Marketing Pilgrim

When someone suggested that Michael Stipe, the lead singer of R.E.M., release the band’s new album “Accelerate” on the social networking site iLike - he liked the idea. The move will make history and is another sign of the music industry’s loss of power.

The entire album will be streamed on the site a week before it is released to the public on April 1st. Hopefully the servers will hold up.

Music is social. Music is current and everchanging. And most of all, music requires musicians. The winners in the music business of tomorrow are individuals and organizations that create communities, connect people, spread ideas and act as the hub of the wheel… indispensable and well-compensated.

-Seth Godin

Michael Stipe told Billboard.com, “you can either go with it or sit back and watch it happen, and I would rather be out on the field than in the bleachers.”

Here’s another smart move by Stipe - on March 24 they’ll also release an exclusive video of the band talking about the album. Now let’s hope ilike’s servers can handle the load.

R.E.M. also launched a web site with video footage for fans to use to make their own video for R.E.M.’s first single from the album - “Supernatural Superserious.” They also release new footage each night for ninety days at Ninetynights.com. Today is night 71.

On their blog iLike said they have over 15 million users. They stream music automatically on other networks like Facebook, Ticketmaster, Ask.com, iTunes, Windows Media Player, MySpace, Hi5, and Orkut. There avid supporters of Google’s OpenSocial that will further expand the social networks their applications will be compatible with.

iLike is privately funded and the investors include Tickemaster, Khosha Ventures, Bob Pittman as well as various other investors. I wonder how long until they’re acquired…

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