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Adriana Lima Hot Biography
Adriana Lima, April 30, 2007
Birth name Adriana Francesca Lima
Date of birth June 12, 1981 (1981-06-12) (age 28)
Place of birth Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Hair color Brown
Eye color Blue
Measurements 86-61-89 (34-24-35)
Dress size 4 (US)
Shoe size 9 (US)
Agency Marilyn Agency
Spouse(s) Marko Jaric (2009-present)
USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS - ADRIANA LIMA BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES
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Adriana Francesca Lima (born June 12, 1981) is a Brazilian model best known as a Victoria's Secret Angel since 2000 and a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics from 2003 to 2009. At age 15, Lima finished first place in Ford's "Supermodel of Brazil" competition and took second place the following year in the Ford "Supermodel of the World" competition before signing with Elite Model Management in New York City.
Lima never thought about being a model, although she had won many beauty pageants in elementary school. However, she had a friend at school who wanted to enter a modeling contest and didn't want to enter alone, so Lima entered with her. Both sent in pictures, and the contest sponsor soon asked Lima to come out for the competition. Soon after, at the age of 15, she entered and finished in first place in Ford's "Supermodel of Brazil" model search. She subsequently entered the 1996 Ford "Supermodel of the World" contest and finished in second place. Three years later, Lima moved to New York City and signed with Elite Model Management. After acquiring representation, Lima's modeling portfolio quickly began to expand, and she appeared in numerous international editions of Vogue and Marie Claire. As a runway model, she has walked the catwalks for designers such as Vera Wang, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Ralph Lauren and Valentino, among others. Lima became a guess girl in 2000, appearing in that year's fall ad campaign. She also appeared in the book A Second Decade of Guess? Images.
Lima continued to build upon her portfolio, doing more print work for Maybelline, for whom she worked as a spokesmodel from 2003 until 2009, the same year she appeared in the company's first calendar, a limited edition run also featuring Kemp Muhl, Jessica White, Julia Stegner, and Anna Wang. Lima has also worked for notable fashion brands bebe, Mossimo, Armani, Bulgari, De Beers, FCUK, Intimissimi, Keds, Swatch, Versace, and BCBG. She also appeared on the covers and in the editorials of other fashion magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, GQ, Arena, Cosmopolitan, and Esquire. Her April 2006 GQ cover was the highest-selling issue that magazine for the year, while her April 2008 cover brought a record number of hits to the magazine's website. She also appeared in the 2005 Pirelli Calendar and became the face of Italy's cell phone carrier, Telecom Italia Mobile, a move that earned her the nickname, "the Catherine Zeta-Jones of Italy."
In 2006, Sao Paulo Fashion Week released a calendar featuring twenty-five Brazilian models, including Lima. The calendar was accompanied by a movie containing interviews with the models, which was broadcasted at GNT in Brazil and then hit the shelves as a DVD.
In February 2008, she was featured on the cover of Esquire, re-creating the classic 1966 Angie Dickinson cover on Esquire's 75th anniversary along with fellow Victoria's Secret Angels Alessandra Ambrosio, Karolina Kurkova, Izabel Goulart and Selita Ebanks. She appeared only in shoes, diamonds and gloves for the November 2007 issue of Vanity Fair celebrating 20 years of supermodels with her fellow Angels. In February 2008, she was chosen to be the face of Mexico's Liverpool department store chain and launched the partnership with a press conference, runway show, and summer campaign. Lima returned to the high fashion runway in 2009, walking for Givenchy. That same year, after visiting Turkey, Lima signed a contract with Doritos to appear in print campaigns and commercials which began airing in Turkey in April. She is also one of the faces of Givenchy for the Fall/Winter 2009 season, alongside Mariacarla Boscono and Iris Strubegger.
In 2006, Lima ranked as the fifth highest paid supermodel. In 2007 and 2008, she ranked as the world's fourth highest paid supermodel by Forbes Magazine.
