News & UK Play Chart

The race to the Christmas number one single got a little bit more interesting last week. While we'd resigned ourselves to another X Factor whitewash for Christmas number one, 2011 looks like it might be a little more unpredictable after we cottoned onto the fact that Gareth Malone's Military Wives' Choir would be releasing a single in time for the 25th. If you've not heard of the Military Wives' Choir, a 200-plus group of women who sung their hearts out on BBC2's The Choir in November, take a moment out of your day and cast your eyes over this. Try not to cry.

The above single, 'Wherever You Are', has been hotly tipped to peak at number one this month. After the song was televised on The Choir, Radio 2 breakfast jockey Chris Evans immediately began lobbying for its release in time for Christmas. Since then, the song has been tipped to get number one by us, HMV and William Hill (it's 8/13 to win, compared to X Factor's entry at 6/5). Here at Soundnet, we're very excited to see if it will win.

'Wherever You Are' is released to the general populace on the 19th December. What's more, all proceeds from the sale of the single goes to the Royal British Legion and SSAFA Forces Help. It is the season of goodwill, after all.

Christmas is just 25 days away. In less than a month, we'll be toasting our marshmallows on an open fire, pulling open crackers with granny and basking in the warm feeling which comes from seeing the X-Factor miss out on the number one single courtesty of a choir of Military Wives. (But more on that next week).

Still, despite the fact that there's still some daylight between us and the 25th, the very first Christmas songs started sneaking into the best-selling chart this week. 20 years to the week after it made its debut in the world, The Pogues/Kirsty MacColl collaboration, Fairytale of New York, snuck into the top-selling singles. Incredibly, this makes it the seventh December in a row which has seen the record nip into the Top 75 chart. If you're interested, 7,034 sales of the song were made last week. 7,034 of you have put your Christmas tree up far too early.

But McGowan wasn't the only aging rock star to be celebrating the reappearance of their only successful contribution to the Christmas season. Mariah Carey joined in the premature festivities with her 1994 classic 'All I Want For Christmas Is You', seeing the record sell 5,200 units over the week.

Expect to get more than a few sightings of old Mariah over the next four weeks; you'll hear the song from the mouths of Michael Buble, Justin Bieber and the Cast of Glee in the run up to Christmas. All three release their own interpretation of the song as we edge closer to the 25th.

All we want for Christmas is a bit of imagination. And maybe a 'White Christmas'.

The wise owls at The Entertainment Retailers Association have released their annual top ten entertainment gifts for Christmas. The list, which is only available to good boys and girls (and anyone who clicks this link), predicts a bumper season for a number of musical acts including Michael Buble and One Direction.

Over the next month, the ERA predicts that 12 million CDs will be hastily stuffed into stockings across the country with latest offers from Michael Buble and One Direction being the most popular choices for music-loving relatives. There are also nods for the latest NOW collection and the DVD of Take That's Progress tour. Rather oddly, there's no room in the list for Rihanna's freshest sound 'Talk That Talk' and not a whiff of Justin Bieber's Christmas collection. It's tough at the top, kids.

Speaking about the list, ERA Director General Kim Bayley said:

“Entertainment retains its crown as the most universal Christmas gift. There truly is something for everyone.”

Never a truer word said Kim.

Compared to the other entertainment offerings though, CD gifts sits rooted to the bottom of the pile. The soothsayers at the ERA have foreseen that 15.1 million videogames and 32.2m DVDs will be hastily purchased between now and Christmas Eve.

For those interested, previous best-selling Christmas albums of the past decade are:

• Take That, Progress (2010)
• Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream (2009)
• Take That, The Circus (2008)
• Leona Lewis, Spirit (2007)
• Take That, Beautiful World (2006)
• Eminem, Curtain Call (2005)
• Robbie Williams, Greatest Hits (2004)
• Dido, Life for Rent (2003)
• Robbie Williams, Escapeology (2002)
• Robbie Williams, Swing When You're Winning (2001)
• The Beatles, 1 (2000)

It's been a good decade for Take That and Gary Barlow's swimming pool of money. With this week's DVD release of Progress Live, Robbie and Gary should be continuing the money-making theme for another year.

It's the start of a new week and there's another storming collection of artists in our hired jukebox playlist. Maroon 5, Bruno Mars and Adele all make up an extemporary selection of pop songs and once again our Top 30 chart demonstrates just what fantastic musical taste you all have.

Still, regardless of the excellent musical talent on display, here at Soundnet we have a soft-spot for the occasional one-hit wonder which sneaks into the chart. Here are five of our favourites from recent years.

Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles

Released in 1979, the debut single from The Buggles gained instant success. It was number one in the singles chart of 16 countries and the song has the honour of being the first music video to be shown on MTV in the United States in 1981. The Buggles, a new wave band from Albion, did not find the same success with their following records though, breaking up three years after the release of their hit single.

I'll Be There for You - The Rembrants

Potentially the most famous one-hit wonder, courtesy of its appearance over the opening credits of television programme Friends. The band actually enjoyed quite a lot of success off the back of their appearance on the sitcom giant, although for the life of us, we can't imagine why.

JCB – Nizlopi

Released in 2005, this charming song about a young son riding with his father in a JCB topped the UK chart on its release. The utterly lovely video alone cements its place in this list. Nizlopi, sadly, are no longer with us, having split up on 2010.

'Everyone's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) - Baz Luhrmann

Sometime director Baz Luhrmann brought us this wistful piece of advice in 1999. Voiced by Aussie actor Lee Perry, the song is actually taken from an advice column written by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich in 1997.

The Ketchup Song – Las Ketchup

Recorded by three Spanish sisters, the song reached number one in the UK, Australia, Japan, Sweden, Canada and Finland (but asking why is a question for another time). Believe it or not, Las Ketchup have a very successful career in their native Spain (Again, this is a question for another time).

Last week, we celebrated the birthday of pop's greatest heroes as Freddie Mercury, the iconic Queen front man, turned 65 year's old. Or he would have done, had he not passed away in 1991.

