TORONTO, Digital Journal This year marks an important milestone for the music biz: Its the 50th anniversary of rock n roll. Back in April of 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets made history by recording the first-ever rock song to reach national charts. Rock Around the Clock took only two takes to record and hit number one on the charts the following year. It hung there for eight solid weeks. When Bill Haley shouted the immortal words that would forever change music, One-two-three oclock, four oclock rock, he opened the doors to a fad that would grow into an international phenomenon.
The music business has come a long way since then, but quite eerily, some things havent changed. Alan Freed, a popular radio disc jockey in the 40s and 50s, is credited with coining the term rock n roll at a concert he promoted called the Rock n Roll Jubilee. Later that year, Freed tried to copyright the term, but was unsuccessful. Hmm, copyrights. Doesnt that sound familiar?
Inspired by this musical milestone, this issue of Digital Journal looks at the most current trends in the music industry. With copyrights and peer-to-peer file-sharing continuing to make headlines, Jack Kapica offers a look back at what really created the copyright craze and investigates its newest incarnation: copyrighting and patenting solely for the purpose of suing. Kapica gives some insight on how Mickey Mouse and Monica Lewinsky played a part.
With digital rights being such a pertinent element of the music industry today, record labels notoriously starve artists of the fruits of their labour. Elizabeth Mitkos offers a look into a new digital alternative for musicians thats emerging out of the U.K., with former Genesis member Peter Gabriel as the front man.
On a similar beat, Eric Shinn takes a comprehensive look at how digital music has affected DJs in Canada and asks a very important question for music: Is vinyl dead?.
Overlapping this music theme, Digital Journal has also salted its summer issue with stories inspired by ideaCity, hosted by Moses Znaimer. With 55 speakers flocking to Toronto from around the world, ideaCity is a gathering of visionaries and virtuosos that always proves to be one of the most exciting events of the year. Andrew MacDougall profiles two speakers at this years ideaCity: musician, actor and filmmaker Sook-Yin Lee; and defender of the environment, lawyer and author Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Digital Journal is also proud to include the expert voice of technology veteran David Onley, who examines some surprising new digital trends teenagers are adopting. Onley is the host of the popular TV technology program HomePage, which airs every week on CP24 and across Canada on Canadian Learning Television.
And of course, Digital Journals summer issue is packed full of the newest and hottest gadgets in our increasingly popular Essential Digital Gear, Hot Stuff, Showcase and Inside sections. Each section features newest and best products in the market.
With so much happening around the world, this issue marries technology, music, the arts and lifestyles into one package, as Digital Journal continues to follow what has become the 21st centurys biggest headliner: digital culture.
To find out more, pick up your copy of Digital Journal in bookstores across Canada. Or subscribe to Digital Journal now, and receive 8 issues for $19.95 + GST ($39.95 USD).
