3 posts tagged “freddy mp3”
I'm really excited, because I got a really cool email the other day from my publisher Tanvi Patel at Crucial Music. She told me that my song 'Still Believe' is going to be used in a television show called Kyle XY, which airs on the ABC Family network. We don't get that network here in Canada, so I had to look up the show to find out more about it. This is the synopsis from Wikipedia:
Kyle XY is an American drama television series filmed in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. The show centers around a boy named Kyle (Matt Dallas), who wakes up in the forest outside of Seattle, Washington with no memory
of his life up until that point. The series follows Kyle as he tries to
understand the mysteries of who he is and why he has no memory of being
a child. He is sometimes shown with his shirt partially off and no belly button can be seen.
It turns out that the show is rated first or second on ABC Family in terms of viewership; millions of people tune in to watch, not just in the U.S., but around the globe. Sadly, it seems that Canada is one of the few countries that doesn't get the show, so I'll have to watch it online.
About the song: Crucial changes the names of the songs they publish. This ensures that they only get paid for the placements they get for a given song. That means, when the song is used under its original title, be it on radio, on TV, sold on a album or as an mp3, the artist retains full rights and ownership in the song. As you can see, this is good for the artist, so if you are a creator of music, I highly recommend that you go to Crucial's website and submit your brodcast-quality music for consideration. You never know what kind of music will be suitable for television. Crucial has placed my songs multiple times, and I've been very happy with them.
The only problem with changing the names of songs, is that sometimes I forget the original title! This time around, I Twittered about the placement and had it on my Facebook status, so many people were asking me what song was being used, and I couldn't tell them. I had to go back to my publishing contracts and look it up. The original title of the song is 'Thinking It Over', and it's the 10th track on my first album Things You Never Thought I'd Say. I've posted it below so you can listen if you like. If you're in an area where 'Kyle XY' is broadcast, be sure to tune in and watch.
When it's Macworld time, people get excited to hear what Apple's Next Big Thing is going to be, myself included. But every year I'm disappointed when my dream feature for iPod or iPhone is not announced. This year was no different.
There is a revolutionary feature that I've been longing to have in my iPod. I know it's a long-shot, but I'm going to ask politely that the next generation of iPods and iPhones include...
A UPC scanner.
What? Why would anyone want that? Well, UPCs are ubiquitous, at least in North America. They are found on nearly every product, in nearly every store. They are unlikely to be replaced any time soon. So, what would I do with a UPC scanner?
For starters, I would need some killer apps to go with my scanner. For example:
I want a grocery shopping app that would allow me to scan products at my home, as I use them up, so I can make an automatic grocery list. Better yet, when my list is complete, I could email it to my grocer, who would have my groceries ready for pick-up or delivery. Even better yet, my list could be fed to price databases from local stores, and the app could calculate which store provides the overall lowest price for my list, allowing for time and distance from my house.
Maybe the same app would allow me to scan products while I'm at the grocery store for instant wi-fi price comparisons, or easy calculations. If I were to preset a budget, I could scan each item as I put it in my cart until I had reached my limit. At the checkout, my iPod or iPhone would simply communicate with the self-service till, allowing me to pay very quickly, perhaps with my Apple ID.
I would also like to have a general shopping application. When I'm looking for a new TV, I could scan a few different models to compare features. The app would also tell me if the store down the street has the same TVs at a better price, or if I could save by instantly ordering online. It would also allow me to scan and buy anything in a store immediately, using my Apple ID or a credit card. On my way out, the app would communicate some proof of purchase to an employee of the store, indicating that I had pre-paid.
I'm sure advertisers and promoters would get in on the act as well. Imagine standing in line at the supermarket, or waiting for the bus or the train. An advertisement next to you reads, "Doublespeak, the new album from Freddy, available now on iTunes. Scan here to hear samples, and for a free download of the first single, Massive." OK, I used myself in the example, but it could be Coldplay, or Sting, or Toby Keith, Lily Allen, whoever. You might just scan it and check it out. If you liked it, you could buy it immediately. Indie musicians could use it to make it easier for people to pay for UPC-branded music and merch at shows. Or print up stickers or flyers with barcodes and a message about the music and plaster them all over town. On impulse, people could scan and check out your music. The same could be done with books, magazines, video, games, and so on.
I'm sure there could be so many more applications for this technology. Scan anything and: pay with your iPhone or iPod, get instant product and price information, make lists, keep on budget, sample new things, and so much more.
Please, Apple, will you put a UPC scanner in my next iDevice?