LOS ANGELES–May 7, 2013—As the music business gathered at the annual NARM and Digitalmusic.org’s Music Biz 2013 Conference today, The Recording Academy^® — a membership organization internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards^® and for advancing creators’ rights — and Rhapsody International, the original on-demand music service, announced today that Rhapsody will be the first digital music service to support The Academy’s “Give Fans The Credit” initiative.

“Give Fans The Credit” advocates for the inclusion of credits for songwriters, nonfeatured performers such as session musicians and backing vocalists, producers and engineers in digital music, as they are listed in liner notes that come with physical media. Currently, the only credits consumers are able to see in most digital services are the song title, album, and featured artist.

“Rhapsody listeners are avid music fans who value the craft of musicianship and recording, and they want to know who was involved in bringing a song to life,” said Jon Irwin, president, Rhapsody. “We have a responsibility to our listeners to back this initiative, and further, view the inclusion of more complete credits as a truly useful feature that will only deepen our listeners’ connection to their favorite artists and songs.”

“Since we launched the ‘Give Fans The Credit’ campaign, we’ve seen an outpouring of support from music makers and music lovers alike,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. “Fans want more information about the tracks they like, and we applaud Rhapsody for taking a leadership role on this initiative. Putting credits in the hands of fans is the next step forward in guiding fans to music discovery, as they find new songs and artists based on songwriters, producers or band personnel. It is our hope that other digital music services will follow Rhapsody’s lead.”

As the original subscription music service, Rhapsody has led the industry in its focus on music curation, with more than 10 years of original editorial content, features and playlists designed to guide listeners through its massive catalog. The added information about key players behind the songs will provide an additional lens on music discovery for Rhapsody listeners.

While the full implementation of the credits will occur over the following months, Rhapsody has already begun to curate music collections based on producers, songwriters and sidemen within the Rhapsody service including GRAMMY^® winners Dave Grohl, Pharrell Williams and Timbaland.

“We are eager to integrate this feature into our products,” said Irwin. “At Rhapsody we are always striving to connect fans and artists, and ‘Give Fans The Credit’ is one more way we can create a great music experience that helps us deliver on that promise.”

About Rhapsody

The Rhapsody® digital music service (www.rhapsody.com) gives subscribers unlimited on-demand access to more than 16 million songs, whether they’re listening on a PC, laptop, Internet connected home stereo or TV, MP3 player or mobile phone. Rhapsody allows subscribers to access their music through mobile phones from Verizon Wireless, AT&T and MetroPCS, through Rhapsody applications on the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, RIM BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and Android mobile platforms as well as through devices from Vizio, SanDisk, HP, Sonos and Philips.  Rhapsody is headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Frankfurt, London, Luxemburg, New York and San Francisco. Rhapsody, and the Rhapsody logo are registered trademarks of Rhapsody International Inc.  Follow @Rhapsody on Twitter and keep up with the latest on the Rhapsody Facebook page.

About The Recording Academy

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like “The GRAMMYs” on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs’ social communities on Foursquare, GetGlue, Google +, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube.

We are so excited to be able to offer this amazing album to Rhapsody listeners, and everyone else who asked, “#Where’sTaylor?” We’re celebrating by featuring all kinds of amazing Taylor Swift original material in the Rhapsody service, including a Rhapsody Original track she recorded when she was just a baby, an entertaining “On the Record” where she tells us about why Joni Mitchell’s Blue was her favorite at that moment….and of course all kinds of playlists and other videos.

Call us obsessed, but we also dedicated a Pinterest board to the lovely and talented Ms. Swift. Dig in and repin her loves, looks and lyrics.

Making up is soooo much better than breaking up. Let’s show our appreciation for Taylor by playing “Red” non-stop this week. In return, we’ll show our appreciation for you by rewarding the person who listens to the “Red” album the most by Monday night at 5 p.m. PST with a Logitech UE Smart radio!

You auctioned off the gold medal you won in Sydney in the 50-free to help victims of the Tsunami in 2004 . That’s simply awesome.  Do you know who bought it or where it is?

Yes, I do.  Anthony Chua, a very big swim fan from the Phillipines bought the medal.

We have your playlist, clearly music plays a role in your life. What was the first album you connected with?

