Garth Brooks? launch of GhostTunes.com reflects sour note with iTunes
Garth Brooks is the latest artist to embrace mobile in a changed music-industry landscape, by launching GhostTunes.com, a competitor to Apple?s iTunes that lets customers download and stream Mr. Brooks? and others? music through a platform and device of their choice.
As part of the launch, users can pay $29.99 for a package that will include the country-music superstar?s eight studio albums, a new studio album coming out this fall and another planned for next year, plus a 25th anniversary edition of his acclaimed ?Double Live? album. The move by Mr. Brooks, a long-time iTunes holdout who is one of the biggest-selling artists in history, underscores how mobile has disrupted the music industry.
?It takes a mega-superstar with the success and notoriety of Garth Brooks to take on the likes of iTunes and stand a chance at succeeding,? said Ryan Heuser, senior director, music integration, with The Marketing Arm in Dallas.
?Created from the vision of an artist who knows better than anyone how to give fans what they want, this service is designed to make the consumer experience more gratifying than any other music provider. By providing service to all, not proprietary to any single device, GhostTunes has extended an open invitation to all music fans rather than fans of brands,? he said.
70 million album sales
Mr. Brooks? music will be available only through his Web site, garthbrooks.com, and GhostTunes.
GhostTunes makes selected music available to a consumer's "locker," and can be accessed through smartphones, tablets or personal computers in a format not proprietary to any single manufacturers' technology.
The site is home to seven million songs, representing music labels such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.
Mr. Brooks has refused to permit the selling of his music on iTunes because he says iTunes? singles emphasis deprives songwriters and music publishers from income from tracks included on complete albums. The singer-guitarist has sold nearly 70 million albums since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking retail sales in 1991.
GhostTunes? artists can sell individual tracks or albums, stream only or download only. The site offers exclusive song bundles and albums at a range of prices, along with singles for 99 cents and $1.29.
Mobile has upended a music industry that was already disrupted by the move from analog to digital.
Providers include Spotify, which last year announced a new free mobile streaming service, iRadio and Pandora and smaller players, such as Ourtunez and 8tracks.
While a small percentage of consumers pay for a premium streaming service, free streaming is still raking in money via audio and display ads.
Mobile streaming has raised the stakes for musicians. Consumers can now listen to music for free before deciding if they want to purchase the album. The implication is that name alone may not deliver huge album sales for a famous musician. They need to prove their worth and earn the sales.
While consumers can stream music for free on Spotify or Pandora, many opt to pay for unlimited ad-free streaming. Either way, the provider and musician make money.
Mr. Brooks in GhostTunes video, explaining reasons for site launch.
Musicians earn a set amount of money per play, and it just depends on whether that money stems from ads or from a consumer?s monthly fee. Pandora, for instance earns most of its money from ads.
Premium service
While consumers are becoming accustomed to being able to listen for free, they still understand that there is added value in the premium service.
?This speaks to Garth knowing his audience and what they react to,? Mr. Heuser said. ?Just as music fans don't want to be told what to listen to, they also don't want to be forced to access music in one way or another.
?Fans are in control of music today,? he said. ?Garth Brooks is responding and we expect fans to react.?
Final Take
Michael Barris is staff reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York.