What we're listening to this week. Bob Marley 'Legend'.

We know, we know, you're saying, 'what? a compilation?' rather than 'Exodus', 'Catch a fire', 'Babylon by Bus' or 'Burnin' and we hear you....sort of.

But if you want to hear what's best of Bob Marley, it's all on 'Legend'. Released in 1984 (after he died in Miami in 1981), it is the best selling reggae album of all time. It still sells up to 5,000 copies a week.

'Stir it up', 'Buffalo Soldier', 'One love', 'I shot the sheriff' (which was written by Marley but Clapton made famous), 'Could you be loved', 'Jamming', of course 'No Woman No cry' (live), 'Get up stand up'....there all here but....without any doubt, the real outstanding Marley track is 'Waiting in vain'. None better.

It's over 30 years old but what Marley did was bring reggae into the mainstream and 11 children. It still sounds fresh, different and summertime. The joy in his music stems from his religious beliefs (which ultimately cost him his life in declining treatments).

They all loved it in Streamabout anyway. Ye man.

Here's 'Waiting in Vain'. Stunner.

And here's the complete Album.

Numbers support the move away from traditional media and notably, TV to Online.

The switch from traditional media, especially TV, to Digital is well underway as we know. Common sense.....because rather than be told differently, we all know that we are spending more time online.

Whether that's web browsing, youtube or Social Media, we see it all around us and especially if you've young kids where their 'devices' are all that matters, rather than say, traditional TV. 

How many of us now, get our news online for free rather than physically buying a newspaper? How many of us watch Ad-free Netflix or Amazon more than before?

If traditional media is not being consumed as much, less people are watching the Ads. In the case of TV, less people are watching the Ad breaks and when they are, they're watching via fast forward on record or, with their laptop open (second screen). So the Ads are getting less and less attention not just, less and less viewers.

So we know it's happening.

A really interesting piece from Social Week Blog, now supports that with numbers.

Flurry (owned by Yahoo!) show mobile is watched in the US (and that'll be no different to other countries with high mobile penetration) for 2 hours, 57 minutes. Traditional TV is behind at 2 hours, 48 minutes.

18-24's according to Nielsen, watch 18 hours a week of TV. Only. A decline of nearly 4 hours viewing in a year.

Yet 41% of them are active on Snapchat and undoubtedly, Facebook (with 4 Billion video views a day).

And these are a key demographic for brands.

As Social Week points out, it has momentum in the switch away notably, from TV. And if that audience is moving to online (and it is), then that's where the Ad money will go. Although the Ad budgets are shifting, far more slowly than the audience is moving.

The fact is that advertisers need to sit up and take notice and be conscious of the advice of their Agency who may, through a lack of skill sets in this changing world, want to maintain the status quo. It's easier to keep doing what you've always done.

"Beliefs are hard to change" says the Social week blog and they are.....but the growth in online digital video (Video Ads) which Streamabout alone have experienced, illustrates that change is coming.

Quickly. But perhaps, not at the pace it deserves.

You can read the Social Week Blog here;


http://socialmediaweek.org/blog/2015/08/the-end-of-advertising/

What we're listening to this week. Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'

Let us introduce you to someone you've probably never heard of - Stephen Fretwell (and neither had we, until someone here played it this week). But always good to hear something new. And this is stunning.

From Scunthorpe in England (someone has to be), he released his debut 'Magpie' in 2004 (recorded at Abbey Road) and since then, seems to have supported everyone on tour (notably 'Elbow') as well as a couple of more Albums. 

But this is one of those singer/songwriters who just doesn't seem to have broken through - yet should have, with an Album like this. Not unlike Ed Sheeran in some ways, but deeper (if ye know what we mean - less 'poppy').

The track 'Emily' seems to have got him most notice, but 'Play' is undoubtedly one of the best songs we've heard. Ever. Followed by 'Brother' and 'New York'. 

Worth getting the Album for those 4 tracks alone.
Try 'Play' here - you'll love it, trust us.

And then try 'New York' live, here.

Facebook announces great Q2 numbers. And the stock is?

Facebook just announced its Q2 numbers.
And like Twitter, its stock is down circa -4%....

Revenue of 4.04 Billion usd is +39% year on year! 

968 million DAILY actives users and that's up +17% year on year!

Only about 17% of those users are USA/Canada so Facebook's reach is more global.

About 65% of Facebook active monthly users are now daily users so it's being used more often.