Mercury is a hero to those of us who worship at the altar of pop music. He has been voted the greatest male singer of all time on several occasions and we've received more than three invites to Queen-themed parties this weekend. But, if you're thinking of celebrating one of music's leading men with a gathering, here's the Soundnet guide to hosting your very own Queen-themed shindig.

Fancy dress.

It's time to dig out that golden blazer and dress to impress. Celebrate the life of Freddie by dressing to excess; we're talking white vests, bright jackets and leather trousers. Don't worry if you don’t own any of those clothes. Your wardrobe from the 1970s should be able to help you out.

The moustache

Of course, the Mercury look wouldn't be complete without an impressive lip rat and you'll be expected to have cultivated an impressive nose warmer by the day of the party. If you're struggling to obtain the necessary facial hair though, it's perfectly acceptable to grab one from the fancy dress box. Or the nose of the nearest stranger.

The music

Naturally, all Queen parties need Queen songs. Thankfully, you'll be able to hear dozens of the band's iconic tracks on our digital jukeboxes, providing you're hosting the party in a venue which has sensibly decided to go with the Soundnet system. If they're really smart, the place will also have the music video package, so you'll be able to watch Freddie strut his stuff while you all sing along.

Tonight, I'm gonna' have a ball. Etc, etc.

The festival season is drawing to a close and hasn't it been eventful? We've seen Beyoncé shake her booty, Bono natter with astronauts on the International Space Station and Lady Gaga mystify the crowds of Carlisle with a jazz set. It's truly been a memorable year.

Still, all good things must come to an end and this weekend sees the close of the traditional festival season with the Leeds and Reading Festivals. It's been a musical summer of rubbish weather, excessive television coverage on BBC3 and amazing acts. And it's all coming to a close.

So this weekend, we raise a jar to the indie heroes playing the festival season out. Elbow, The Strokes and Pulp have all made themselves available for the three day musical extravaganza and, while the weather may be worse that Muse's back-catalogue, at least the bands will be good.

Still, if you’ve not had the pleasure of camping in a damp, crowded field of Muse fans, we think we're able to offer you a solution. That is to say, a better solution than pulling your dad's tent from out the shed.

At Soundnet, we're especially proud of our extensive music collection; we have a knack for keeping on top of music trends, whether it's from emerging artists, old vanguards of the rock era or overrated bands that just keep on plugging away. Like Muse. But there's no accounting for taste.

Our digital jukeboxes ensure that we're able to offer a range of amazing tracks, regardless of musical sensibilities. It's one of the reasons why we're the leading provider of venue sound systems in the United Kingdom. So, even if you didn't get the chance to go to Leeds, Reading, Glastonbury, Carlisle this year, you can still listen to your favourite artists when you're in the dry comfort of your local. 

Those of you familiar with our Milestones in Music Video package will not need convincing about the power of the music video. Ever since Michael Jackson raises the bar with his music video for 'Thriller', bands have been attempting to create visual spectacles equal to the quality of their music. And music fans love them; our Milestones in Music video package is one of the most popular for venues across the UK. So, to celebrate the power of the music video, here are five of our favourite music videos:

Coldplay – The Scientist

This is a wonderfully shot video which never fails to bring a tear to the eye. The song perfectly matches the melancholy on screen; it's a guaranteed tear-jerker.

Weezer – Buddy Holly

Directed by Spike Jonze, this clever little video sees US band Weezer cameo in an episode of Happy Days. Despite being filmed in 1994, the video neatly ties in clips of The Fonz and the rest of the cast with the band playing on stage.

Blur – Coffee & TV

This excellent video won the best Video Award at the 2000 NME awards. The spectacle, which follows the quest of a milk carton searching for a missing Graham Cox, is a lovely bit of work.

Lady Gaga – Telephone

Racking up at an incredible nine minutes, this music video is a homage to product placement and Quentin Tarantino. A bizarre video which, if ever played, is guaranteed to get people turning their head towards the digital jukebox.

Ok Go – Any song

OK Go have a tendency to go a bit overboard with their videos. Whether it's the choreographed treadmill madness of 'Here it Goes Again' or the simple dancing moves of 'A Million Ways', the band are famous for producing videos which capture the imagination. This particular track, 'This Too Shall Pass" is quite a feat of ingenuity.

Women across the country let out a collective 'oh, that's not brilliant news' this week as rumours began circulated regarding the fate of the US band Kings of Leon.

The reason for this collective groan came from reports that the American four-piece, fronted by their dreamy Caleb Followill, would soon be no more; the band recently cancelled their US tour quoting 'exhaustion', while Jared Followill tweeted the band had 'big problems'. The bell, if news sources are to be believed, is about to toll for the US group. Still, it's not all bad news and those ladies keen to keep the memory of their favourite band alive will be able to do so via the magic of Soundnet.

Indeed, we're proud to play host to a number of the Kings of Leon's greatest hits. Load up any Soundnet machine and you'll be able to play a barn-full of hits from the Tennessee rockers, including Sex on Fire, Molly's Chambers, Use Somebody and The Immortals. But, only if you really want to. We're not just celebrating the career of this particular band though and, here at Soundnet, we're honoured to offer a collection of songs from groups who have long since broken up.

On our MiM package, you'll find hits from the likes of Girls Aloud, Destiny's Child and Westlife. To play it, your customers just need to enter the song title or band name. We offer this service, because we believe that a good song shouldn't disappear with the demise of the band that created it. Good music crosses decades and great tracks, music from Queen, The Beatles and Pink Floyd, crosses generations. You'll need a digital jukebox that accommodates that then.

The Soundnet 'Milestones in Music' package is one of the most popular choices for our loyal band of subscribers. The selection, which includes every top 40 chart hit since records began, is available on Soundnet digital jukeboxes across the country; it's one of the most popular collections for the nation's musical lovers.

Being the curious cats that we are, we asked the Soundnet team to tell us their favourite track from the Milestones in Music package. Here's what they came up with:

"I'm a huge fan of Coldplay. Given the choice, I'd put on 'The Scientist' or 'Talk'. They're both brilliant songs; they remind me of my time at university."

