oh how times change...

sure... when i got into radio we were still using cart machines. i got my start as reel-to-reels were ending their run... where splicing an edit together meant it was time to break out the razor blade and actually cut, then tape it back together! *NOW WAIT* this WAS in college! i'm not that old!

that new-fangled invention "compact discs" had been out for a while. and the college station i worked at would get our "hit disks" in the mail from TM Century every couple of weeks with the latest songs being pushed on the charts. record companies were the same way.

from that point, over the next 5-10 years, digital downloads rose to prominence. itunes gained in popularity. and record sales... er CD sales, started to bite it. hard.

well... today i came across the evolutionary step forward. what is surely either the "next format," or an attempt by the labels to still have something physical to mail out to radio stations offering new music. astral works records sent about 20 of these our way...

a micro-SD card with 16 tracks new artist music on it.

a CD ends up in crooked stacks that lean their way toward the ceilings of the music director and program director's offices. an email with a digital song attached... or a link to a shared site with new music is too easy to pass over and be missed. surely a tiny... little... microchip, with numerous songs digitized and compressed to hell... to the point where the dynamics have all but been wiped smooth... will get the job done. it'll be noticed right?

so i asked around to see if anyone had plugged this little bad-boy in and give it a listen...

of the three people who are actively managing the influx of new music around cd101, the answers ranged from...

"that's so high tech to me that it's almost too much. i have not-- who's on the playlist?" to... "what?"

guess those record companies still've got some work to do. nice try though fellas.

here's a test post via SMS. hoping this works out! although i'm thinking posting via email will be better suited since I can attach pics.

more music widget...

just messin around with the CD101 music widget. love that you can grab it and post to your blog / facebook / other sites! also love that it continues to update! sweet!

a perfect example of why magazines are folding...

earlier today the memorial service for Michael Jackson was broadcast all over the world. the news coverage for the "king of pop's" death has been everywhere! in fact, trying to get away from it is virtually impossible! it's pretty safe to say that i've had my fill of MJ tributes, specials and the like. don't get me wrong, i love his music. just pointing out how much coverage there has been.

the irony in all of this is that this morning, as i paged through the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine, dated July 9-23, while eating my generic brand super sugar crisp... i came across this sweet little story...

"Michael Jackson's Troubled Comeback"

The singer's upcoming 50 concerts will make him rich again - if he holds up.

in a world where instant gratification is expected, especially in the world of entertainment news, you're going to have a hard time competing when the competition is flying past you days... even weeks ahead of time! and don't kid yourself. anything that grabs consumers' eyes and ears these days is absolutely competition!

so a dated story like this is only going to happen occasionally. possibly. but the more often it happens you know that subscribers and those suckers who actually paid full price at the news stand are going to think twice about whether or not they lay down the cash next time. the point is that the overall content of Rolling Stone, and any other magazine for that matter, is going to have to be so freakin good... that people look past the short comings.

needless to say... this issue of Rolling Stone features the Jonas Brothers on the cover. i think you see where i'm going with this one.