==Victoria's Secret==
Lima is probably best known for her work with Victoria's Secret. Her first fashion show for the company came in 1999, and since being contracted as an Angel in 2000, she has appeared on subsequent shows ever since, opening the show in 2003, 2007, and 2008, in which she also closed the opening segment. Lima has appeared on several television ads for the brand, including the praised and criticized "Angel in Venice" commercial of 2003 with Bob Dylan and her solo Victoria's Secret's Super Bowl XLII ad, the single most-seen ad of the game, watched by 103.7 million viewers. 2008 continued for Lima with hosting the What Is Sexy? program for the E! Entertainment Network and a July tour for the BioFit Uplift Bra launch, with stops in Long Island, Boston, and Miami Beach. She was also featured in November's Miracle Bra relaunch. Topping the year off, Lima wore the "Fantasy Bra" for the 2008 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. In 2009, Lima launched the company's new makeup line, "Christian Siriano for VS Makeup."
==Acting==
Lima's first acting role was the wife, alongside Mickey Rourke and Forest Whitaker, in The Follow (2001), a short film in BMW's series The Hire, starring Clive Owen. She also appeared with her fellow Angels in a guest spot playing herself in the series How I Met Your Mother in November 2007.
In 2008, Lima appeared on the American television series Ugly Betty, where she played herself and made friends with the series' title character, played by America Ferrera. According to her publicist, Liza Anderson, "Adriana has always been a huge fan of Ugly Betty and is thrilled for the opportunity to make a guest star appearance."
==Reception==
Since her rise to fame, Lima is often cited by popular media as one of the world's sexiest women. Lima was listed in the 2005 Forbes' edition of The World's Best-Paid Celebrities Under 25. Also, she ranked No.99th in the 2006 Forbes' edition of The Celebrity 100 (Forbes' Highest Paid and Powerful Celebrities in the World). Lima was chosen to be a part of People magazine's 100 most beautiful people in the world list, sharing that space with the Angels, with whom she also received a star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" prior to the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. That same year, she ranked 7th on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women 2007" list and was awarded as the "Hottest Girl on the Planet" at the first Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards, although the category was not mentioned in the actual broadcast. Lima was also voted on the Maxim "Hot 100" 2007 at the #53 spot. She was voted #1 as the Most Desirable Woman in 2005 by visitors of the men's lifestyle website, Askmen.com (she placed 4th in 2006 and 2007, 10th in 2008, and 19th in 2009). Lima is also listed in the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest model on Forbes' Celebrity 100 List. As of November 2008, Models.com featured her at No.1 on the list of the Sexiest Models today. In 2009, she was voted sixth in "FHM's Sexiest Women In The World".
==Public image and Personal life==
Victoria's Secret Angels Adriana Lima (left), Marisa Miller and Selita Ebanks ride in the Guantanamo Bay Christmas Parade Dec. 1, 2007
In addition to her native Portuguese, Lima speaks English, French, and a bit of Italian. Lima was shy around boys when she was younger, not receiving her first kiss until she was 17 years old. Afterward, the boy went directly to her mother to ask if he could marry her. She is a devout Catholic who attends church every Sunday. In April 2006, she told GQ that she was a virgin. "Sex is for after marriage," she explained. "They have to respect that this is my choice. If there's no respect, that means they don't want me." Staying true to her religious roots, she is known for taking a Bible backstage to read.
She has been romantically linked to musician/singer Lenny Kravitz and Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein. In 2009 she married Serbian basketball player Marko Jaric'; they wed in a private civil ceremony in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Valentines Day. The couple originally planned on a large wedding in Salvador in June 2009, but the couple decided to opt for a wedding in each of their hometowns; both are scheduled to take place at the end of 2009.
Lima and Jaric' are reportedly expecting their first child together in December 2009. Lima's representative told People magazine: "Adriana and Marko are overjoyed that they are expecting their first child together and are excited to share the happy news and start their family together." She has also recently applied for Serbian citizenship in order to promote a positive image of Serbia abroad.