'The Scientist' was released in 2002 and reached position 10 in the charts. 'Talk' was released in 2005 and reached the same chart position.

"I would have to say 'Love will tear us apart' by Joy Division. It's one of the most iconic songs and its continuing popularity – ranked as the best single of all time by NME in 2002 – just demonstrates what a brilliant track it really is."

'Love will tear us apart' was released in 1980 and charted at number 13 in the United Kingdom.

"'I bet you look good on the dancefloor' was the first single for the Arctic Monkeys and it's still their best effort to date. It's a great little number and well worth a listen."M

'I bet you look good on the dancefloor' was released in October, 2005. It peaked at the number one spot.

"Even though Gareth Gates tried to destroy my goodwill towards the song, Elvis' 'Suspicious minds' is my favourite track. It's a perfect song, with a quick tempo and great lyrics. Brilliant stuff."

'Suspicious minds' was released in 1969. It reached the number two spot in the UK.

So, a wide-range of opinions from the Soundnet team. It just goes to show that, whatever the age, we all have a different taste in music. It's a good job that that there are so many different songs on offer in our digital jukeboxes then.

We've been seeing a lot of Henry Winkler on our televisions recently. The actor, famed for appearing in the classic US sitcom Happy Days, has been doing the rounds on a number of chat shows in the UK in order to promote his new book. Still, no matter how many pantomimes the actor appears in, we can't help but still fondly remember the man from his stint as The Fonz.

Now, The Fonz was a cool chap. He drove a motorbike and, with a flick of his elbow, could get the old-fashioned jukebox in Arnold's Drive In to blast out the latest tune from the 1950s. Still, we can't help but wonder how our Fonzie would react when faced with Soundnet digital jukeboxes. Not well, we'd imagine.

For a start, our digital jukeboxes have thousands of songs in. While the music machines in 'Happy Days' were only capable of playing a few dozen hits, the Soundnet range features more tracks than you can shake a knickerbocker glory at. Indeed, our latest model includes all the hits from the 1950s to the present day. That's around 4.5 million songs.

Secondly, our digital jukeboxes are all touchscreen. There's none of the hassle of cycling through an album collection with a Soundnet machine. Simply type in the artist name or song and select your track. We can’t even begin to imagine how The Fonz would react to these magical touchscreens from the future.

And finally, our jukeboxes don't break. While The Fonz had to give the Happy Days machine a bit of a kick to get it into gear, our machines are reliable little things, always ready to offer your customers the latest and greatest songs.

So, if you're venue is in danger of 'jumping the shark', give us a call and ask about our excellent digital jukeboxes. Happy days, indeed.

Glasgow: famous for its architecture, cultural legacy and inappropriate fried food. But, did you know that it’s also a city with a global reputation for good music?

Indeed, Scotland’s second city has a lot of music muscle; Franz Ferdinand, Travis, Snow Patrol and office-favourites Belle and Sebastian all call Glasgow home and, way back in 2004, the bastion of American journalism Time claimed that Glasgow was the ‘secret capital’ of pop music. We quote:

“Glasgow is a rock of the north with an embarrassment of (musical) riches. In musical terms, think Detroit in the Sixties and Seattle in the early Nineties; that’s Glasgow.”

Strong praise indeed. But since then, the musical pedigree of the city has continued to grow and the likes of The Fratellis, and Glasvegas have all emerged from the city’s streets. In 2010, the city was appointed a UNESCO City of Music and in 2009, was the home of that year’s MOBO awards. It seems Glasgow’s musical pedigree is not to be sniffed at; the inhabitants have music in their blood and they take the whole thing very seriously.

It seems appropriate then that Glasgow has one of the largest collection of Soundnet digital jukeboxes. Wander into most bars, pubs and hotels in the city and you’re likely to hear the music from one of our boxes providing the soundtrack to enthusiastic chats about the next big thing.

Here at Soundnet, we’re honoured to contribute to the blossoming music scene in the city. Indeed, given our track record of uploading the newest bands and tracks for punters, you can expect to find the latest Glaswegian find on our jukeboxes; primed and ready to be played. Because we trust in new music.

Sultry soul singer Adele is having a good 2011. Her second studio album, 21, has now spent 14 weeks in the top 40 album chart, having topped the pile for 11 consecutive Sundays. She's sold over 1.5 million copies of that record and, if you're one for these sorts of stats, the only solo artist to have spent longer as the number one album is Phil Collins with 'But Seriously' in 1989. Seriously.

But it's not just the music-buying crowd that have embraced Adele and her bellowing whale-lungs. Here at Soundnet, we've seen the seamless songstress firmly embed herself into our most-popular track chart.

Currently, Adele has two tracks in our top-30 songs: the bass-thumping 'Rolling in the Deep' and the tender 'Someone Like You'. Both have been a permanent feature in our chart since their individual release and they don't look to be sliding down into the depths anytime soon.

But, it's not just Adele who is making a habit of sticking around the Soundnet chart. Cee Lo Green, Bruno Mars and Rihanna have all been permanent features in the top 30, lurking in the top half of the chart for several weeks. Each of these artists currently has an album in the Top 40 chart.

Here at Soundnet, we realise that music fans want to hear their favourite artists when they're out and about. As a result, it's of little wonder that the UK's favourite singers and bands appear all over our top 30 record chart. We pride ourselves on providing the best (and latest) music to our jukeboxes, however long they decide to stay in the charts. Even if it is Phil Collins.

Michael Jackson fans were up in arms this week after Fulham FC owner Mohamed Al Fayed unveiled a controversial statue of the late singer outside the club's football ground. The monument, which has been described by art critics as ' almost so bad it's almost good', 'creepy', and 'a little bit nasty', has angered fans of the pop icon.

Supporters of the singer have reacted badly to the statue, which you can see here, with many claiming the monument is an insult to the King of Pop.

"The statue doesn't even look like Michael Jackson," said one fan.

But, Mohamed Al Fayed, who considered himself a personal friend to Jackson, responded strongly to the criticism.