And daily users are using it on average, for 46 minutes a day.

Facebook generates 1.5 Billion searches a day.
And users are sharing +40% more video than they were.

Margin has dropped from 48% to 31% but that's on the back of increased costs through investment which to be fair, Facebook warned it was doing.
They have 2 million advertisers.

Video too, is driving their Ad growth said Sandberg because it's now more targeted.

So overall, that's a pretty great performance no matter what way you look at it. Huge increases in Revenue, Daily active users, better global spread, longer dwell times, video drivers, new investment, more advertisers....and the stock is what? 
Down? 
Explain that because it's making no sense. 
At all.

Twitter gets a break.

Bit of a revival in the Twittersphere with better than expected numbers this week.

Q2 Revenue of 502 million usd was +4% better than expected. Active monthly users at 316 million was up from 302 million and up from 288 million end last year. 

That's growth in the face of what was considered a "flat" curve. So no, more people are actively using Twitter. 80% active on mobile giving 88% of the revenue (398 million usd).

It has cash of 3.6 Billion usd and shares gained +5% on the day with of course, Jack Dorsey doing all the talking (and straight talking by all accounts). 

But what this does it raise expectations for Q3 and in particular, growth in users as well as, revenues. The shares have fallen back now somewhat.

So it's a bit of good news that has to be sustained and therein, lies the difficulty. Hung by your own success.

(Postscript Wednesday - after hours trading in shares showed at nearly -13% decline in prices at one stage. So there was an offload......which seems to be about comments made about the slow user growth - Monthly active Users MAU's).

What we're listening to this week. James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'.

James Taylor's second Album from 1970 (the first was just self titled JT), is the one that made him and beats all else. He was in fact 21 and homeless at the time (he's 67 now) and recorded it on a tiny budget with the help of Peter Asher.

'Fire and Rain' was the Album song that sold the record but 'Sweet Baby James' (written for his son, also called James), 'Lo and Behold', 'Country Road' are the stand out tracks. Carole King is here too on piano and vocals, as is Randy Meisner from The Eagles (they were long time struggling pals).

Taylor had his problems then too - mental health and notably heroin addictions- which is reflected in 'Fire and Rain'. This is a rock-country-folk classic. There's no other words really for a master at work and very summery listening. 

But it's the very start of Taylor's long career and superb songwriting ('You've got a friend', 'Handy Man', 'Something in the way she moves', 'Mexico') as well as appearing with everyone you care to mention. 

In fact, in 1971, he was a session man on Joni's legendary 'Blue' (if you like that kinda' thing....).

Always worth a listen. Loved in Streamabout anyway. Have a go here - 

Ashley Madison. The hack that could cost 200 million.

The Ashley Madison site hack, comes at a bad time for those who use it and for, Ashley Madison.

The hackers, called 'The Impact Team', were able to take profile information and credit card detail (as well as "personal" details) in a high profile hacking - but this is coming only months after Avid Life Media (Ashley Madison, Established Men, Cougar Life and others) announced a 200 million usd IPO in London at the end of the year. 

The hack which took real life names, addresses is sure going to cause some embarrassment with an estimated 37 million profiles vulnerable but is likely to cause real difficulties for the IPO - probably rules it out completely.

The hack seems to be aimed at "punishing" the site for some problems with a 'delete all' button where users could delete their profile history forever at a charge of 19 usd - or could they? The hack seems to be trying to show that 'delete all' didn't happen.

The hackers say that if the site isn't closed, they'll release all the data and Channel 4 news, says it has seen some of that data as "proof'. Some of the names are seemingly, "high profile".......

What's really astonishing too, is that the "have an affair" site, had 37 million paying users to begin with. And that's only the second biggest site, behind Match.com

In 2014 it had 115 million usd in "sales' expected to rise over 150 million usd this year with 70% of users men (30% are women....wow!).

Will they publish the data? Unlikely we'd think, although they might release some juicy profiles to create a greater stir.

Life is short but if you're having an affair, use an alias!

What we're listening to this week. Deep Purple 'Machine Head'.

A 'Machine Head' is the 6 tuning keys on top of a guitar by the way and this 1972 Album was recorded in Montreux Switzerland of course, featuring 'Smoke on the water' ("We all went down to Montreux, on the lake Geneva shoreline...).

