Kelli Richards
The great and powerful yenta in digital music/entertainment
Areas of Expertise:
- management consulting in digital music & entertainment
- business development
- content acquisition
- artist 360 strategist
- life coaching
- talent producer
- moderator and speaker at industry conferences
- consulting
- speaking
- writing
Kelli Richards, a veteran in the digital music/media arena over the past two decades, is the president of the All Access Group, where she connects the dots between major content brands, established artists, dynamic technology companies, and consumer brands to create innovative and profitable alliances. She has rich experience as an executive and strategist with both mainstream entertainment (EMI, others) and technology companies (including Apple Computer, SGI, and Philips), where she focused on developing traditional and digital music and entertainment initiatives for each. Kelli also pioneered the first Internet-based artist subscription service, PatroNet, with Todd Rundgren in the mid-’90s. And she has been a producer of awards shows, digital music/media conferences, and celebrity fundraisers. Kelli co-authored the books The Art of Digital Music, Project Millennials, and Create the Business Breakthrough You Want.
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Kelli blogs at:
http://oreilly.com/blogs/
Thoughts on EMI-Apple announcement (DRM-Free)
You've no doubt heard that EMI announced this past week that they'll be releasing higher quality DRM-free songs at a premium price per download, starting with a limited term exclusive on iTunes. There's a lot of buzz about the implications... read more
Here Come the Sons: Beatles News
Fox news reports that the sons of the Beatles (specifically, Julian Lennon, Dhani Harrison, Zak Starkey, and James McCartney) are recording a new CD together that will kick-off a global tour in early 2008. Music featured on the tour will... read more
Remembering John Lennon - 30 Years Later - By Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group
December 13 2010
As unimaginable as it is to hold space for the thirty years of unspoken words and unwritten songs, what I truly cannot get away from this week is the rest of John. As great a man as he was, and as truly generous a soul - especially to his fellow… read moreMobile Bandwidth Report - Shortage & Opportunity
August 03 2010
If you want to learn how to make money as a result of two new factors impacting the Wireless Internet, check out the new "Mobile Bandwidth Report" by Inside Digital Media. read moreR.I.P. -- Doug Fieger (The Knack)
February 19 2010
It's been awhile since I posted my last blog entry. You might say I took a sabbatical from it during this past year in light of all the flux with the economy and several other challenges. But I've got my... read moreApple removes DRM on iTunes & adds variable pricing
January 21 2009
At the recent MacWorld expo, Apple made some key announcements around iTunes that many of us have been anticipating for awhile. Namely, they are removing anticopying restrictions from iTunes, which will allow consumers to freely move the songs around between their PCs, mobile phones, and other digital devices. This is… read moreBeatles Announce Interactive Game Deal
November 03 2008
Late last week Apple Corps Ltd (business entity for The Beatles) and MTV Networks announced that there will a new 'music-making game' based on the Beatles catalog released in the second half of 2009 -- and loosely based on the functionality of Rock Band. MTV owns Harmonix Music Systems, the… read moreFunny reference to Beatles (American Idol runner-up)
May 26 2008
Just for a little levity, I came across this quote from Joel McHale on "The Soup" about American Idol contestant runner-up, David Archuleta mangling Beatles lyrics from a recent song he did on the show: "Congratulations Yoko Ono, assassins, cancer, and one-legged gold diggers: you're no longer the worst thing… read moreMay 12 2008
Just in case you thought you'd seen and heard everything in music, along comes something surprising. An 8-year old Japanese guitar prodigy has emerged on the scene named Yuto Miyazawa. Apparently Yuto is already a pretty serious classic rock fan; he does covers of Clapton, Ozzy, and more. Not only… read moreMusic 2.0: the next chapter for the music industry
February 25 2008
My long-time digital music futurist colleague (and sometime collaborator), Gerd Leonhard, has just published a book compiling some of the best of his blog writings and essays (over the past four years) on what's coming next for the music industry. It's aptly titled "Music 2.0". This book continues and expands… read moreWireless headphones experiment -- Shaw Blades & AKG
