I ♥ Canadians

Lesson here kiddies: Even if you see it in a publication does not mean it’s real. Do your homework!

Back in November of 2007, Rolling Stone ran a mysterious editorial called “Indie Band Universe,” where they listed some independent bands from across North America. However, the piece was also littered with strategically placed mentions of Camel cigarettes because, well, it was alleged to be an ad paid for by the tobacco company.

Understandably, the bands involved were pissed off.

This affects Americans and Canadians alike, I think.

Under the terms of the agreement filed Jan. 25 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, officials with Ticketmaster and Live Nation agreed to make significant changes to their merger, including divesting assets and licensing software in order to make the ticketing market more competitive.

They just have to give up their assets and software? Other companies have had to come up with their own software already to get around their greediness. I wonder what’s in it for the U.S. Department of Justice.

On thesixtyone, new artists make music and listeners decide what’s good. We’re nurturing a growing ecosystem where talented folks can sell songs and merchandise directly to their fans. Unlike a record or distribution deal where they only make $1-2 per album (if they ever get paid, that is), artists on thesixtyone make at least $7 per album and are paid every 30 days — no wait for recoupment and no complex royalty schemes!