Digital Music Downloads 'may be uninsured', Warns Experts

Experts have warned music lovers could find their digital music collections may not be covered by some home insurance policies.

The UK has amassed an estimated total of £1.3 billion music downloads from legitimate digital music sites, but less than one-quarter of polices include cover for digital tracks, claims a study by Sainsbury's Home Insurance.

It is thought that around 36 per cent of British adults now own some music that they have downloaded, with the average collection to be worth £85, although nearly one million fans say they have spent more than £250 on digital music.

The report also showed that only five per cent of music lovers know that their digital collection is included in their home insurance, while almost one-quarter think they would not be covered if it was lost.

However, the bank warned that the rise in downloaded music has not been followed by an increase in safety, with 76 per cent of home insurance policies not offering coverage for the hard drives and storage systems which hold the music.

This means that if a home is burgled, the user will lose all of their downloaded tunes without hope of recompense, Sainsbury's claimed.

Ben Tyte, home insurance manager at the bank, said: 'There may be an assumption from consumers that once they've made a purchase any loss could be recovered from the retailer but most outlets only allow for a single download.

'The likes of Amazon and iTunes do offer receipts via online accounts so even if a computer was totally destroyed the customer would be able to retrieve these and claim for their loss on their home insurance policy. It's also a good idea to back-up your collection onto another computer as a precautionary measure.'

ALBUM REVIEW: First Aid Kit, The Big Black and the Blue

After capturing hearts with a Fleet Foxes cover, and notching up more than 1 million YouTube views, the pair of teenage sisters from suburban Stockholm have released, 'The Big Black and the Blue' the follow up to their debut EP, 'Drunken Trees'.

'The Big Black and The Blue' is an emotive, breathy, melancholic folk soundtrack to their lives with vocal harmonies which belie their tender years, although they are young, they posses old souls, and a maturity in their storytelling, with beautifully plucked guitars and heavenly vocals.

Klara and Johanna Söderberg's voices are astonishing from the get-go; they have a phenomenal way with gorgeous melodies and heart-melting harmonies.

The evocative, echoing harmonies of opener ‘In the Morning’, paves the way for the lyrically captivating and note perfect ‘Hard Believer’ that showcases their vocals best, and the twirling lines with the ’60s swing of ‘Waltz for Richard’.

While there are tracks of beauty and wonder on the album, there are also some duller moments, and the musical arrangements behind those amazing voices are sometimes underwhelming. The instrumentation is primitive, the acoustic guitar occasionally augmented by flurries of piano.

Track listing:

1. In The Morning
2. Hard Believer
3. Sailor Song
4. Waltz for Richard
5. Heavy Storm
6. Ghost Town
7. Josefin
8. A Window Opens
9. Winter Is All Over You
10. I Met Up With the King
11. Wills of the River

2010 Surface Unsigned Festival – Closing Date for Applications

Any unsigned acts that would like to take part in this year’s Surface Unsigned Festival have until Sunday, January 31 to apply.

Starting in February, the Surface Unsigned will tour the UK, giving artists from cities such as Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Brighton and London the chance to compete for £60,000 worth of prizes.

Surface Unsigned Festival is a national live music event helping to discover and promote new talent, bringing unsigned acts to the attention of the music industry.

The top 16 bands from Surface Unsigned in 2010 will play an industry showcase at London’s IndigO2 and support a major touring act.

The winning act will get £5,000 in cash, a slot at the 2011 Sziget Festival in Budapest – playing to a potential audience of 65,000 people – a digital distribution contract with Zimbalam Digital and various other incentives.

The event’s judging panel is headed by Jon Brookes, drummer of The Charlatans.

For bands interested in applying to the 2010 Surface Unsigned Festival please visit www.surfaceunsigned.co.uk & fill out an online application.

Deadline Looming for 2010 Music Week Awards

There are just a couple of days left to submit entries for the Music Week Awards 2010; the deadline closes on Friday, January 29. The Awards focus on every sector within the music industry and encourages companies, big or small to enter.

This is reflected in the range of categories including ones for PR, marketing, sync, publishing, music and brand partnership and radio stations.

This year’s event will also include a number of new judged categories, including awards targeting digital, retail, live and the independent sector.