The reference to smoke, is from Frank Zappa's December concert there where a fan set off a flare ("Some stupid with a flare gun, he burned the place to the ground") meaning Deep Purple had to change recording plans. 

The Album was recorded in a mobile unit owned by The Rolling Stones.

It is Deep Purple's most successful Album but fans will always point out 'Made in Japan' (featuring a superb live version of 'Lazy' which debuted here on 'Machine Head') and which was from the Japanese tour to promote this Album.

They'll also talk about 'In Rock' (featuring 'Child in time) as possibly better.
But it all starts here really on this Album.

Because it's heavy rock, it's not for everyone although it features the best Purple line-up; Blackmore, Lord, Ian Gillian on vocals (ex Black Sabbath), Glover and drummer Ian Paice (Paicey). Whilst there's no doubting of the strength of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, or Jon Lord on keyboards, the band is one of the tiny few where the drummer really leads it. Paice was Deep Purple.

Still, it's great for a change and perhaps opens doors into a genre of music that you mightn't normally have listened too. Went down well here anyway! Have a listen to 'Lazy' (give it a minute at the start) with the classic band line-up and actually this was recorded in advance of the Machine Head release......

Likeagirl videos tops weekly viral charts at 16 million views....in a week!

Likeagirl video tops viral charts with more than 16 million views in a week!

Produced by Agency Leo Burnett (for 'Always'), the Likeagirl videos really get attention after debuting last summer. They've beaten Duracell 'Teddy Bear' (12m views), Go Pro (7m), Amazon (6m) and Google (5m) this week.

What's interesting too, is that these videos are averaging about 2 minutes long so long form video is being watched and far more effectively than a traditional 30 second TV spot.

But the views at 16 million a week is stunning, given the no cost media per se and highlights yet again, the role online video can play in marketing comms. They are more effective in terms of views than traditional TV, longer and better in terms of storytelling but a real key to success is sharing which drives a video viral. 

When after all, was the last time you shared a TV Commercial?

What we're listening to this week. Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'.

Although everyone talks about 'Born to Run' (the Album just before this), there's little doubt that 'Darkness' is the Album that made Springsteen.

His fourth Album from 1978 it features classics like 'Racing in the Street', 'Candy's Room', 'Darkness', 'Factory' and at the time, he discarded a lot of material which didn't go on the Album. One being, 'Because the Night' which was recorded by Patti Smith. 

It's very blue collar and his pic on the cover reflects that. But it's a classic and also brought the E Street Band to greater prominence. Clarence Clemons is here and Steve Van Zandt was crucial to the production and credited as such.

There's a 2010 excellent documentary too about the making of the Album but again, it's a "must have" in any rightful music collection. And it's a great introduction to Springsteen. Here's the stand out track for us anyway - 'we only run for the money, got no strings attached"........

Facebook April 2015. 4 Billion video views A DAY. You need to get a Video Ad!

Very short blog, very interesting numbers.

Facebook, for April 2015, have now 4 Billion Video views A DAY. 
And that's an increase of their 1 Billion video views a day only last September.
And an increase on their 3 Billion video views a day only last January.

So it's staggering growth and as they role out more video opportunities, that can only grow. But shows how video is well viewed.

It further highlights the need for Clients to get Video Ads and to utilise Facebook targeting. And Yes, we can help.

IMusic? Stunningly Magnificent.

And this Ladies and Gentlemen, is about as stunning as you get.

Apple IMusic simply has just turned the music business on its head to the benefit of listeners. 

It is superb.

Does it allow you to listen to any Album? Yes it does
Can you add to that to your music collection (my music) as if you own it? You can, unlimited
Can you buy the Album directly through Itunes? Yep although we're not sure why you would
Can you "follow" artists as in a Social Media way? Sure
Can you form playlists or listen to curated playlists by artists? Indeed, like the one Joni Mitchell just made
Is it easy and beautiful to navigate? It is, although like a new Fax machine, takes a day to get around it
Is there anything wrong with it? Not a bit

All for under 10 euro a month with a free 3 month trial which presumably, is designed to attract in those Spotify or Pandora users whom, quite frankly, it's hard to see why they'd move back.

If you have an Apple product it's there by now and you should simply sign up. 

That's objective recommendation too, because we have nothing to do with Apple but just thought it was something very cool.

What it will do is of course, lose revenue to Apple (and the artists) from downloads and replace that revenue with streaming subscriptions. Which probably, will mean less for everyone in the business. 

