the buzz log
HBO Sings a Different iTune
As with so many things, sex spurred the union between HBO and iTunes... as in the upcoming "Sex and the City" movie premiere. This was no shotgun partnership, however, as the premium channel negotiated higher prices (and a higher cut) than the usual $1.99 Apple offering.
The deal likely won't cut into its subscriber base since, according to Portfolio, shows will become available only after their DVD release. Nor are all seasons available: "The Wire" finished its fifth and final season, but the HBO iTunes store currently sells season 1.
Considering the crime drama ranks in the top 10 searches for HBO shows, the cable channel should start hustling... so to speak. As for other possible favorites, these offerings ranked highest in the past 30 days.
1,2,3,4, Tell Me Who You're Searching For
Now in heavy rotation, the commercial for Apple's new iPod Nano has struck a chord with searchers. As the new colors of the squat 'n' skinny Nano flip by, the video of a cute chanteuse singing a simple tune has a sort of magical quality.
Queries on "ipod nano commercial song," "ipod nano song," and "ipod nano commercial" all jumped over 350% over this past weekend. Seems everyone wants to know who possesses the enchanting voice behind the raspy "1, 2, 3, 4."
The woman in question is none other than indie darling Feist. Searches on the singer soared 165% yesterday and related queries on "leslie feist," "feist lyrics," and "feist videos" have blossomed.
As for the tune, queries on "1234," "feist 1234 lyrics," and "feist 1234" have all hit high notes. Folks unsure of the song's title have resorted to searching on entire phrases from the tune. Queries on "1 2 3 4 tell me that you love me more" jumped 272% yesterday as curious couch potatoes tried to find out more about the mysterious Feist.
Filed under: TV, Music, Advertising, iPod
Grumpy Grandpa's iPod
Hey idiots, Grumpy Grandpa here. I hate a lot of things, but one thing I really hate is loud music. My neighbors play that "rock and roll" nonsense all the time, and I'm sick of being woken from my naps. So, to drown out the racket, I've decided to buy one of those "iPod" things.
I have it on good authority that a new version of Apple's musical contraption is coming out soon. Searches on "new ipod," "ipod rumors," and "ipod announcement" are soaring like proud American eagles. But I'm not sold yet. Below, I've listed five features I want in the new version...
- 24 point font — I want to be able to see which Andrews Sisters song I'm playing. No squinting. I'm too old!
- Andy Rooney Podcasts — An absolute must-have feature. And they should be updated daily. No, hourly!
- Headphones that don't interfere with my hearing aids — I don't want to stick some infernal "ear bud" in my ear canal.
- Compatibility with my motorized Rascal — I want to be able to just plug it in and go.
- Bingo Mini-Games — The numbers should be called in a loud, clear voice. Preferably Andy Rooney's.
If my demands aren't met, I'm sticking with my gramophone. OK, time for my pills and Judge Judy. Adios, losers!
Filed under: Grumpy Old Man, iPod, Gadgets
Stockings Stuffed With iPods
From the looks of the iPod buzz yesterday, it appears that many of those stockings hung by the chimney with care were stuffed with teeny Apple MP3 players. The only gift to show in our top 25 queries on Christmas Day, the iPod (and its music software, iTunes) was the king of holiday searches in 2006.
Searchers were especially interested in free things to trick out their new music players, whether it was "free ipod music," "free ipod music video downloads," "free ipod games," or "free itunes download." But some people were still looking to spend money to make their players cool by dialing up "ipod nano accessories" and "ipod cases."
Get those new earphones out of the plastic wrap and tune in to our top iPod and iTunes searches…
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Filed under: Music, Electronics, iPod
Zune vs. iPod
Yesterday, Microsoft released its MP3 player "Zune"—and launched its challenge to the all-time reigning champ of portable digital media, the iPod. Whether the newcomer has what it takes to land a punch on Apple's lean, mean selling machine remains to be seen. But the crowd is sure spoiling for the fight.
Buzz on "zune vs. ipod" has soared more than 700%, and Tuesday's "zune" searches nearly (nearly!) matched the little white player's daily take. Maybe all those busted Nano batteries will take their toll and people will defect to the new device. On the other hand, yesterday was Zune's big debut and merely the iPod's gazillionth day in the ring, and still the iPod got more buzz. With 70 million iPods sold—and counting—it's going to take awhile for Microsoft to even the score.
The idea of Microsoft playing Rocky to Apple's Apollo Creed is making us dizzy. Can the Seattle megalith beat Steve Jobs in his realm of sleek, chic entertainment on-demand? Readers, you tell us: Has anyone tried the Zune? Does it have a fighting chance?
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oddest Jobs | Breakout! |
| 2 | Vivienne Marcheline And Knox Leon | Breakout! |
| 3 | Shwayze Song | Breakout! |
| 4 | Cell Phone Etiquette | Breakout! |
| 5 | Your Home Page | 17280% |
| 6 | W Magazine | 8647% |
| 7 | Christie Brinkley | 8361% |
| 8 | Selma Blair | 5953% |
| 9 | Nashville Star | 2758% |
| 10 | Neiman Marcus Christmas Book | 1365% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leryn Franco | +244 | 456 |
| 2 | Holly Madison | +288 | 351 |
| 3 | Halloween Costumes | -17 | 222 |
| 4 | Hi-5 | +8 | 220 |
| 5 | Kellie Pickler | +101 | 200 |
| 6 | Jamie Lynn Spears | +80 | 180 |
| 7 | NFL | +0 | 136 |
| 8 | Barack Obama | -1 | 119 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
For more detailed information, visit our FAQ.