Tech Bits n’ Bytes

>>Fast Company, a magazine which describes itself as “the world’s leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, ethonomics (ethical economics), leadership, and design” has announced its 2011 Ranking of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. In the publication’s music category the top three companies were Pandora—for bringing its custom-curated music mix to a new venue…cars; Coca-Cola—for a daring marketing model that redefines the relationship among consumer brands, record companies, and artists; and Big Champagne—for developing a more modern business measurement that factors in social media. Named as the World’s Most Innovative companies overall were Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Nissan (for the first mass-market electric car) and Groupon (for reinvigorating retail and turning down $6 billion.)

>>Topspin orchestrated an about face in its direct-to-fan software platform in the form of a major update set for March 2011 that essentially opens up the previously closed marketing platform to all bands for a cost that starts at $9.99 per month. Also announced was a $5,000 marketing grant open to any artist or band with the best direct-to-fan business plan. Applications will be judged by a panel of music industry professionals including Rick Rubin (co-president of Columbia Records), Marc Geiger (William Morris Endeavor), Richard Jones (manager of the Pixies), Glenn Peoples (Billboard Magazine), Mike King (Berklee Music), Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing), and others. For grant application, please visit www.topspinmedia.com. Entry deadline is March 7, 2011 at 6:00pm PST.

>>Soundexchange, the non-profit performance rights organization that collects statutory royalties from satellite radio, Internet radio, cable TV music channels and other services that stream sound recordings (similar to the way ASCAP, BMI and SESAC do for songwriters and publishers) has announced a new “Label It” camnpaign. Each year, distribution of millions of dollars in royalties get held up due to a lack of data resulting in “artist unknown” or “label unavailable” files. Soundexchange’s plan is to educate artists on how to label their work to facilitate collection of royalties through the addition of metadata to digital files.