==Charity==
Lima does charitable work helping with an orphanage, "Caminhos da Luz" (Ways of Light), located in her hometown. She helps with construction to expand the orphanage, and buys clothes for poor children in Salvador, Bahia. She appeared on Var Yok musun, the Turkish version of Deal or No Deal, where her prize money went to a hospital in Istanbul for children fighting leukemia.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Adriana_Lima_Elle_Magazine
Karolina Kurkova Elle Magazine
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Karolina Kurkova Biography
Karolina Kurkova
Birth name Karolina Isela Kurkova
Date of birth February 28, 1984 (1984-02-28) (age 25)
Place of birth Decín, Czech Republic
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Hair color Blonde
Eye color Green
Measurements 34.5B-25-35 (US)
87-64-89 (EU)[2]
Weight 59 kg (130 lb; 9.3 st)
Dress size 4 (US); 34 (EU)
Shoe size 9 (US); 41 (EU)
Agency IMG Model Management Viva Model Management
Other name(s) KK
USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS - KAROLINA KURKOVA BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES
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Karolína Isela Kurková (born February 28, 1984) is a Czech model, best known as a former Victoria's Secret Angel, and an aspiring actress. Mario Testino said of Kurková, "The proportions of her body and her face, as well as her energy level, make her a model who could fit almost into any moment." Vogue editor Anna Wintour called her the "next supermodel".
==Early life and career==
Karolína Kurková was born in Decín, Czechoslovakia, to Josef Kurka, a Czech basketball player, and a Slovak mother. While Kurková was young, she was made fun of for her height. But after a friend sent photos of Kurková to an agency in Prague, she - at 15 - landed a runway appearance, as well as a commercial and print advertising.[citation needed] She later traveled to Milan to gain more experience and signed a modeling contract with Miuccia Prada.
In September 1999, Kurková appeared in the American edition of fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue, and after moving to New York City at the age of 17, graced the cover of the February 2001 edition, becoming one of the youngest models ever to appear on the magazine's cover.
==Modeling career==
Following her Vogue cover, Kurková became recognized at haute couture fashion shows. Additionally, the lingerie brand Victoria's Secret chose her to be a part of 2000's televised fashion show special, though she was only 16 at the time. Prominent fashion houses such as Yves Saint Laurent signed Kurková to contracts, while print campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, John Galliano,Chanel, Christian Dior, Hugo Boss, Versace, H&M, and others helped expose her even more. In the 2002 Victoria's Secret fashion show, she wore the multi-million dollar fantasy bra, worth almost $10 million and designed by Hearts on Fire. Other runway credits of hers include Alberta Ferretti, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Karl Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, and Vera Wang.
Kurková was named "Model of the Year" at the 2002 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards, in part for her work ethic, having worked twenty-three weeks straight.
Kurková has appeared in almost twenty Vogue magazine covers internationally, including the French, Italian, UK, German, Russian, Greek, and Korean editions, and has also appeared in international editions of Elle, Vanity Fair, and The Face. She has worked with noted fashion photographers like Steven Klein, Mario Sorrenti, and Mario Testino.
After being contracted as a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2005, she was featured in the 2006 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, showcasing the $6.5 million fantasy bra decked with almost 2000 diamonds weighing 800 carats and a centerpiece diamond brooch weighing 10 carats. She is the only Angel besides Heidi Klum to model the fantasy bra twice. As an Angel, she received a star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" prior to the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, appeared on the February 2008 cover of Esquire, re-creating the classic 1966 Angie Dickinson cover for the magazine's 75th anniversary, and was chosen as part of People magazine's 100 most beautiful people in the world.
In December 2007, she could be seen in print ads for Dell.
Model.com featured her at number five on the list of the hottest models today.