Tough question!  For years I was stealing my older brother’s albums and listening to them when he wasn’t home: Pixies (Bossanova), Red Hot Chili Peppers (Mother’s Milk), The Smiths and various other Brit-rock bands.  They were an immense influence on me.  The first album I ever owned was The Crow soundtrack, closely followed by Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten.’   However, when I acquired ‘Siamese Dream’ by The Smashing Pumpkins, a self-reflective musical identity began taking shape.

First Show/ Best show?

The first show I cared about came pretty late in my life.  I think it was 2002 when I saw Zwan at the Warfield theatre in San Francisco.  I wanted to because I had been a Smashing Pumpkin fan forever, but never actually got to see them live.  At the show, I encountered much more than I’d bargained for; and for the first time I felt the power of a live rock show as the music was not just heard but felt, roaring through the earth into my feet, up into my heart then head and continuing up and beyond.  I was irrevocably changed by that show.

The best show was seeing the White Stripes at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley.  Seeing Jack White rock out on a menagerie of instruments, flowing from one to another, an indomitable force of rock’n'roll intensity. That was inspiring.

I’ve since been to many great shows, but these two shows have demystified the rest.

Swimming has taken you all over the world, any places or cultures that you’ve particularly enjoyed?

True, swimming has taken me all over the world, but by far the best part of globe-trotting is seeing the international friends I’ve made who once lived in the USA and have since returned to their origins.  These friends make the place.  In a cultural sense, since I studied English as an undergraduate, I’ve always enjoyed being in London.  As well, I’ve always had a fondness for Japanese history and culture – roots that took hold, I believe, with imported cartoons when I was a child – so I’ve always relished opportunities to go to and return to Tokyo, Japan.  I really hope Tokyo wins the bid for the 2020 Olympic Games!

You’re standing on the podium in Sydney for the medal ceremony, but the sound guy had a few too many Fosters and can’t find the Star Bangled Banner – In its stead, what song would you have them play and why?

Shit question!  I’d start belting it myself!

You stopped swimming competitively in 2003 and started again in 2011, qualifying for the 2012 games in the 50 free. That’s quite a layoff, how did you find “it” again? Or did “it” find you? 

I enjoy the dual-phrasing of that question, and I can say it’s both. For a variety of reasons I stopped swimming, though the one to mention here is that I’d lost the passion. When I lived in NYC I worked as a swim instructor for the Imagine School of Swimming, teaching kids to swim. I saw these kids evolve from, at times, an absolute fear of the water to instead, pure play. This brought back to me the joy in swimming, something I had long ago forgotten through all the years of hunger in competition and sacrifice for that end. I decided to return to university in Berkeley, Ca to finish my bachelor’s and then went straight into a Master’s program where I found myself back in the water just for the enjoyment.

What was the biggest change from 2003 to 2011?

How the maturity and advancement of my own mind made my work ethic, attitude, and purpose in swimming completely different from how I remember being.  When younger this immaturity, without necessarily realizing it, also contributed to my being somewhat conservative, not necessarily from zealous belief, but from a sheltered lack of experience.  During my time away from the sport my passion was music and I evolved a liberal open-mindedness to others and the world, a re-coloring of how I view the swimming world as well.  One of many gifts music and the pursuit of being an artist has given me.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, we’ll certainly be rooting for you. What’s up next for Anthony Ervin? (feel free to answer the third person)

No problem!  For now, Anthony will continue swimming, working at getting stronger, faster, and becoming one with the water.

Typically, the single outperforms all tracks on a new release. For context, Better Dig Two, the single on the new The Band Perry record, accounts for 15 percent of plays.   In addition,  Rhapsody members normally listen to the tracks toward the beginning of a new release as they explore the album. So, the fact that Accidental Racist is the biggest track is no accident–it’s the result of listeners discovering the song thanks to its popularity on the Internet, and checking it out on their favorite service.