Although, the user benefits with every possible Album for a low cost.

On the other hand, it also democratises music, allowing you access to free new Albums that you'd never had bought you thought, but can now listen to and might stream. So it's great for new bands.

But it's a Wow. Really. Did you get that? A total, complete WOW.

What we're listening to this week. Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'. Wow.

Very, very rarely do you come across a debut Album that's as good as this. The Album cover design, straight out the 1950's gives more than a clue as to what Leon Bridges is about. It's Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Otis, Marvin Gaye retro - almost gospel - but boy, pretty excellent at that.

The 25 year old Texan, sings blues but in a new way from the soul. So it sounds classic from the outset and the studio set-up has a rawness that actually is under produced. They used classic, vintage equipment and you can hear it wonderfully. Which is exactly what the Album needed. 

Released in June this year it's getting real talkabout already and we're not surprised. This will go big, being restricted only be the style of music which mightn't appeal to a broad, young, record buying public.

But you'll like it.
Trust us.
Amazing was the consensus in Streamabout.
And you don't hear that, like, never.

This is just one track - it's not even a single - but you'll get it. 

Facebook Video to take on YouTube. More good news for video Ads!

Facebook are having a go at YouTube.

Whilst they have been using video on autoplay in feeds for a year now, they now want video creators to upload more video and make money from them. Same as YouTube.

So they'll share the Ad revenue generated by the video in the first place, both with the video creator and Media placer.

Those Ads are not pre-rolls, but rather an overlay that appears under the video that you initially watch and making further recommendations based on what you've watched (further relevant content). Those recommendations will include sponsored ad video.

It's a 45% split to Facebook and 55% to others.

Early days though as it's unclear how much revenue is generated when you watch part of a video and so on. But the intent is there.

Facebook is going to monetise video and therefore, encourage more video.
That will work.

And it's good for online digital video companies such as Streamabout as clients will want to make more for Facebook. And that can't be bad....

What we're listening to this week. The Eagles, Hotel California.

From 1976, Hotel California is considered the Album that really got The Eagles critical attention winning them a Grammy and remains their best seller in studio terms. Their 'Greatest Hits' Album will probably become the biggest selling Album of all time.

It was their 5th and their first with legendarily strange guitarist, Joe Walsh.

The title track was released as a single and it refers to "warm smell of colitas" which in fact, is Mexican slang for cannabis. Betcha didn't know that...

The cover is a shot of the Beverly Hills Hotel and sometimes an Album can be justified by two or three standout tracks. This is one of those - 'Hotel California', 'New kid in town' and 'Life in the fast lane' are worth it alone and after that, it gets a bit lost. Although 'Last Resort' is there too. 

Hardly the masterpiece that everyone touts.....but undoubtedly three great songs anyway that make it really worthwhile. And that's not to be unfair to them because they were solidly, consistently good. One of us here, has seen them live and they are a great live band.

It's country rock really, albeit with a big studio sound. Here's a live version YouTube link below, from the year after release and it'll give you an idea. It certainly went down well at Streamabout this week!

But every good collection should have this in it. It's evocative of a time and a band that developed that country rock niche all on their own. 

Tinder add video.

Tinder is adding video.

The idea being that brands (such as a test with Bud Light) can get involved through video, in the dating app. Ideal too for brands trying to reach that young, engaged audience but should take cognisance of the 'editorial environment' too.

With 8 billion connections in 196 countries and 97,000 swipes a minute, the average user spends 11 minutes a day on Tinder. Pretty staggering.

However, of course, do the users want to be interrupted by Ads? and then, these users will be very switched on to Ad blocking anyway.

But it again points to online video being important as an engaging ad platform (Video Ads) and the need for "publishers" to have it as an offering. And if you need Video Ads, go to Streamabot.com. 

But hey, let's be careful out there.

Drinkable Ads.....

There's something very cool about this from Ogilvy. 

Using technology, traditional advertising, digital downloads to create samples and particularly Shazam, it's fairly cutting edge....

First mover advantage too.

What we're listening to. Jungle.

And now a brand new Album that sounds like the 70's!

If you had told us that it was produced by Sly & Robbie we'd have believed you or that it was the follow-up from Daft Punk's 'Discovery'. We keep hearing Otis Redding singing too (bizarrely). So you get the picture - retro uptempo funk. Albeit with plenty of hip hop scratching.

