Lords of the Ring

Soundcheck | May 3, 2010
What makes for a successful ringtone? How the mobile phone industry is impacting the music industry? Are ringtones a trend or a fad? Today, a look at this growing segment of the music market with Tamara Conniff, co-executive editor of Billboard magazine, which has its own "Hot Ringtones" chart. Also joining us is Steven Swartz of the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes, which has been making its composers' music available as ringtones. Also: the band Calexico, whose music is part country-folk, part jazz and part rock with surprising touches of Afro-Peruvian music, traditional Portuguese folk and even surfer rock. Finally, WNYC's George Preston gives his review of the premiere of Tobias Picker's new opera, "An American Tragedy."

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