Wheelhouse (Deluxe version) Track Listing

1. Bon Voyage
2. Southern Comfort Zone
3. Beat This Summer
4. Outstanding In Our Field (Featuring Dierks Bentley and Roger Miller with Hunter Hayes on guitar)
5. Pressing On A Bruise (Featuring Mat Kearney)
6. I Can’t Change The World
7. Onryo
8. Karate (Featuring Charlie Daniels)
9. Death of a Married Man (Featuring Eric Idle)
10. Harvey Bodine
11. Tin Can On A String
12. Death Of A Single Man
13. The Mona Lisa
14. Accidental Racist (Featuring LL COOL J)
15. Runaway Train
16. Those Crazy Christians
17. Officially Alive
18. Yankee Doodle Dixie (Bonus Track)
19. Facebook Friends (Bonus Track)
20. Get Even (Bonus Track)
21. Southern Comfort Zone (Acoustic Version) (Bonus Track)

That’s why we are proud to announce that Rhapsody vice president Jody McKinley has joined the 21-person commission comprised of various business leaders in the local music scene. Jody is an avid fan of music and live performances.  Throughout his career, he has been able to combine his passion for live music with his work through performance sponsorships and promotional events, including participation by many Seattle-area musicians.

Expect to hear more about Rhapsody’s involvement in the commission, and more about what we are doing to bring fans closer to artists–in Rhapsody and beyond.

The Rhapsody iPhone app will be fully integrated into the BMW Apps system, meaning users will be able to not only use the vehicle controls to find and listen to their favorite tracks, but also navigate Rhapsody’s music discovery tools, which have been adopted for in-car experience that’s safe, useful and engaging.

For a full press release, click here.

We love the new tune and are excited to hear the rest of the tracks from the album, which the band is releasing one at a time. The band is getting ready to hit the road–tour dates follow.

The Hush Sound tour 2013

May 14—Webster Hall—New York, New York
May 15—Theatre Of The Living Arts—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 16—Royale—Boston, Massachusetts
May 17—9:30 Club—Washington, DC
May 18—Amos Southend—Charlotte, North Carolina
May 19—The Loft—Atlanta, Georgia
May 21—The Social—Orlando, Florida
May 22—Culture Room—Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
May 23—The State Theatre—St. Petersburg, Florida
May 25—Trees—Dallas, Texas
May 26—Fitzgerald’s—Houston, Texas
May 27—The Parish—Austin, Texas
May 29—Firebird—St. Louis, Missouri
May 30—Blue Note—Columbia, Missouri
June 1—Mill City Nights—Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 2—The Rave—Milwaukee, Wisconsin
June 4—Metro—Chicago, Illinois
June 5—A&R Music Bar—Columbus, Ohio
June 6—Altar Bar—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June 8—Grog Shop—Cleveland, Ohio

Possibly nowhere else could you see a group of ’60s British icons, some feverish Canadian noise-punks, and an IDM knob-twiddling wizard from L.A.,and meet Austin’s own rock hero Britt Daniel (he of Spoon and Divine Fits) on the street, all in a span of about 10 hours.

It all started at Waterloo Records, who hosted The Zombies at noon. Walking up to the stage, I hear the smooth, echoing refrains of a song I’ve adored since listening to the oldies station in my diapers:“Time of the Season” still sounds weird and fresh and utterly fantastic 45 years after its release, and so does pop classic “She’s Not There” (now nearly 50 years old!), which closed their set, the band swaying in unison and Rod Argent’s fingers dancing gleefully across the organ as they transformed this historical nugget into an extended psych-pop freak-out. Radical.

Just two hours later, Metz at the Mohawk was a radically different scene. Speedy, propulsive andloud, this Toronto trio keeps the words minimal (“You’re wasted / You’re already gone,” goes one song dedicated here to “everyone at the festival,” according to lead screamer Alex Edkins), but the noise dense and discordant, muscular and brawny in every inch of its anatomy. Finale “Wet Blanket” had Edkins shaking his guitar at the amps, the sky and the earth like a shaman inciting a spirit. “That’s pretty damaging for being only 2:30,” said my concert-going companion.

To balance that ear/brain damage, Baths, the one-man project of Will Wiesenfeld, offered tantalizing electronic music, part Aphex Twin glitchy, part Postal Service pop, part Animal Collective freaky, all dreamy and groovy at once. Wiesenfeld is like a mad chemist onstage, playing with disparate elements, mixing them into seductive concoctions. He’d loop in gentle acoustic guitar, manipulate his falsetto into a robotic wail, and make beats that crinkle and crumple and then unfurl into grand thumps of ecstatic house. “This one is actually very gay, so get looser,” he advises the crowd upon starting up a new song from upcoming album Obsidian. Masterful advice for those planning to survive the rest of SXSW. [Stephanie Benson]