You expect Nile Rodgers to show too. So it has all of that Chic bass lines and harmonies.

Have a listen here and you'll know.

A London band's debut and shortlisted for a Mercury Prize but it's pretty hot. It's very Summer and feels classic already. Here they are on Jools....

We recommend it. 
Loved it really. 
If you're looking for something new, try Jungle.

"Leaked" Emails for Jeb Bush Presidential Campaign. (We'll say nothing but can relate to it!)

The death of the global traditional brand is nigh. (We think).

The death of brands as we know them, is nigh.
We think.

A product brand is something which consumers are prepared to pay a higher price (a premium) for, largely, because they know what to expect in terms of taste, packaging, quality, cleanliness and so on. Brands come with a global standard.

You trust it.

So when you buy Persil, you know what you're getting, or Guinness. Anytime, everytime, anywhere in the world. You pay more for that standard (and so you should because it costs more to achieve). So brands demand a premium price.

A 'personal' brand is similar, but one endorsed by a person (obviously) but more of a celeb - like a perfume from Kim Kardashian - so you're buying into her recommendation, her lifestyle.

But of course, all brands reflect your lifestyle.

And because you're different to me, with different outlooks on life, we buy different brands. If you're an Outdoor type, you smoked Marlboro. If you were a creative type, you smoked Camel.

And brands were built on Advertising. 

You saw them on TV, heard their story, you recognised them in-store and you felt happy about buying them. You kept buying them too, because they worked, you felt comfortable with them and therefore, you had loyalty to them. 

That brand loyalty at least, has definitely changed and that's the key to this.

Consumers are now far more promiscuous and will try new brands, new products for new reasons and be more prepared to switch easier.

Prepared to switch for Functionality/Purpose and value reasons and hence for example, the rise of discount grocery retailers who sell products, brands you don't really know, you've never heard of - but you buy them largely because they're cheaper and they 'do the job'.

Or at least, you try them. You switch without really thinking. Whereas in the past, you'd have stuck by your loyal favourite brand.

Craft beers another example. In fact, you'll move away from the traditional brewery brands and try a craft beer because it's different, it's cheaper. It serves its purpose and probably, costs you less.

Because of digital too you switch.

You've tried new services that have been able to be created over the last 10 years - Iphone, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix - which will become brands in their own right..... if they're not already....but they're more services than products. However, they've accelerated your promiscuity.

So the consumer (you) is more prepared to switch away from traditional, global brands than ever before.

Digital too, has also opened up a revolution in advertising which is outside of the manner in which we've promoted brands for the last 70 years anyway. That's also having an impact.

Because.... the most effective Ad is recommendation (always has been) and digital allows you to get personal, instant recommendation. Word of mouth.

For example, a Facebook friend tells you about a new beer and how great it is, so you try it. On Twitter, a pal has told you about a new healthy Soya milk or warned you about the dangers of sugar. So you switch on their say-so.

And therefore, traditional brands lose loyalty on which the brand was based because of another recommendation.

Advertising only really works once - it's an attempt to get you to try a product once because if you like it, you'll stick with it and they'll get repeat purchases. That's the essence of brand loyalty. The essence of brand revenues. Repeat business.

But if you keep switching.....brands cannot depend on those repeat purchases.

We've got used to farmers markets and artisan suppliers. We use sites that we didn't know before. We download new Apps. We've got happy with a new beer or a new washing powder and we'd rather support those smaller businesses, than the global, big brand giants.

We'd even rather get our news from outside the norm media players despite the 'trust' issues.

Because that's what digital does. It encourages you to try new things.

It's the great 'brand-leveller'.

Hence we've opted to buy from sites that are cooler, better, more like us and not the global sellers. Boo Hoo, Asos, Misguided, Ebay.....(If you look at the top 50 Fashion brands in the UK, not one is a traditional high street name). To try new things, to try new brands.

So there's more of a generational shift happening away from the traditional big global household brand name. Or, should we say, brands don't work they way they used to.

They no longer can depend on the repeat purchase of brand loyalty.

And that impacts on Advertising and notably, Ad Agencies who used to manage these brands. 

Like for example, the way AOL have set up their own in-house Ad Agency just to deal with their AOL digital clients (called 'Partner Studios'). Because no one understands how to produce creative work for AOL, than, AOL.

More of that will happen as Ad Agencies have been slow, defensive, about digital over a long time and because, the old brand rules have changed. So their old skills are becoming redundant unless they're prepared to tool up.

