their marketing plans: Consumer Choice.

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By Christopher KnabIn an effort to educate artists and bands that still think signing a record label contract is the be-all and end-all of their existence, this month's column is about the challenges of staying in the label's good graces once they have signed you. In past columns I have written about the huge risk so many aspiring artists are willing to take to get the almighty recording contract. This month I take you on a journey inside the mysterious world of becoming a priority release at a label, once the label has decided to release your recording.

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By Thom King,Â

In some purest circles, corporate support may be viewed as "selling out." But since its inception, Multimediary has established a track record of creating mutually beneficial programs based on a synergistic harmony between both artist and business. The result is substantial exposure for both artist sponsor, the off-set of re-coupables for the artist, and brand enhancement through experiential branding opportunities that align the artist, the tastemaker, and influencer of peer groups.