"If they don't understand and don't believe in things I believe in, they can go to Chelsea, they can go to anywhere else," he told the BBC.

"He [Jackson] loved Fulham and he wanted to attend all of the matches," Al Fayed added.

But fans of the football club were less then complimentary about the statue with one fan stating: "It makes the club look silly. I thought it was an April Fools joke."

Here at Soundnet, we’re in no position to critique monuments of modern art; we would rather remember the King of Pop through his music.

Indeed, subscribers to our service will be able to offer their punters a host of classic Jackson songs and customers can enjoy classics like 'Thriller', 'Billie Jean' and 'Smooth Criminal' straight from our jukeboxes.

Of course, if you'd prefer to listen to some more contemporary artists, you can also direct your customers to other classic pop artists. Indeed, this week's chart sees entries for pop queens Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Alexis Jordan. You'll just have to blame us for the boogie.

Bellowing songstress Adele reigns supreme in the Soundnet chart this week. Not only has the 21-year-old, who recently released her sophomore album 21, flooded the top 30 tracks with four of her songs, but also features in pole position with the haunting melody 'Someone Like You'.

Indeed, the song, which first debuted at the 2011 Brit Awards, has been well-received by critics and fans alike. While BBC Music described the track as 'a thing of beauty,' the music-loving public has been as equally receptive to the haunting melody, placing the single at number one in both the UK and Ireland pop charts. With its emotional lyrics and spine-tingling piano backing, the tune is well-worthy of its acclaim and it's of little surprise that 'Someone Like You' has topped the Soundnet chart after only a couple of weeks.

But while Adele, her fans and Soundnet Jukebox listeners will not doubt be happy with this development, users of the music-streaming service Spotify will be somewhat disappointed; the track is not available via the programme. Indeed, rumour has it that the song won't be on offer for some time.

When you're providing music for your customers, it's crucial that you have a current playlist; when a song explodes onto the scene, people want to listen to it over and over. And 'Someone Like You' is definitely one of those songs.

"I can't quite believe how many times I've listened to this in a row," writes one YouTube users on the music video for 'Someone Like You'.

If your current music provider isn't supplying the latest tracks, it's time to move to another service. You'll never find someone like us. 

At Soundnet, we know our jukebox customers like new music. In fact, they like it so much, 85 per cent of all the tracks played on our digital jukeboxes are new releases or recent chart hits.

As a company, we pride ourselves on getting the latest tunes to our customers - from new releases to nostalgic re-entries - although recently, we've even impressed ourselves.

Last month, cult British band Radiohead announced the launch of their eighth studio album, The King of Limbs, on the 14th of February. Five days later, the album was released in a download format. The record was an instant success and received rave reviews.

While the physical copy won’t be available until May, the team here at Soundnet outdid themselves by offering the album on all online connected Milestones jukeboxes the Monday after its release.

In order to ensure customers have the best opportunity to maximize the revenues surrounding the release, we have already sent out the album for standard MIMs and it is also available on request for SNUK (at no extra cost).

But, we’re not just Radiohead fans. We’re also offering customers free live performances for this year’s Brit Award performances, featuring spectacular one-off songs by Arcade Fire, Adele, Rihanna and Plan B.

Speaking to the Soundnet blog, James Luck said:

“We pride ourselves on offering the best possible service to our customers and that means providing the music people want to hear when it is topical and relevant.”

In the past we have provided special playlists for Michael Jackson after his death, for the Beatles Remastered album when it was in the news and we also offer a popular X Factor service after each show."

Everyone at Soundnet lives and breathes music and we know that many people who spend money on jukeboxes feel the same way. Soundnet customers can relax in the knowledge that we will keep their jukeboxes as up to date as possible – even ahead of the shops or radio stations.”

With music fans' buying habits changing dramatically over the past few years you might assume that home insurance would cover downloaded songs as standard – but you'd be wrong. According to Which? around a third of home insurance providers don't cover downloads as part of their standard policies, meaning that in the event of an accident any downloaded songs would be lost without the possibility of compensation. As Britain's music industry moves ever further towards a download culture, with over 100 million tracks already being downloaded per year, this may come as a surprise for some consumers.

Anyone who frequently downloads, therefore, is advised to check their policy and ensure that their downloaded are covered by their current deal, or if not to look into a policy which does cover them. Insurers such as Direct Line and Privilege offer up to £1,000 worth of cover for downloads, with Hiscox' cover extending up to £2,500. Which? also advise heavy downloaders to invest in an external hard drive to act as a backup should anything go wrong with their PC – at least that way a bug in the system won't leave their record collection in the recycle bin. 

In a bid to combat Internet piracy, Sony and Universal have announced an innovative plan to make new singles available immediately after they first make it onto the airwaves. This new policy, nicknamed "on air, on sale" is a massive step in preventing bootleg copies circulating in place of the official single release, and may signal the end of the age-old practice of setting up a new release with weeks of airplay before it becomes available to buy.

The business model has already been proven to work, as it's been a mainstay of X Factor winners for the past few years, and this year saw Matt Cardle's Biffy Clyro cover When We Collide going on to shift 439,000 copies, having been made available to buy immediately after the final was broadcast. The growing demands for instant gratification and immediacy, highlighted by the iPod-sporting music habits of the new generation of music consumers, means that being forced to wait for a new release is no longer a viable option. Instead of hanging on until the official release, fans are downloading unofficial copies from blogs or peer to peer sites, thus impinging on sales figures.

Paul Gambaccini is a mainstay of talking heads shows about music, with an impressive pedigree in the study of pop's glittering history. With that in mind, when he declares rock dead, fans of the genre should take serious notice – could it be true the days of rocking out are really coming to a close? Gambaccini points to the fact that just three of the top 100 selling singles in the UK in 2010 could be filed under the rock genre, with the charts and airwaves now dominated by R'n'B, Hip Hop and Pop.

There's no doubt that the charts aren't exactly drowning in guitar riffs, but it's not the end of rock as we know it. Just because the current crop of bands aren't topping the charts doesn't mean they're petering out – the live scene is thriving, festivals are sold out in seconds and there are whole TV stations dedicated to the heavier side of things. The charts tend to be cyclical, and while we might have to wait a while for boys and girls in bands to be clogging up the top 10, it's certainly not the end of guitar, bass drums and amps that go up to 11. 

