Audio Video News

I'm not kidding. Not to be outdone by Warner's recent launch of MVI, Disney announced yesterday that, on August 7, the self-titled Hollywood Records album by those pop-punk kids at left, the Jonas Brothers, will be the first release to appear on CDVU+. Per its pronunciation - "CD view plus" - the disc will allow you to see exclusive material "in an easy-to-navigate, digital-magazine" setup.

That material will include 10 video segments with the band, behind-the-scenes footage, a letter from the brothers, an onscreen "intimate guitar-instruction session," song lyrics, 75 printable photos, and Easter eggs. Dispensing with the usual jewel box, the CDVU+ is made of eco-friendly, 100% recycled material.

Says Abbey Konowitch, general manager of the Hollywood label: "While the CD is still the primary means by which people consume music, it is also true that music fans are increasingly turning to the Internet to connect, research, and consume music. To address the changing consumer expectations, we've created a recognizable physical product that also serves as a key to unlock content that is exclusive, interactive, tailored to the band's fans, and updatable."

In other words, the CDVU+ seems to be a mere portal for downloading stuff - after which, says Disney, the material can be accessed both on and offline.

Sheesh. I'll have a lot more to say about this - and the general sad state of the music industry - in a later post. (No time now. We're shipping the September issue. Maybe we should call the print edition of Sound & Vision a "magazine view plus"!) In the meantime, if you want to see the logo for CDVU+, go to hollywoodrecords.com. -Ken Richardson