I don’t even know the names of all the metal bands I saw as SXSW wound down on Saturday, but I definitely know the name of one of the metal bands I only saw for a few seconds. That’d be The Shrine, at Spider House, who I’ll get to in a bit because it’s an incredible story. But first, my wife wanted to see Georgia’s Royal Thunder, who I’d already seen Wednesday, but she likes them even more than I do (her favorite band to jog to these days!) and she was jealous. So I dropped her and my Peltor-Kids-earmuff-equipped daughter off at 4th and Navasota a few blocks east of I-35 while I went farther east to hunt down a parking space, and since “All Ages” includes 4-year-olds, they got in. By the time I showed up they’d staked out optimum territory right in front of the far side of the inside stage, and were talking to the band. The set was if anything even better than the one I’d seen at the Mohawk a few days before, but I already wrote about that, so I won’t now. My daughter had a good worm’s eye view of the drummer, which helped augment all the one-on-one lessons she’d received from visiting drummers all week.

After Royal Thunder’s set ended, we headed outside, which looked a lot crazier, with a way more densely packed crowd of headbangers — Seattle death/black/thrash-corerers Black Breath had spawned a fairly dangerous-looking mosh pit earlier, but Thrasher and Converse were sponsoring the so-called Death Match all week and my daughter wanted to watch the skateboarders on the half-pipe. Which she did, and that was pretty scary too, seeing how none of them had helmets, and one of the younger ones got hurt pretty bad, and the post-Sabbath stoner-biker tones of veteran Brits Orange Goblin blasting through the bier garten certainly added to the effect. But my daughter had just got her own little (green, favorite color!) skateboard for Christmas a few months ago and was entranced watching anyway. Only way to get her out of there was to tell her I’d seen another half-pipe being built at Spider House a couple days ago, so surely there would be more skate tricks to admire when Venice Beach’s The Shrine took the stage there at 6; publicity one-sheet to their very rocking Primitive Blast last year called it “the perfect soundtrack to cracking your skull in your neighbor’s empty pool,” after all – so, a sure thing, right?

Except, when we got to Spider House, we found the Austin Heavy music Showcase occupying something like eight different stages, and no skaters. Investigative reporting on my daughter’s part (no kidding – she started going up to random metalheads and asking where the skateboarders were) determined that the half pipe had been taken down, which got her pretty upset. So I was the bad dad there for a little bit. But she got into watching local sludge-and-retch unit Wet Lungs, whose guitarist’s little son was also right beside the stage with ear protection on (I thought it was cool that the kid’s mom had on an Earth Wind & Fire shirt), which cheered everybody up. I’d been told by a fellow at the merch table that The Shrine were coming on next, so my friend Dan (who’d told me about the show) and I watched over my wife’s purse beneath the wall-long Army of Darkness mural (said Dan, I’m clueless about that stuff) and my wife took our little girl in for a potty break. The Shrine didn’t come on, Austin’s Skycrawler (maybe?) did, and after a while it occurred to us that maybe The Shrine might be on a different stage, oops.

So I grabbed my wife’s purse (hey, how’s My Wife’s Purse for a potential band name?), and we shifted toward inside and heard what sure sounded like The Shrine’s mid-’80s Black Flag via mid-’70s hard rock stylings coming from a stage I’d never seen in there before. And sure enough, they were finishing up their set with a Deep Purple cover, or what somebody told me they’d said was one anyway. But that’s not the worst part. Not only had my wife and daughter, neither of whom had heard them before (much less placed Primitive Blast among their Top 20 albums of 2012 like I did), gotten to see The Shrine’s whole short set; they saw it from so close that the guitarist actually crouched down to let my daughter strum his strings a few times and then held her chords, and the drummer gave her one of his sticks afterwards!

Hard to think of a band I’ve really wanted to see that I’ve been within spitting distance of then didn’t (twice, in a way, since a way-too-long line had kept me out The Shrine’s Wednesday Scoot Inn gig too), but hey these things happen. Afterwards we went to Ruby’s BBQ, and I really liked the crawfish etoufee, and though Wayne Coyne was sitting at one of the tables, I’m proud to say I didn’t have my daughter go up to him and ask why The Flaming Lips traded in good weird rock music for lousy children’s music however many decades ago that was. He probably wouldn’t have understood the question anyway. [Chuck Eddy] ]]> http://news.rhapsody.com/2013/03/18/sxsw-2013-day-5-the-zombies-metz-the-shrine-and-more/feed/ 0