In the last Cía Marítima fashion show, Kurková's unexpectedly heavier physique brought criticism from the Brazilian press as having "too much back fat, love handles and cellulite".
Kurková is among the world's top-earning models, having earned an estimated $5 million in the year 2007. She was placed 6th in the Forbes annual list of the highest earning models.
Kurková has a smooth indentation in place of a navel, and photographs are often altered by the addition of an image of a navel to hide this.
Kurková is represented by Viva Models Paris.
In November 2008, E! Entertainment Television voted her the world's sexiest woman, beating the likes of Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Gisele Bündchen, and her fellow Angels Heidi Klum and Adriana Lima.
==Television/movie career==
Kurková made her film debut alongside Frankie Muniz, Harvey Keitel, and Amber Valletta in Howard Himelstein's coming-of-age dramedy, My Sexiest Year. She played Courtney A. Kreiger / Cover Girl in the live action 2009 G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra film.
She appeared on the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards along with Dwight Yoakam in presenting the "Top Female Vocalist" award to Carrie Underwood.
==Personal life==
Kurková announced in July 2009 that she was pregnant.She lives in New York City's TriBeCa district and enjoys courtside basketball games at Madison Square Garden.
Kurkova revealed that she has suffered from hypothyroidism, which caused her to gain weight.
In July 2009, she announced she is expecting a child with her fiancé, Archie Drury. On October 29th, Kurkova gave birth. The baby boy, Tobin Jack Drury, weighed in at 6 lbs. 3 oz., and is the first child for the couple.
==Charity==
In March 2006, Kurková received an award from the non-profit organization, Women Together, for her humanitarian work. Kurková was honored for working for the welfare of children through organizations such as "The Beautiful Life Fund", "Free Arts" and "Global Youth Action Network".[20] Karolina Kurkova Received the Atmosphere Magazine Award at the Madrid Planet Hollywood on December 18, 2003.
Marisa Miller Marc EC Enterprises 1
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Marisa Miller
Birth name Marisa Lee Bertetta
Date of birth August 6, 1978 (1978-08-06) (age 31)
Place of birth Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Hair color Blonde
Eye color Hazel
Measurements 34D-23-35 (US)
86.5-58-89 (EU)[1]
Weight 110 lb (50 kg; 7.9 st)
Dress size 2 (US), 32 (EU), 6 (UK)
Shoe size 7 (US), 37½ (EU), 4½ (UK)
Agency Cartel Management
Spouse(s) Jim Miller (2000 - 2002)
Griffin Guess (2006 - present)
USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS - MARISA MILLER BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES
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==Biography==
Marisa Lee Miller (born August 6, 1978) is an American model best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, and her work for lingerie retailer Victoria's Secret. After a stint shooting with photographer Mario Testino for fashion magazines like Vogue, Miller began working for both companies in 2002. As of late 2007, she is a Victoria's Secret Angel, and graced the cover of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to record-setting numbers, accomplishments that have led to her being dubbed the "return of the great American supermodel."
She is also known for contracts with companies like Harley-Davidson and for ranking #1 on Maxim magazine's 2008 "Hot 100" list. Aside from modeling, she is an ambassador for the American Cancer Society.
==Early life==
Born Marisa Lee Bertetta in Santa Cruz, California, Miller attended high school at Aptos High and Monte Vista Christian School. She considered herself a tomboy growing up, with mostly male friends and little awareness of anything girly. Out of shyness, she often wore large t-shirts to hide her body and would get fully dressed just to go to the trash can while at the beach.
Miller was first "discovered" at age sixteen walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian modeling agents. After talking to her mother Krista Bertetta, she was on a plane to Italy with her mother a few months later, despite her "shy and conservative" personality. Miller gained attention when she appeared in a 1997 issue of Perfect 10 magazine. Although she came in third behind Ashley Degenford and Monica Hansen in Perfect 10 magazine's first annual model search, she was repeatedly showcased in following issues, including the covers of the Winter 1998, Aug/Sept 1999, and Fall 2004 editions.