Music Week editor Paul Williams says, “The event’s about celebrating the successes of the music industry over the past year and we can only do that by companies and individuals submitting entries, so we can rightly highlight what they have achieved.”

“We have widened the scope and the number of categories for the 2010 event to make them more relevant to more of the industry, so there is even more of a reason than ever to consider entering.” He added.

The ceremony takes place at the Hilton on London’s Park Lane on Thursday, April 15.

Full details are available at www.musicweekawards.com

UK Music Stars Hold Auction for Oxfam in Haiti

Some of the biggest names in music, including Damon Albarn, Chris Martin, Arctic Monkeys and Pet Shop Boys, have come together to put on a special auction to raise funds for Oxfam’s emergency response in Haiti appeal.

Damon Albarn, former frontman of Blur announced that he will record a “bespoke” piece of music for the winning bidder. While Coldplay singer, Chris Martin's "Viva La Vida" tour jacket, which has been signed by the band, is up for grabs.

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner has donated the Fender Stratocaster guitar he played in the music video for the band's 2005 chart-topping single 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor'.

The Chemical Brothers have given a Roland drum machine, while The Magic Numbers will play an acoustic gig in the home of the highest bidder for their lot.

Scottish singer Annie Lennox has donated an original South African painting from her own private collection. Glastonbury tickets and a meet and greet with Gang of Four's Andy Gill are also up for grabs.

The auction closes at 0900 on Tuesday 2 February. All proceeds will go to Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

For details of items up for auction, go to: Oxfam Haiti Earthquake Appeal: Celebrity Auction

For any further information, visit Oxfam.org.uk

Simon Cowell signs stars for Haiti charity single

Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, Michael Bublé and JLS have all agreed to take part in the Haiti charity single, which has been organised by Simon Cowell.

The artists will record a cover of REM's 1993 ballad ‘Everybody Hurts’.

The Sun newspaper, which has teamed up with Cowell, said Robbie Williams, Coldplay, Take That and Sir Paul McCartney have been approached, and Will Young, X Factor winner Joe McElderry and hip-hop trio N-Dubz are said to have expressed an interest in singing.

The proceeds from the single, will be split between the official Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the Sun's Helping Haiti campaign.

The government has already agreed to waive VAT on the single and REM, who own the rights to the song, have also waived royalties on the charity track.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who apparently requested Cowell organise the charity track, said he thought the single would make a big difference.

The song will be produced by renowned music industry figure Steve Robson, and with modern recording technology the artists will not all have to be in the studio at the same time.

The single will be released later this month by Sony, who has agreed to give studio time free.

An estimated 1.5 million people were left homeless by the 7.0-magnitude quake, which is believed to killed as many as 200,000.

At least 75,000 bodies have so far been buried in mass graves, the government has said. Many more remain uncollected in the streets.

Disasters Emergency Committee chief executive Brendan Gormley said: "Buying the charity single will greatly aid our work and help us build new lives from the ruins."

MTV to show ‘Hope for Haiti’ benefit concert in UK

George Clooney and Haitian born Wyclef Jean’s star-studded benefit show for the victims of the Haiti earthquake will be shown on MTV UK, the network announced.

The two hour telethon, Hope for Haiti, will be screened live from 0100 GMT on Saturday, 23 January. It will then be repeated at 0900 GMT on Saturday morning.

Jay-Z, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Bono and Taylor Swift are just a few of the many stars set to perform at the fundraising event.

Funds raised will go to Oxfam America, Red Cross, UNICEF, Partners in Health and the Yele Haiti Foundation.

Performances are also due from Bruce Springsteen, Bono and Christina Aguilera.

Speaking to the BBC, ahead of the Golden Globes on Sunday, Clooney said more than 40 stars had already signed up to take part.

He added the aim of the event was to "to show the people of Haiti that the whole world is paying attention".

In the US, the telethon is being screened without commercials on 11 channels, including the main broadcasters NBC, ABC and CBS.

Other musicians contributing to the Haiti cause include Lady Gaga, who will donate the proceeds of a forthcoming concert in New York to the relief effort.

Scottish indie rockers Mogwai have announced they are auctioning the band's piano on eBay and will donate the money to Oxfam and Doctors without Borders.

The Caribbean nation has suffered another devastating earthquake today (20.01.10), while the area is still recovering from last week’s first natural disaster.