GET YOUR CARSON DAILY!
MTV.com will launch its new "Total Request Live" Web site August 2000. The wide array of new features includes "Play My Song," where fans can vote for their favorite videos and check out streaming video clips; "TRL Nation," where fans can connect with each other via live chats and community message boards; and "Carson's Corner," where fans can learn more about "TRL" host Carson Daly and get minute-by-minute updates from the "Inside Carson's Pants" Web cam.

VERSION 2.0: TWO VERSIONS
Myplay.com launched version 2.0 of its online Digital Music Locker. The new version supports Microsoft Windows Media and includes improvements such as an expanded Help section, a powerful Search function and a new feature that allows members to sort by album, artist and genre. "A year ago, no one had even thought of storing their music online in a digital music locker," said Myplay Co-founder/CEO doug camplejohn ',390,400);">doug camplejohn ',390,400);">Doug Camplejohn . "Now, we are growing at more than 25,000 customers per day [and] have more than 1.5 million customers. None of which, by the way, have been targeted by Metallica." And in other upgrade news, Scour announced the v2.0 release of myCaster personal broadcasting software. The new version features "infinite stream hosting," which—while being dangerous to Ghostbusters—allows DJs to reach an unlimited number of listeners, regardless of connection speed. "This new version puts users at the controls of the greatest online radio experience around," said Scour President Dan Rodrigues. "We've attracted thousands of Internet radio fans by providing them with a community where they can create their own stations and chat with other DJs and listeners. And it has nothing to do with trading MP3s…really. Nothing at all."

BLASTING A WAY TO COMPROMISE
In response to its current legal battle with the Recording Industry Association of America, MP3Board Inc. has unveiled a new technology on its site, called LinkBlaster, which will enable copyright owners to electronically destroy links to music files. "We are hopeful that the RIAA and its members, and for that matter all copyright owners, will see MP3Board's LinkBlaster digital rights technology as a fair balance between copyright protection and the power of new Internet indexing tools," said Ira Rothken, MP3Board's attorney. "This software technology shifts the burden back where it belongs. It is up to copyright owners to use intimate knowledge of their works and new indexing tools, like MP3Board, to police their own intellectual property on the Internet." In retaliation, the RIAA unveiled its own technology, called SiteBlaster, which destroys all non-RIAA sanctioned Web sites with just a click of a mouse.

IT'S LIKE PORN FOR NUMBER CRUNCHERS
Musicmaker.com announced its financial results for 2Q 2000. Revenues for the direct-to-consumer business segment were $1,121,000, a 40% increase over the previous quarter sales of $777,000. The special market/premium business segment was $98,000, down from the first quarter sales of nearly $2 million. Promotions involving Pizza Hut and CDNow in 1Q 2000 accounted for most of the difference. The net loss before depreciation and amortization and other non-cash charges was $8.2 million, up from just over $6 million in the previous quarter. The net loss applicable to common stockholders was $14,649,000 (or $0.44 per share), up from $11,071,000 (or $0.34 per share). Now, if a train left Chicago heading west at 70 mph and accelerated in accordance with Musicmaker.com's 2Q increase in direct-to-consumer business revenues, how long would it take to bore everyone but the shareholders to sleep?

‘GATOR AID
Independent blues label Alligator Records has partnered with RadioWave.com to provide a 24-hour streaming interactive music channel. Every song and advertisement on "Alligator Radio" will have a real-time graphic on the Internet that listeners can immediately click for more information (bios, discography, tour dates) or links to retailers (for tix, discs and other merch). The label's roster includes Hound Dog Taylor, Shemekia Copeland and Albert Collins. "I want the future of the blues and the future of Alligator Records to be one in the same," said label founder Bruce Iglauer. "Alligator should be the label that's exposing the next generation of blues artists and bringing their music to the next generation of blues fans." He was then sued by the estate of Willie Dixon for $1,098,987 in unpaid royalties. Hey, only kidding...

AND YOU KNOW THE COYOTE WILL TRY TO SPOIL IT
Liquid Audio and broadband service provider Road Runner have teamed up to create a special user interface that will offer full-album digital downloads. Liquid will provide the music content and Road Runner will provide the pipeline. Included in the inaugural stage of this program are albums by Ben Harper, Charlie Daniels Band, Sumack, 12 Rods and the soundtrack to "Time Code." "Eventually," said a spokesman for Liquid, "we'll be offering albums people actually want."

SWIMMING DOWNSTREAM
Because in cyberspace record companies can own "radio stations," Columbia Records has launched a pair of streaming audio sites to promote their product in Columbia Rock Network and The Rock Network. Produced in association with MongoMusic, Inc., the stations stream music 24/7 in the RealMedia format. The Rock Network will have music from the Columbia, Portrait and Legacy imprints, while Columbia is just Columbia Records Group—duh! Informational displays include artist names, song title, album title and the name of the next artist. There is also a button for listeners to rate songs, a "similar artist" button, a "buy" button and a "destroy all non-Columbia songs from my hard drive option."