Keeping the Recording Industry Alive

In the past 5 years the music industry as professionals know it has changed drastically. Technology has played a large role in what some say is the end of the recording industry. Peer to peer data networks such as Napster, Limewire, and ZShare have made it possible for would be consumers to download and share copyrighted musical works illegally without paying. Record labels and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) have attempted to police illegal file threatening to take legal action against any persons caught illegally downloading music. Most of the legal cases that were brought against illegal file swappers were eventually dropped resulting in no serious punishment to the defendants.

Knowing that record labels, artists, and publishers all take drastic losses when albums fail to sell, all three parties have to take measures to remain as profitable as possible. The first step in attempting to remain profitable in today’s music industry is by making hit records. Without a hit record, there’s nothing to promote and sell. For years consumers have had to buy an entire cd to learn that they only like 2 out of 14 songs. The record label got away with promoting a hit single and having the remainder of the album would consist of filler material. Consumers have complained about this for years, but the labels continued to do the same practice. With the introduction of Itunes, Wal-mart.com, and other pay music download sites, consumers are able to pay for and download as few or as many songs as they desire. This has made the business of selling albums, a business of selling singles. Once the recording industry fully embraces the technology and begins heavily promoting the sell of songs digitally as opposed to physical cd’s, they will begin to see a larger profit margin. Digital record sales eliminate many costs associated with the sell of physical cd’s including packaging, shipping, and the return of goods not sold.

The old practice of an artist doing shows to promote the sell of cd’s has changed to allowing cd’s and singles to be promotional material for live shows. This practice has made the record label construct what’s commonly known as the 360 deal in which a label gets a percentage of all revenue streams their artists produce. This includes the label getting a cut of merchandising, publishing, and performance fees. Online social networking sites are a great new way for labels and artists to promote and introduce new music. Many label a&r sit and surf various online databases searching for new talent as opposed to the old way of frequenting local bars and concert venues.

Being in the recording industry for the last 10 years, I’ve seen the changes that we as industry professionals have had to adjust to. The days of the lavish lifestyle of spending 6 figures on videos and studio time are a thing of the past. I got my undergraduate degree in Music/Business Administration from the University of North Alabama. Eventually, I was signed as a staff music producer with Sony/ATV Tunes Music Publishing. While with Sony I wrote and produced records for R&B Legend Alexander O'Neal, Epic recording artists B2K, Jive Recordings artist Ciara, Bad Boy Recordings artists B5, and more. I’ve done music production on such films as Paramount Pictures "Coach Carter" and Disney's feature film "Kronk's New Groove". I also composed the theme song and scores the Emmy Award nominated children's television show "Hip Hop Harry". My blog can be read at http://blahblahblog-blahblahblog.

Greektonez offers Divine Nine a new innovative line of Greek themed products.

Divine Nine members now have two new cutting edge products to represent their respected Greek letter organizations in the most technologically advanced way to date. www.Greektonez.com is the first web-based store front to offer the sale of college fraternity/sorority chants, calls, and songs as downloadable mobile phone ring tones. Greektonez.com will initially offer Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. five different ring tones per organization.

In addition to Divine Nine themed ring tones, Greektonez.com also introduces Greek Screenz; a new line of animated computer screen savers that step and chant. Each downloadable screen saver comes with five different variations per Greek organization. Greek Screenz are Windows and Mac OS X compatible. Go to greektonez.com for a preview and to “get your ringtones to steppin’”.

www.Greektonez.com is a project thought of and constructed by Atlanta based producer/composer French Spencer. Being a Divine Nine member himself, French thought it would be a cool and fun way to represent his fraternity with mobile phone ringers and later computer screen savers. Greektonez.com is run very similar to an undergraduate chapter of a fraternity or sorority. A portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to local charities, colleges, or community organizations. For more information on www.Greektonez you can contact the president via email at info@greektonez.com or by phone at 404 593 3431.

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Greektonez.com Introduction

Greektonez.com will be a web-based store that provides mobile phone ring tones, screensavers and other technology related products for members of the Greek National Pan-Hellenic Council and its affiliates. The National Pan-Hellenic Council, also known as the NPHC is a coalition of the nine largest historically African American Greek letter fraternities and sororities currently representing over 1.5 million members internationally. This, internationally recognized, organization was organized May 10, 1930 on the campus of Howard University. The organization boasts a diverse membership comprised of students, celebrities, corporate, political, and community leaders. It’s affiliate membership includes the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc, and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Greektonez provides this extensive membership base with a variety of membership branded technological products and services.

The primary product provided by Greektonez is its ringtones. Today everyone is connected via the internet and mobile phones. In addition mobile phones have become mini computers. Students, professionals, and the average person have become dependent on these devices. Mobile phone sales have increased dramatically as the cost becomes more affordable with a variety of phones to choose from. With the demands of having a mobile phone, accessories have seen an increase in demand as well. Greektonez provides one of a kind ringtones for each of the NPHC organizations. The ringtones are unique, and affordable. They vary from music to jokes, sound bites and similar data. Ringtones have become increasingly popular since the music industry has begun to transition from the tangible to the intangible product. With the Greektonez consumer will have a choice between 9 different songs/chants/calls to download as their ringtone.

Electronic screensavers and wallpaper are also offered by Greektonez. On each CD there will be two screensavers for one price. It will be of each organization displaying a stroll or party walk of each organization. When the consumers look at the screensaver in action they will see the exact moves they do while at parties. This is a program that displays a constantly shifting pattern or picture on a computer, mobile phone, or PDA screen when it is idle. Its original use was to prevent permanent change to the screen through continuous display of the same image but is now used primarily for decoration. The screensavers are custom made especially for the nine organizations of the NPHC depicting animated representations of members doing signature strolls.

Because of the dependence that both college students and professionals have on the now much needed mobile accessory Greektonez also offers laptop and mobile phone cases/carriers. These cases are often a small or portable container used for enclosing the devise to be protected and to be transported easily. The cases and carriers offered by Greektonez been customized to represent each individual organization of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The organizations are represented with attractive graphics that display the organization’s colors, mascots and the year the organization was founded.

The consumers will be able to access the ringtones and screensavers off the Greektonez website. The internet, social sites, e-mail and direct mailings will give the consumer the many channels to access the product, ask questions and get them answered.