Traditional Advertising is even possibly becoming wallpaper as viewers leave to other media and have a new Ad cynicism.

Media too has changed. Despite huge audience shifts to all things digital, most of the Ad dollars remain with traditional media. Programmatic buying will disrupt that.

As for brands? Well, it's a long road to reposition a global brand into something new even if it could be done. Diageo's move into craft beers under totally new branding, is one way, but it might be seen for what it is.

The only real way is to go back to purpose. Go back to trust and go back to the reason the brand originated from. Give the consumer knowledge to make the choice rather than song-and-dance glamour. The days of 'aspirational' advertising to create desire, create demand are over. Advertising needs to be stripped back.

Tell the story that relates to consumers and don't cynically exploit things like sports sponsorship, csr or charity - it's seen through. So too, copy platforms built around fickle, unbelievable concepts like "we believe in friendship".

And therefore, don't behave like a global brand player of old. 

Go back to the reason you exist. If it get clothes whiter, say it. If it tastes good, tell it. If it's quick to make, show it. And use online to tell that story.

And if your brand doesn't have that defining USP (unique proposition), drop it. Move on.

The global brand aspirational days are over.
And the heavy impact of TV Advertising is dwindling.

We think.

Smell like a Man at the top of the page. There's honesty for you. Trust, like these at the bottom of the page.

The world just changed.

                             

What we're listening to. Aretha. 'Soul Queen'.

"Queen of soul, queen of soul" as Van sings about her and she is. In fact "you send me" is here which Van often covers and then, he doesn't really ever do covers as such - so much he's a fan of Aretha.

All the tracks are here - "Do right woman", "Save me", "Respect", "Chain of fools", "Say a little prayer", "The weight" (made famous by The Band and written by Robbie Robertson), "Call me", "Spanish Harlem" and 60 tracks which makes it a well-worthwhile compilation. Magic in fact.

18 Grammys, makes her pretty unbeatable and at 73 is still releasing Albums. 

From Memphis she started as a Gospel singer (her Dad was a Pastor) and you hear those Gospel tones on all her music. Often referred to as Whitney Houston's "aunt" in fact she wasn't - just an "honorary aunt".

There's something beautiful about Aretha and a smooth mezzo-soprano honey voice that just gets into you. Into your soul.

So this is a great introduction to a moment in time and a whole world of soul. It's one to start with to explore that whole genre. The genre of magnificent. This will give you a sense of it below -  Enjoy.

Apple to encourage Ad Blocking. Publishers worry.

Ad Blocking, which really hurts online publishers who depend on Advertising, just got easier.

It looks like Apple have just made it easier to block Ads on Ipad and Iphones through their new 'safari' browser release by allowing ad blocking extensions as an option. 

Ad blocking is growing by over +70% a year with 144 million users in 2014. It's going to hurt Google and Facebook and will push publishers onto Apple's iad product in order to have Ads on Apple devices.

So basically, if Apple is bringing traffic to Ads via their Safari, they want a cut and encouraging general ad blocking is one way.

We'll see but, not a good day for publishers.

Video Ads becoming the top Ad Format says Business Insider! We agree!

Video is becoming the top Advertising formats on desktop and mobile but particularly growing on mobile (3 x faster). That's according to a new Business Insider Report.

Video revenues this year is about 5 Billion usd but it will grow +21% each year for the next 5. It is replacing static display because it performs better and is more watchable.

On Social Media too, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram all now (recently) have video ad platforms/opportunities.

Although we have no doubt at Streamabout. Even in a local market, our business producing online digital video and video ads, is growing +50% year-on-year. It is an exploding space. Great.

And if you need Video Ads.....streamabout.com

What we're listening to this week. Neil Young, 'After the Goldrush'.

Another September 1970 Album (was all good music in the 70's and 80's?), the Canadian's third Studio Album.

It featured an 18 year old genius, Nils Lofgren (now with Springsteen) and at one time, was voted Best Album Ever. Which it could well be.

Stephen Stills of Crosby Nash Stills, is also on here.

It's one great record with 'Only love can break your heart' as a stand out but having been recorded mainly at Young's home, it has a real authentic feel. The songs stand up rather than the production.  

Famously too, the track 'Southern Man' was a dig at the South USA "Southern change going to come at last, now your crosses are burning fast....Southern Man when will you pay them back...."