This February will see a new, improved BRIT Awards at London's O2 Arena, and the nominations have been announced for the overhauled celebration of British music. To get you in the mood, why not have a listen to the key tracks from the contenders for British Album Of The Year:

Mumford & Sons: Sigh No More
The folk-influenced Mumford & Sons have become unlikely superstars, more hoe-down than hedonism, their album turned into a word-of-mouth sensation.
Must-hear: Awake My Soul

Plan B: The Defamation of Strickland Banks
Plan B's first album was an angry slice of Hip Hop, so his return as a suited and booted soul-singing star with proper pop star potential was a real surprise.
Must-hear: She Said

Take That: Progress
The reunited man band smashed records with their comeback as a five-piece, and it's set them up for their full-on tour in 2011/
Must-hear: The Flood

Tinie Tempah: Disc-Overy
Tinie Tempah's the new king of grime, and has the most nominations at this year's BRITs with an impressive four, including the biggie: best album.
Must-hear: Pass Out

The xx: xx
These dubstep-infused South Londoners may make gloomy, atmospheric music but had plenty to be cheery about in 2010, including a Mercury Music Prize win.
Must-hear: VCR

The entertainment juggernaut that is X Factor came to a glittery conclusion this weekend, but, despite huge ratings and acres of press coverage, Matt Cardle will be forgiven for being a little on edge about his chart-topping prospects for one reason: last year's Facebook campaign. In previous years the X Factor winner was guaranteed the festive number one, but a highly-orchestrated online campaign in 2009 saw Joe McElderry's cover of The Climb pipped to the top by Rage Against The Machine's swear-packed classic, Killing In The Name.

This year the Internet tricksters are trying to provide another demonstration of people power, and the 'song' of choice is avant-garde composer John Cage's infamous 4'33 – a performance piece in which musicians don't play their instruments for four minutes, 33 seconds, and the ensuing silence is recorded. It doesn't look like Cage will join Rage at the top, however, with early figures showing that the re-recorded composition is unlikely to bother the top 20, despite featuring the likes of Billy Bragg, and members of The Kooks and Madness. Matt Cardle's clear bookies' favourite with his version of Many Of Horror by rockers Biffy Clyro – cunningly Cardle-ised under the new title When We Collide.

The fight-back against online piracy continues apace, but the rights holders of music which is being shared for free will still have to shoulder the vast majority of the costs of the clampdown.

The task of identifying, and notifying, people who are illegally distributing and downloading is a huge one, and the government has decided that the rights holders are to be responsible for 75% of the costs, likely to around the £14 million, with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) forking out for the remaining 25%.

This new cost-sharing plan is set to kick in in 2011, and it’s hoped it will make a saving for copyright holders of around £200million across the board. The rights holders aren’t exactly thrilled with the division, however, feeling ISPs should be forced to stump up more for their customers who use P2P filesharing tools.

At present, the rights holders have been paying the cost, but their hopes that a more equal division of the bill would be announced seem to have fallen flat. The government’s reasoning behind the uneven carve up was that “It was considered these were largely 'business as usual' costs that copyright owners would face as part of protecting their own copyright material”.

The BPI’s response to the ruling was guarded: “We will work closely with the government and Ofcom to ensure that the costs framework overall is workable and affordable, in particular for small labels, and that the Code can be swiftly implemented."

Kanye West is hooking up with some unlikely artists for his new album. He's been in the studio with acoustic folkie Bon Iver, and is also working with Justin Bieber. Kanye's collaborations have got us thinking about some of pop's oddest couples.

David Bowie and Bing Crosby

Bing was the cardigan-wearing epitome of cosiness, David Bowie a genre-warping rock 'n' roll chameleon. When they got together in 1977 it was an oddly soothing experience, with their Little Drummer Boy quickly becoming a Christmas standard.

Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue

There's one way of proving you're no longer a cheesy pop puppet, and that's by letting Aussie king of Goth-rock, Nick Cave, stove your head in with a rock in a video for his latest murder ballad.

Shaun Ryder and Russell Watson

You couldn't get two more dissimilar vocalists than Ryder and Watson. One's a gobby Mancunian who half-sings, half-raps lyrics about your mum being dirty, the other's an opera star who knows his way round an aria.

Lady GaGa and Michael Bolton

No, your eyes are not deceiving you, GaGa performed a duet with the 80s fromage-meister, Michael Bolton. In her defence it was before she was a star, but the song, Murder My Heart, is a GaGa original.

Pavarotti and U2

The biggest band in the world needed someone to give their song Miss Sarajevo a bit of welly, so they called in the biggest tenor on the planet. It really shouldn't have worked, but somehow it did.

Amid all the talk of crisis and collapse in the music industry, a recent report from the Performing Right Society seems to suggest there's life in the business yet. Reporting a 5% rise across the music industry as a whole, a record-breaking spend on live music and a decrease in online piracy, the statistics seem to point to recovery, or at least a halt in the decline.

The PRS have admitted the report is "a view of the music industry from 30,000 feet … as the increasingly complex and cross-border industry is proving hard to add up" but it goes a long way to show that the worst may be over for worried music execs. A clampdown on online piracy does seem to be having the desired effect, with a 4.7% growth in the UK's music revenue in 2009, partly thanks to the global success of Susan Boyle.

The most interesting stat, however, is the 9.4% increase in live music revenue, proving that even if it's possible to download an album, it's never going to be possible to bootleg the experience of seeing an artist in the flesh. The rise of festivals and appetite for live music should ensure the industry stays in decent health, and can support the next generation of bands.

This appetite for live music, and unique music experiences, is surely the future of the music industry, with band's interactions with fans the key to their financial survival. Here's hoping for another growth in 2011 – even if SuBo doesn't bring out a follow-up record...