==Career==
Miller in a bikini, the top a striped design with a variety of different brown patterns.
Miller backstage during Fashion for Relief benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Miller moved from a start as an amateur magazine model to high profile mainstream work after an acquaintance showed a picture of her to famed fashion photographer Mario Testino in 2001. Testino asked to meet Miller, who was running a surf school at the time, and was invited to Manhattan Beach, California, where she would be surfing.
Noticing her, Testino snapped pictures of her and approached her for a job offer that turned out to be editorials for both the American and Italian editions of Vogue. Within six months, Miller was working for Victoria's Secret and the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, in which she appeared in every issue from 2002 to 2008. In particular, she famously posed wearing only an iPod in the 2007 issue. She has also appeared in a diverse range of magazines, many of them international editions, such as GQ, Maxim, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, and Vanity Fair, as well as working on campaigns/advertisements for Nordstrom, J.Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Pepsi, Panasonic, Bath & Body Works, True Religion jeans, and motorcycle company Harley-Davidson, with whom she first partnered to launch the VRSCF V-Rod Muscle motorcycle in 2008 and rejoined in November 2009 to act as the face/spokesmodel of the company's first "Military Appreciation Month" campaign, featuring Miller as a classic pin-up in military-themed advertisements and online content. In July 2008, Miller took her first step beyond modeling when her shoe line with skateboarder/surfer-oriented company Vans launched.
Miller's TV spots include the short-lived reality series Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model (2004), Puddle of Mudd's "Spin You Around" music video (2004), the pilot episode and finale of VH1's reality show The Shot (2007), cameos in HBO's Entourage and the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother (both 2007), the latter with her fellow Victoria's Secret Angels, and a guest judge role on an episode of America's Next Top Model (2009). It wasn't until 2007 that she filmed her first television commercial for Victoria's Secret, appearing alongside Heidi Klum for the It bra. Miller starred in a 2008 viral video on YouTube with All Star baseball player Ryan Braun for Remington's ShortCut clippers and also appeared in commercials for the NFL Network and the California Travel and Tourism Commission's "Visit California" campaign.
Marisa Miller wearing a black bra studded with small diamonds in a harlequin pattern, with a larger heart shaped champagne diamond hanging.
Miller modeling the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra.
On December 4, 2007, Miller made her debut in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and opened a segment in the following year's edition. Other runway credits of Miller's include 2007's Fashion for Relief show, benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina, as well as MTV's Fashionably Loud, Imitation of Christ, Inca, and Amir Slama's Rosa Cha, for which she was one of the most anticipated models.
On the February 12, 2008 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, it was announced via a three-story billboard in New York City that Miller would grace the cover of that year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The tandem online launch of the issue drew record page views to the SI website: 228 million, a 41% increase over 2007. In September 2008, Sports Illustrated released a "Best of Marisa Miller" swimsuit calendar for the 2009 year.
Victoria's Secret also put her to work in 2008, with a five-city tour to promote the 2008 Swim collection's release in stores; the April-May tour included stops in New York City, Miami, Chicago (where she threw the opening pitch at a Chicago Cubs baseball game), Boston, and Minneapolis. The relaunch of Victoria Secret's sports line, VSX, soon followed, along with her first official campaign as an Angel: promoting the company's fragrance Very Sexy Dare.
For the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Miller was chosen to wear the year's "Fantasy Bra," a harlequin design featuring 2,300 white, champagne, and cognac diamonds, and a 16-carat heart-shaped brown-yellow diamond pendant for a $3-million value and 150 total carats.
==Media recognition==
The swell in publicity resulting from her 2008 work served to land Miller in the number one spot on Maxim magazine's "Hot 100" rankings for 2008, beating out list regulars such as Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, and Eva Longoria-Parker. This marked the first time anyone has debuted on the list in the number one position. In her subsequent cover story for the July issue, Maxim proclaimed her as the "return of the great American supermodel." Of such acclaim, Miller admits, "I get a kick out of it, but it would be stupid to let it go to my head. It’s modeling I didn’t find the cure for cancer."
