Buzzword for 2005: incubator. Warner Music Group loves the word, loves the concept. It is one of the first out of the gate in 2005 with this press announcement that Mark Robinson will act as lead attorney for WMG’s new incubator system. (Funny that it is not publicly given a name. Is there an internal, military-like code name?)

Not that many of you care who the lead attorney will be, but it's worth noting that everybody's taking this incubator thing very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that soon boardrooms around the industry are going to get a lot of mileage out of the word. It's the new synergy.

More than anything, it´s any important new way of thinking. Just as companies merge to survive (they say) they are taking steps to think and act small at the independent level. I think it´s also a sign that record companies want to takea good deal of the guesswork out of artist development. Let a band grow in the minor leagues, then bring up the band to the major leagues with a decent fan base intact.

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