George Michael's fall from grace hit rock bottom as he started a jail term in Pentonville on careless driving charges. The star is faced with an eight week sentence, of which he's likely to serve four, and was said to be inconsolable, refusing to leave his cell.

George isn't the first musician to have a run-in with the law– here's our look at five of music's most infamous musical encounters with the boys in blue:

The Rolling Stones

While they hardly served hard time, the Stones were faced with a night in the cells over drugs charges in the 60s, and mocked the incident in their video for We Love You, casting themselves as Oscar Wilde in the dock.
Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: Gimme Shelter

Pete Doherty

The Libertines enjoyed a summer comeback but Pete Doherty knows his way around a prison cell - it was his imprisonment for burgling Carl Barat that led to the band's first split.
Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: The Good Old Days

Phil Spector

Wall of Sound producer Phil Spector was always seen as a loose cannon but his gun-play took a darker turn in 2003, when he killed actress Lana Clarkson – he's currently serving 19 to life.
Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: Be My Baby

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne is serving a one-year term for illegal possession of a firearm, but he's not let it stop him from keeping up with fans via a blog and earning a few quid from 'Free Weezy' merchandise.
Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: Lollipop

Ian Brown

The former Stone Roses frontman ended up inside over an air-rage incident, and undertook a dramatic change while banged up in Strangeways, converting to Islam. He confessed he'd only done it to get better quality dinners after he left, though.
Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: F.E.A.R

Not for the first time in his career, Detroit rapper Eminem is courting controversy. The video for his new single Love The Way You Lie has been causing debate and argument among bloggers and music fans over its depiction of domestic violence. The subject matter is close to Eminem's own heart, and to his guest vocalist Rihanna's, both of whom have been involved in very public abusive relationships.

Starring Hollywood pin-up Megan Fox and Brit actor Dominic Monaghan as a fiery couple, the aggression they show each other has prompted some critics to slam the video as glamorising domestic violence, including Entertainment Weekly in the States which wrote "All the rage and beatings are lit in a very dramatic and sexy way, because the people doing the raging and beating are very lithe and muscular and gorgeous."

Scenes which have proved particularly devisive include Monaghan punching dry-wall, inches from Fox, and the passionate kisses which follow incidents of violence and rage. The lyrics are also creating a stir, with lines like "I laid hands on her, I'll never stoop so low again/I guess I don't know my own strength" coming under extreme scrutiny.

The video is certainly edgy, and the subject matter horrific, but the decision from both the artists to create something about destructive relationships seems like a brave move, and anything that brings this often hidden issue into a public forum can only be a good thing. As for glamorising violence – you'll have to judge for yourself by watching the video.

Their back-story was pure tabloid-fodder, with burglaries, rehab, prison and more break-ups than Deirdre and Ken Barlow, but The Libertines are finally letting by-gones be by-gones and reuniting for this year's Leeds and Reading Festivals. Whether it's the allure of showcasing their back catalogue again, or the reported £1million pay-cheque, there are bound to be fireworks when they take to the stage. Not to mention pandemonium beforehand.

The band's announcement of a one-off warm-up show at London' HMV Forum in Kentish Town set off a virtual scramble for tickets. Their release via a strict ballot system, to prevent touting, hasn't prevented some of the ticket codes being offered on eBay, with bids of up to £20,000 attracting almost as many column inches as the band's antics. But what was so special about this often shambolic band, to inspire such dedication?

Simply put, they were a breath of off-the-cuff, rock 'n' roll fresh air in a stale British music scene, dominated by cosy guitar bands peddling Britpop-lite at the beginning of the Millennium. Owing as much of a debt to Chas 'N' Dave as The Strokes, Pete Doherty and Carl Barat's quintessentially English lyrics, ramshackle arrangements and openness created a social community around the band, fuelled by impromptu intimate gigs announced on fan forums, some of which took place at the duo's own flat. Whether a big-money reunion in a field of thousands is the best way to showcase their punk-skiffle sound remains to be seen, but it's bound to be another fascinating chapter in The Libertines' saga.

Soundnet's jukebox must-hears: Can't Stand Me Now, The Good Old Days, Time For Heroes.

Amy Winehouse’s long-awaited follow up to 2006’s hugely successful Back To Black is finally on its way, with an expected release in January 2011. Amy’s going back to the influences which made her last album a huge success, telling journalists her forthcoming release will be "another jukebox album".

This has given fans and critics reason to hope for more hits like Rehab and Tears Dry On Their Own, recalling the glory days of Motown and darker 60s Soul. Here’s our look at some of the influences we can expect to hear on Amy’s third album:

Etta James

One of the undoubted queens of soul, Etta had the voice and the diva attitude on show in Amy, not to mention her fair share of demons, including a substance abuse problem.

Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: At Last

The Specials

The Ska kings have recently reunited and Amy’s been known to cover their version of Toots and the Maytals’ Monkey Man in her live shows. Expect a bit of sun-kissed Ska on the new LP: a hangover from her months in St Lucia.

Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: Too Much, Too Young

Phil Spector

Another troubled music star, Spector produced some of the greatest pop songs of all time, masterminding the Ronettes and a whole host of other girl bands whose influence is evident on Back To Black.

Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: Be My Baby

Motown

The Motown sound defined young American pop in the 60s, and from the sample of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough on Back To Black, to Mark Ronson’s love of brass, Motown’s never too far from Amy’s mind.

Soundnet's jukebox must-hear: Heard It Through The Grapevine

Amy’s new album will be available on Soundnet’s digital jukeboxes in the New Year

Exile On Main Street by The Rolling Stones is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most celebrated records, but even 38 years on from its release it’s surprising people – including the Stones themselves.

To celebrate Record Day the Stones brought out some new (or should that be old) material – a rare off-cut from the Exile sessions called Plundered My Soul which the band only rediscovered while preparing a remastered version of their seminal record due for release later this summer.

The only thing that wasn’t a shock was the quality of the song, recorded as it was when the Stones were at the height of their powers. It’s a bluesy number, with Keith in groovy form and Mick in fine voice.

There’s more good news on the way for Stones fans too – the upcoming remaster will have a further three new tracks from the sessions, and if they’re as good as Plundered My Soul we could find the hottest record in the country was recorded three decades ago.