January 25 2008
I recently had the privilege of sitting in on an invite-only concert performance by two world class musicians, Tommy Shaw of Styx and Jack Blades of Night Ranger -- who between them have sold in excess of 55M albums in their careers. They are also friends of mine. So it… read moreDavid Byrne's Survival Strategies for Artists
December 21 2007
There is a fantastic, informative article in the current issue of Wired (16.01) written by David Byrne, the former leader of the band The Talking Heads. David does a great job of providing perspective (by an established artist) on the... read moreArtists Take Control -- Seismic Shifts
October 26 2007
For anyone immersed in the digital music space, the past couple of weeks have brought some shifts that are reasonably seismic in nature relative to the shifting balance of power from record labels to artists. Here's a summary of some... read moreCome out and Play -- digital media event (Berkeley)
September 24 2007
I frequently moderate panel sessions at digital music/media industry conferences. Many are regular annual (or semi-annual) events that have been going on for years. Every once in awhile, a new one pops onto the horizon. One such event is Play... read moreNational Geographic Expands its Music Initiatives
September 03 2007
At first blush, it may seem odd to learn that National Geographic is making a respectable push into music-related initiatives (as outlined in Digital Music News in early August). With the launch of a new division last summer focused on... read moreSocial Networking and Social Causes
August 21 2007
Social Networking is exploding -- that much is clear. But did you know that sites such as Facebook, Friendster, and MySpace are more than online watering holes where kids gather and socialize? They're creating social change in tandem. Facebook recent... read moreJuly 30 2007
I was speaking with an artist manager colleague of mine the other day. This esteemed colleague has represented the likes of Alanis Morissette, LeAnn Rimes, and Collective Soul among many others. He's a sharp guy. We were discussing how historically,... read moreYou Say It's Your Birthday -- Macca Turns 65
June 18 2007
Paul McCartney turns 65 tomorrow (June 18th), and his creative output and youthful enthusiasm doesn't seem to have been dimmed by age. His new CD "Memory Almost Full", marks his 21st solo delivery in a 37-year solo career. In a... read moreWhen Disaster Strikes During a Live Performance
June 11 2007
There are several big Reunion tours taking place this Summer (including The Police, Genesis, and the Smashing Pumpkins); these are bands who have sold many millions of albums each, and who have a cadre of hungry fans around the world... read moreJune 11 2007
There are several big Reunion tours taking place this Summer (including The Police, Genesis, and the Smashing Pumpkins); these are bands who have sold many millions of albums each, and who have a cadre of hungry fans around the world... read moreLive Nation Delivers Concert Video Footage
May 29 2007
Arguably the biggest concert company in the US (if not the globe), Live Nation, recently announced that they've launched a new online service called Live Nation TV. This new initiative features a vast collection of performances from a large number... read moreThe 80/20 rule - Artists Set Their Own Prices
May 15 2007
One of my clients, PassAlong Networks, offers a very robust platform for independent artists called Speakerheart. PassAlong is all about creating new digital media services that empower the connection between artists and their fans (can you tell why they're a... read moreThe Gospel According to Terry McBride (Nettwerk)
May 01 2007
The man of the hour in my book at the moment (and actually for a number of years now) is my friend and colleague Terry McBride, Founder & CEO of Nettwerk-- an artist-centric, forward thinking artist management firm that also... read moreStarbucks Launches Record Label
March 25 2007
In case you hadn't heard, Starbucks launched its own record label about 10 days ago; it will be an extension of their Hear Music brand. The first artist they've announced signing is Paul McCartney (for a one album deal distributed... read moreRadioactive: Webcast Royalty Rates Redux
March 11 2007
This past week, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) announced its decision on internet radio royalty rates. In doing so, it chose to reject all arguments made by webcasters large and small & instead decided to adopt a 'per play' rate... read moreMTV turns 25: What is the new MTV?