It was the reason for Lynyrd Skynrd 'Sweet Home Alabama' as a response - "Well I heard Mr. Young sing about her, well I heard old Neil put her down. Well I hope Neil Young will remember, Southern Man don't need him around anyhow!".

You'll hear Neil Young mentioned especially in the intro here.

The full Album is here too. Went down great in Streamabout as a real summer classic. It is, a masterpiece.

Apple's new Music Service. Coming, today.

Apple's new music streaming service is on the way and it's going to change ITunes.

Called 'Apple Music' it will compete with the likes of Spotify, Deezer and Pandora and will be all encompassing (radio and downloading including) probably costing about 10 USD a month and be pre-installed in the next generation of iphones (giving it instant market distribution).

Plus Apple's extraordinary cash reserves, will give it the marketing edge on competitors simply by outspending them (Spotify has 15 million subscribers - the market is circa 40 million subscribers currently).

Unlike Spotify, Apple Music will not have a free tier so either you're in or you're not but they're likely to bundle some free months are part of a signing up offer.

Streaming may of course, hamper the declining download market which in turn, will impact on the general music business. But Streaming has shown significant growth - it's what consumers want vis-a-vis downloading.

All coming in an announcement today.
But it's a big change for the way in which Apple are attacking music.
And a big change for artists too.

Twitter to buy Flipboard?

Twitter is in talks to acquire Flipboard valuing it at circa 1 Billion USD.

Mike McCue who started Flipboard was of course, a Twitter Board Member until he left to do Flipboard and generate about 50 million USD a year in Revenues. 

It's excellent too, Flipboard is one great brand but struggling to generate new users. Notably too, since it's no longer automatically pre-installed on Samsung phones.

What it does is a news reader, allowing the user to nominate news feeds they want and get them in a very stylish format which they "flip". Beautifully actually.

It also has video ads and it's hard to see how it fits into the vision of Twitter. Except this. Mike McCue will probably come with it.

What we're listening to this week. Frank Zappa's 'Over-nite sensation'.

'Over-nite Sensation' (1973) is probably the definitive Frank Zappa Album although 'Apostrophe' and indeed, 'Joe's Garage' worthy of same breath mention.

 

Now we hear you. Zappa was crazy. But actually that hides an extraordinary songwriter and guitarist. Really amazing stuff and very different from the mainstream - avant garde really.

His lyrics were fun and yep sometimes racy (like 'Dinah Moe Humm' here) but he was a genius and died at 53 in 1993 (prostate cancer).

He started by writing classical music (a fan of Stravinsky and Varese actually) and Jazz, which you get a sense of in his 60+ Albums. He wrote and recorded classical orchestral albums which few know about. He even worked in Advertising too and jingles were a part of his life but was really a self-trained musician. 

Very anti-drugs too (now bet that surprises you!) actually firing band members who used them. He was actually seen as being too 'autocratic' because the way he ran the band like an Orchestral leader.

Deep Purple's 'Smoke on the water' mentions Zappa playing at Montreaux when a flare from the audience started a fire of their equipment.

But Zappa does take listening and there's no doubt, a bit of time - but worth every minute (great albums should grow on you). Check this Album out too if you get into it.

Anyway, here you go...."she said she was a magic mama"........

It all went down a stormer in here given that he's been largely forgotten by a younger generation. Still, a genius though.

Next week Neil Young.

Pinterest tries to pin more Ads.

So Pinterest raises their heads (haven't heard from the 'darlings of the internet' for a while) through launching a flurry of media options.

They also named their first 'Head of monetisation' (yuk) to oversee Ad products. Animated pins are in there, Cinematic pins (video we'd guess), along with 'Promoted Pins'. A whole new "contextual targeting" is on offer too.

Now the problem here is going to be the integrity of the site and the general editorial environment. Everybody loves Pinterest although they've forgotten it a bit, but when you start bundling in advertising it, well, just might not fit in.

Valued at over 5 Billion usd, there's pressures to bring in the Ad dollars. The concept seemed to start with investors piling in without any plan to generate revenue. And now that's getting a focus.

We'll see.

But this is one site where Ads won't sit well.....

What we're listening to this week. Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours'

The 1977 release that brought Fleetwood Mac fame although it was actually their 11th Album.