Make sure you’re fully stocked with Stones and other classic rock ‘n’ roll with Soundnet’s MIM or Rockbox packages, and enjoy pre-releases, including the remaster, at the same time as radio stations and MTV.
 

Colombia might not have qualified for this year’s World Cup in South Africa, but they’ll still be represented at the showpiece tournament thanks to their most famous singing export – Shakira.

She’s been picked to provide the official song for the tournament, alongside South Africa’s Freshlyground, and with football in the blood in Colombia we’ve no doubt she’ll be up to the task.

The Hips Don’t Lie star has teamed up with the Afro-fusion band from Cape Town to record the track called Time For Africa, which is available for download from 26 April. She’ll perform it live with the band at the World Cup’s opening ceremony in Soweto on the 10th of June, in front of a global audience of billions. She’ll reprise it before the final on July 11 (hopefully in front of a stadium full of England fans).

Let’s hope Shakira doesn’t pull a Diana Ross at the US 1994 opening ceremony and miss a penalty from close-range – that moment’s still one of my favourite footy gaffs.

Get your venue in the mood for the World Cup with the track, and a whole host of other football themed songs in Soundnet’s bespoke football package.
 

For the first time since 2003 the British music industry’s sales of recorded music have risen. It might only be a 1.4% increase, but it points at just how important digital sales are in the modern music industry – they’ve played a crucial role in this rise.

Online music purchases have risen by 51.7% with digital tracks and video sales more popular than ever. Now worth £154 million in sales, digital tracks and videos may not quite have replaced traditional physical formats, but they are helping to maintain the industry at a time of transition.

Digital sales now make up around a fifth of music sales, with singles the format performing the most impressively. Even with illegal downloads still taking a chunk out of the music business’ revenue, the single enjoyed its best year ever – not least because of the much publicised battle for Christmas number one.

Spotify might be changing the way people hear music, but legal downloads are making sure they can carry their favourite tracks and videos around with them, and help support the next generation of artists. Keep up to speed with all the singles and albums making headlines with Soundnet’s MIM package, or go Unlimited to enjoy the benefits of Internet connectivity to a limitless number of songs.

M.I.A recently made it clear she’s not a huge fan of Lady GaGa – not least because she thinks GaGa’s been taking a few notes from her act and style over the years. Her video for single Born Free might well be her answer to GaGa’s Telephone – it has controversy, swearing, nudity and is nearly nine minutes long. It’s also pretty amazing.

If GaGa’s video felt like a Tarantino spoof then M.I.A’s is more like an apocalyptic movie. It’s not colourful or cartoonish but it does have violence and bad language – not to mention a real widescreen cinematic feel to it, with director Romain Gavras behind the camera.

Feeling like Justice’s infamous Stress video (also a Gavras creation) which featured gangs of hoodies rampaging through Paris, this is a gritty slice of urban aggression, with M.I.A’s new song providing an eerie, groovy and angry soundtrack. The track’s classic M.I.A – genre-bending with a hypnotic beat and hints that her forthcoming album might be her best yet.

It might just be the Reservoir Dogs to GaGa’s Death Proof. Make sure you’ve got Born Free on your jukebox - with Soundnet’s pre-release material you’ll have it at the same time as radios and MTV.

Glastonbury’s 40th anniversary is bound to go with a bang – the lineup for the Pilton festival’s been announced and it’s chock-full of rock’s A-list, from headliners U2 and Stevie Wonder to Ray Davies, Willie Nelson and Muse.

The UK’s biggest summer festival has pulled out all the stops for its big birthday by bagging the world’s biggest band - Bono and co are set to grace the stage at Glastonbury for the first time since 1982.

For all their big-name bookings the Eavis family still aren’t shying away from controversy – booking controversial Hip Hop star Snoop Dogg, even after Jay-Z’s headline slot in 2008 attracted dissent over urban music’s place at the hippy love-in. Snoop Dogg’s not the only rapper either – hot Brit grime star Dizzee Rascal’s also set to dust off his wellies.

Glasto’s not just about the headliners, though, with its new West Holts stage replacing the old Jazz Stage and featuring, among others, Jerry Dammers and his Spatial AKA Orchestra. Upcoming indie starlets will be down on the farm in numbers too, with Mumford and Sons, The xx and Vampire Weekend confirmed.
Start your festival season early with the latest hits and classics from the headliners’ back catalogues, available on Soundnet’s MIM, MIM AV and Rockbox packages.

The brains behind LCD Soundsystem, and DFA Records, James Murphy might seem like one of the coolest men in music but according to himself he’s well out of fashion, and so is the album format as a whole.

Murphy reckons that the forthcoming, keenly awaited, new album from LCD Soundsystem is definitely going to be their last as the process of making an album is ‘anachronistic’. ‘This Is Happening’ is likely to be found at the top of most critics’ end of 2010 lists, especially if the first single ‘Drunk Girls’ is anything to go by, so maybe Murphy’ll have a change of heart.

I don’t agree with Murphy – people might be buying music differently now but there’s still room for the album. Singles are more important than ever, thanks to downloads and the shuffle function, but there’s still life in the long player – just look at how many units Kings of Leon’s last one shifted, for one thing.

Singles are all about the perfect three minutes, but a band’s reputation stands or falls on its ability to entertain over 10 or 12 songs, and I don’t see that changing for a good while.

Make sure you’re fully stocked with the new LCD Soundsystem record and other forward-thinking rock singles and albums with Soundnet. 
 

If ever there was any doubt about how much we love Led Zeppelin, their anthem Stairway To Heaven has been voted Britain’s favourite rock song of all time in a poll taken by the radio station Absolute Classic Rock.

The epic rock classic pipped The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody to top the poll, and proving the public still has a whole lotta love for the Zep. The hard-rocking, guitar-soloing giants might be reluctant to put on a full comeback tour, but their songs are still soundtracking millions of rock fans’ lives.

While it may come as something of a surprise to see Led Zeppelin and not The Beatles topping the list, it proves there’s still a huge appetite for great rock songs, even when the bands who played them are now a little grey around the temples.