February 26 2007
MTV recently turned 25. The cultural behemoth has morphed many times since its initial coming out, when it woke up a whole generation to the power of music videos, and played a key role in music discovery and promotion. To... read moreFirst Album Recorded Solely on iPod
February 19 2007
Folk-rock artist Jimmy Camp was recently evaluating options for recording his demo album. In frustration at not being able to find an affordable commercial recording studio that met his budget, he wound up recording using only his iPod. He purchased... read moreMusic Today is Aimed at Tomorrow
February 03 2007
There's a fantastic "must read" article gracing the cover of this month's Fast Company (February 2007) entitled "Music's Secret Money Machine" talking about a company called Music Today that connects artists and fans -- and is making a boatload of... read moreWhat's old is new again -- record label consolidation
January 28 2007
People thought it was pretty cool when I worked at one of the major record labels (EMI America) in the late 80s. And actually I can think of worse jobs to be honest; I did enjoy myself for awhile. But... read moreIt's a Second Life for More & More Artists
January 14 2007
As many of you are no doubt aware, Second Life is a successful online 3D virtual world (developed by Linden Labs) which is built and owned by its 'residents'. Fellow 'residents' retain the rights to their works which they can... read moreWish List for Digital Media in 2007
January 07 2007
Here are some of my hopes for what we'll experience in the digital media world during 2007: *Resolution regarding copy protection issues between technology companies and content owners *Fresh, dynamic new companies that have the impact MySpace, YouTube, and Skype... read moreTwelve Cool Gadgets for Xmas 2006
December 24 2006
Here's a dozen of some of the most popular (and arguably among the coolest) consumer electronics goodies available this Holiday season: -- Sony PlayStation 3 -- Nintendo Wii -- iPod Shuffle (1 GB) -- iPod (80 GB w/video) -- Zune... read moreOnTour: Never Miss a Concert Again
December 10 2006
Have you ever driven past your favorite arena or club in town, and noticed that somehow you missed one of your favorite groups who just performed there a couple of nights earlier? Or maybe you heard about the show around... read moreDecember 03 2006
36 RULES FOR BANDS (source unknown) ....this isn't 'digital' per se, but it was forwarded to me & I got a kick out of it; hoped you might too. Spinal Tap anyone? 1. Never start a trio with a married... read moreA Visit to a Different Magic Kingdom - Kerner Optical
November 26 2006
In case you missed the news, a few months ago Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) split into two groups. The digital group moved to the Presidio facilities in San Francisco under the ILM banner, and the physical production group stayed... read moreZune Deals with Labels -- Implications for Artists
November 21 2006
By now you may have heard the news that Microsoft has struck a deal with the Universal Music Group (UMG) whereby Universal stands to gain $1+ on the sale of every Zune device. UMG will also receive royalties for music... read moreXBox and More -- A Visit to the Digital Media Dentist
November 12 2006
I've got an amazing dentist who I've been seeing for about twenty years -- his name is Dr. Meng Syn. Meng has also become a close friend over the years, so I actually look forward to going to see my... read moreBacking up -- lessons from kindergarten
October 29 2006
Some things are just basic, and you do them daily right? Like showering, flossing your teeth, locking your front door (unless you live in one of 'those' small towns where that's still not necessary). Right in line with this list... read moreOctober 17 2006
My colleagues at PaidContent.org shared some insights from a recent Steven Levy article in Newsweek regarding the iPod turniing five.......here are the most entertaining pieces: iPods are cool and useful, but the fifth anniversary of the digital music player is... read moreOctober 17 2006
iPods are cool and useful, but the fifth anniversary of the digital music player is getting an enormous hype party -- the full cultural milestone treatment, sort of like when Tom Cruise turned 40. Newsweek is the center of the... read moreThe Sudden Demise of Network Live
October 01 2006
One of my very favorite companies folded this past week Network Live. Network Live was started by Kevin Wall, who had been executive producer of both Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005 with Bob Geldof. Network Live... read moreNew Entrants Push Portable MP3 Player Recorders
September 24 2006
News analyst Richard Menta posted the following in a recent edition of Digital Music News. For touring bands, the 4-track cassette player was once the tool of choice for on-the-go recordings. But as MP3 players increase in power and capacity,... read moreNext best thing to a Beatles show?
September 17 2006
Anyone who knows me (well) knows that I'm a so-called "Beatleologist"; steeped in all things Beatles from a very young age, and having amassed a reasonably vast store of knowledge and coverage on the topic over the years. I have... read moreSimulcast concerts on the big screen
September 04 2006
I went to a movie in the SF Bay Area over the weekend, and paid $9.75 for my ticket (ouch!). But of course concert tickets are a much more painful hit to the wallet (these days they range from $65... read moreSoundtracks for your Digital Life -- Sonific SongSpots
August 29 2006
Another one of my long-time colleagues (and active collaborators) is Gerd Leonhard, a well-known visionary in digital music and media, media futurist, and author of the bestseller "The Future of Music" (Berklee Press). Back in the dotcom heyday when I... read moreSpear-to-Spear File Sharing -- Dave Ulmer
August 22 2006
I've decided that given my stock in trade is my rolodex, periodically I'm going to do blogs on some of my esteemed colleagues. We'll start here with Dave Ulmer, who is most definitely a member of the "10-year+ Club" I... read moreRecent Posts | All O'Reilly Posts
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