One of the best selling Albums of all time (rumoured to be in 6th place all-time) and still sounds as fresh as ever although it was recorded in the middle of band domestic break-ups - leaving them recording only and not meeting up socially after the sessions. Superb production on this though winning a Grammy as a result.

John McVie thought 'rumours' was a good title given the band's rows and suggestions of who was with who. The tracks 'Dreams' and "Go your own way' sum up what was going down.

'Dreams', 'You Make loving fun' and notably 'The Chain' are the stand out tracks but overall, it's the harmonies that make it all happen. It's an Album that everyone should have really and although of a genre that turns some people off as being too smooth, sickly sweet, too "Phil Collins". 

It's not The Clash, but it has its place and a good place too. 
Next week, Frank Zappa so there's a contrast for ye.

But here's 'Dreams'....

Apple Cork to build the car?

Our post of Tuesday about Apple doing an electric car gets legs...Project Titan as it's called.

They're planing a major expansion of their faciity in Cork, Ireland. They invested 300 million over a year ago and now they're looking to build more - a giant factory.

But interestingly, an employment notice looking for a Procurement Manager, listed a requirement for experience in Robotics, Aeronautic and Automotive Industries. 

So that's not to build more watches then...

Verizon buys AOL.

Verizon have bought AOL for 4.4 Billion usd creating the biggest US Wireless carrier and Advertising platforms.

50 Dollars a share, +17% over AOL's stock and Verizon in the marriage, bring tons of data. It's cash and paper. And it's big.

Apple are doing a car.

Apple is looking at doing a car.

Okay, it's a rumour but it's too much of a rumour not to be true (!)

The Fiat CEO has said it, we know of the secretive 'Operation Titan' at Apple, we know of the Tesla ambitions, we know there's a 'garage facility' in Cupertino CA, we know Apple are hiring engineers for robotics and we know Apple have talked about it - going all the way back to Steve Jobs.

And the tech industry are talking about it.

Perhaps Self-driving and/or Electric but definitely makes sense in the "connected car" market which will be the future.

There's a lot of work in that and a lot of cash. But as a car brand, Apple will be cool and immediately have a positive younger market.

So all of it makes sense.
You heard it here.

What we're listening to this week? Keith Jarrett - Koln Concert.

Everybody, but everybody talks about Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert' (1975) and everybody would be right. It's extraordinarily wonderful and all you need do is to put on the first 4 minutes and you'll get it. And you can do that at the end of this blog.

It is after all, the best selling piano recording in history.

He started with Art Blakey, which started him on a solo career as well as a stint with Miles Davis. Although known to be a bit grumpy on stage, it's worth it to get his live recordings. 

(And he did sue Steely Dan for copyright on 'Gaucho'.....)

Put it this way, when we started listening to The Koln Concert, we've ended up with 9 Keith Jarrett albums in a week. Few can stir you like that.

It's jazz (but not in a four blokes all playing a different tune way), because Jarrett was also very classical as a player, but it's much more than that. Perhaps it will open up a new world to you. It did us.

Have a bath, put on the Headphones and listen to Koln Concert and you'll be transported to another place. Like Van would. Absorbing.

And in case you haven't seen it....Old Men Grooving (OMG).

Nearly 9 million views online in a week.
This will be more than the TV show it appeared on (Britain's Got Talent).
Now what's that telling you about the future of TV....

The Google/Facebook Advertising gap, is widening......

On the Advertising Revenue side, it looks like Facebook and Google are hoovering it up leaving 'second tier' companies such as LinkedIn, Yelp, Twitter (who's shares fell -26% last Tuesday) and even those less established like Snapchat/Vine, finding it hard to make Ad progress.

Those second tiers are showing time and again, that their Ad revenue is growing, but slowly and too slowly for investors.

The dominance of Facebook and Google is more than likely, to continue and so that 'gap' will widen. 

In 2014, both Google/Facebook had more that 30 Billion US Dollars (60%) of the 49 Advertising Billion spent - that's dominance. Which is why those other businesses need to move into niches - as LinkedIn has done for recruitment - for as long as Facebook/Google have the largest audiences (over a billion users a month) they'll always get the Ads.

Video too is where the Ad growth is and Google's YouTube is well positioned whereas for others, their video offerings are unclear and poor.

Of course too, these shares of tech companies are particular high, so one bump in the road causes real pain. Investors won't wait.

But even so, that Ad revenue gap will widen in display advertising between Facebook/Google and the others. Now, that's a problem.