There’s nothing quite like a great rock song to get a crowd going at a live show, and the same is true in any venue – make sure you’re fully stocked with the greatest hits of the greatest British bands, and your customers can see if they agree with  this poll. 
 

It isn’t just tourists, or our own James Luck, who were grounded by the volcanic ash clouds last week. The glitzy US festival Coachella had a good few notable absentees thanks to the weather, with a host of British musicians unable to travel for their scheduled shows.

The fact Gary Numan couldn’t make the event is maybe the most ironic of all – he’s got a pilot’s license! Even under his own steam, however, the Cars star was no match for the dust – and neither were fellow 80s icons Bernard Sumner or Johnny Marr.

Former New Order frontman Sumner has a new band, Bad Lieutenant, but they had to cancel their big US show. Marr meanwhile, currently lending his jangly chords to Wakefield’s Cribs, was stuck in Blighty. It’s almost as if the skies have no respect for our indie heroes – don’t they realise he was in The Smiths...?

If you want to create a festival feeling without the need for mud or long queues for the toilet it’s simple – just load up your digital jukebox with Soundnet’s MIM or Rockbox package and experience all the hits with the added bonus of having a comfy seat and no risk of rain.

Once they were the perma-grinning Britpoppers putting out 90s classics like Alright and Sun Hits The Sky, but after 17 years Supergrass have decided it’s time to go their separate ways.

It might be the oldest one in the rock ‘n’ roll book of break-ups, but once again it’s musical differences to blame for the band’s decision to part ways. Having recently developed a love of garage-rock with their spin-off Hot Rats project it looks like the some of the Oxfordshire boys are looking to keep up the experimenting.

Fans of the band needn’t despair – it’s not like they won’t get to say goodbye. Supergrass were quick to announce a four-date farewell tour, taking in Manchester, Glasgow, London and Paris, to say thanks for the memories and give their impressive back catalogue a final airing.

With Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey having already released their side-project, under the gaze of Radiohead cohort Nigel Godrich, it looks like there’ll be more to come to fill the gap left by the band’s demise.

Make sure you’re stocked with the band’s biggest hits to give them a proper send-off – they’re all available from Soundnet.
 

The passing of The Digital Economy Bill 2010 is a strike back against online music piracy, but what’s it really going to mean for the industry as a whole?

The main area of interest for music fans, and musicians, was the section on illegal downloading, because there’s no two ways about it – it’s having a huge impact on record labels and artists, as well as all those trying to get a record deal from an industry in flux.

Music isn’t free to make, and with the rise of online piracy acts increasingly have to live off revenue made from touring to survive. The bill may have been modified but it does send out a clear signal: copyright infringement is theft, and it has to stop.

While the arguments over making music free to download will continue to rumble on, amid claims that those who download illegally go on to spend more money on music than people who don’t, it is an important move to halt a massive drain on the music industry’s resources.

If you love a musician’s work you’ve got to support it, or face the reality that they might not get to release another record. 
 

The Drums, one of the most hotly tipped new guitar bands around, have had a change of heart and announced that their song Let’s Go Surfing will be on their album when it’s released this summer after all.

Sounding like Joy Division with surf guitars the song helped create much of the buzz around the Brooklyn band, who count Morrissey among their growing list of fans, when it hit playlists last year.

Having initially felt the song wouldn’t fit on their self-titled debut album, due out in the UK in July, the band have given in to pressure from their disappointed fans and reinstated it, comparing its absence to seeing a band live and them refusing to play the song that got you into them to start with.

It just goes to show how important a debut album still is, setting a band’s stall out and creating the mythology – so even if every Drums fan already has the single they still want to see the band’s signature tune make it to the LP.

For hot new singles and pre-releases make sure you’re up to speed with Soundnet, and have the tracks everyone’s talking about available before they’re even in the shops.
 

Lady GaGa’s Telephone video is one of the most talked about since Thriller. Co-starring Beyonce it’s been watched nearly 25 million times on YouTube so far, but it’s not just the numbers which have got people talking about GaGa.

Starting in a prison full of scantily-clad dancers the video’s filled with flesh, swearing and a whole lot of in-your-face product placement (post-modern irony, or just plain brazen?) The song’s not bad either...

Breaking out of prison GaGa and Beyonce are like Thelma and Louise, if Tarantino was directing. Bumping off an unlucky fella the pair go on the run, but not before getting dolled up – even on the lam GaGa doesn’t do dressing down.

It’s not actually Tarantino behind the lens, but director Jonas Akerlund’s clearly been studying his movies. At nine and a half minutes there’s a cinematic feel, but it’s more B-movie than rom-com, with clunky dialogue, specs made from cigarettes and even the famous car from Kill Bill.

Pushing the boundaries of the pop promo, creating a storm of controversy and flogging a few mobiles along the way it’ll be hard to top this video, but knowing GaGa she’s bound to give it a go.
If you’ve not seen the video for Telephone yet it’s available in our MIM AV package. 
 

It seems like only yesterday Susan Boyle surprised the judges on Britain’s Got Talent with her unexpected rendition of I Dreamed A Dream, but now after all the column inches, YouTube hits and controversy she’s finally got her first big payday – and she’d be forgiven for thinking she really is dreaming!

Simon Cowell’s not known for splashing the cash around too often but SuBo’s 49th birthday was one to remember – she got a cheque from him for the £4million owed to her. Made up of royalties from her debut album, which has sold over 8 million copies to date, and her lucrative performances overseas, the bumper cheque is testament to her unlikely superstar status.

Boyle’s plans for the money seem fairly modest by comparison to some of her diva-ish counterparts – a bigger home in her native West Lothian is number one priority with rumours of her moving to the Smoke proving to be unfounded.

It’s great to see someone come from nowhere to enjoy such success, here and abroad, and it proves that talent will always shine through. With an apparent hook-up with Rage Against The Machine and Snoop Dogg to come this year SuBo’s star is still on the rise – let’s just hope she doesn’t spend it all at once!