Warner Brothers Records is the only major label that hasn't got around to discovering Blogcritics - can't be bothered I guess, which would indicate to me a high level of cluelessness.

While I admire WB's efforts to integrate themselves into the Byzantine world of blogs - but not yet Blogcritics, as I mentioned (fools) - their technique would seem to undermine their efforts:

Two weeks ago, at least eight MP3 bloggers received an e-mail message from Ian Cripps, a Warner employee. In the messages, which were identical and came with an MP3 file attached, Mr. Cripps told the bloggers that he loved their sites.

"We are very interested in blogs and I was wondering if you could post this mp3," he wrote. "It's by one of our new bands - The Secret Machines. They are an indie rock band and we would love for people to hear the band's music from your site. Here it is, listen to it and let me know if you will post it. Thanks!!"

The pitch to MP3 blogs was part of an ambitious online campaign that was the work of Robin Bechtel, vice president for new media at Warner Brothers and Reprise Records.

....Ms. Bechtel said that the company had contacted many sites for the Web part of the publicity effort, and that the messages to MP3 blogs were an experiment. "We're really progressive in trying things," she said.

....Many of the blogs were ambivalent about Warner's request: they were flattered by the attention but concerned about compromising their principles, or appearing to do so. In the end, Music for Robots was the only blog to post the track after receiving it from Warner (two others had already posted Secret Machines tracks independently). In an almost apologetic blog entry titled "Music for Robots Sells Out," Mr. Willett wrote that the song was appearing there not because the band needed the exposure, but to establish a relationship with Warner and to let readers know what was going on.

Other sites were less cooperative. Most MP3 bloggers have a strong independent streak and love to unearth obscure musical nuggets, so a song like the Secret Machines single that was already being played on commercial radio was of little interest to them. And once one had posted it, the others were even more inclined to steer clear.

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