She also finished first place in The Best Damn Sports Show Period "Smokin' Sixteen" competition in 2008, repeating her 2007 win over competitors such as Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima. Miller ranked third in Askmen.com's "Top 99" for 2009, after ranking ninth in 2008, twelfth in 2007, and fourteenth in 2006. She added to her popular accolades with the "Hot N' Fresh" award at the second annual Spike Guys' Choice Awards.
==Personal life==
She married Jim Miller, a Los Angeles surfing contest promoter and lifeguard from California in 2000, and separated from him in 2002. They divorced soon after. She married music producer Griffin Guess on April 15, 2006. From an early age she loved surfing; in 2004, she placed second in the celebrity division of the Kelly Slater Surf Invitational and says of the sport, "I feel my absolute best physically, mentally and spiritually when I'm surfing every day." She was a standout volleyball player in high school and has taken up boxing. She has said that she would like to be a sportscaster.
As of 2009, Miller is an ambassador for the American Cancer Society, to which proceeds from her online store are donated. She also supports the Young Survival Coalition, which raises awareness of breast cancer in women under 40, as well as environmental organization The Surfrider Foundation, which aims to preserve the world's oceans and beaches. In October 2009, Miller hosted the "Monte Foundation MusicFest and Fireworks Extravaganza," an annual fundraiser for schools in the Aptos area, where she and Guess own a home.
FLICKR PHOTO : Molly_Sims_Cosmopolitan_Magazine
==Molly Sims Biography==
Molly Sims (born May 25, 1973) is an American model and actress. Sims is best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues and her role as Delinda Deline in the NBC drama Las Vegas.
USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS - MOLLY SIMS BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES
thefireboys.blogspot.com/2010/10/mollysimsgooglegroup1.html
==Early life==
Sims was born in Murray, Kentucky, the daughter of Dottie and Jim Sims. She was raised in Murray and enrolled in Vanderbilt University for two years, but dropped out in 1993 to pursue a career in modeling. While at Vanderbilt, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta.
==Career==
Sims was an official spokesmodel for Old Navy ads known for using the tag line "You gotta get this look!" She appeared in the Sports Illustrated "Swimsuit Issue" in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006 as well as MTV's House of Style. In the 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue she appeared in a photo wearing a bikini designed by Susan Rosen worth $30 million that was made of diamonds. She is a CoverGirl model and is signed to Next Models Management in New York City.
She appeared as Delinda Deline for all five seasons of the series Las Vegas.
She has appeared in several comedy films, such as The Benchwarmers, Yes Man, The Pink Panther 2 and Fired Up.
On December 6, 2008 Sims appeared in the video for The Lonely Island's "Jizz in My Pants" as the girl with Andy Samberg in the beginning of the skit.
==Personal life==
Sims is a supporter of "Friends of El Faro", a grassroots non-profit that helps raise money for Casa Hogar Sion, an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. She has hosted the organization's last two fundraisers and visits the orphanage regularly.
She recently left a six-year relationship with actor Enrique Murciano, who plays Danny Taylor on Without a Trace.
She was recently linked to Aaron Eckhart. The two were recently seen together in Louisiana. Eckhart was taking pictures of Sims for her new jewelry line. The two avoided being pictured together.
==Filmography==
* House of Style - Host/Herself (2000)
* Starsky & Hutch - Mrs. Feldman (2004)
* The Benchwarmers - Liz (2006)
* Venus & Vegas - Angie (2007)
* Las Vegas - Delinda Deline (2003-2008)
* Yes Man - Stephanie (2008)
* Jizz in My Pants - (2008)
* The Pink Panther 2 - Marguerite (2009)
* Fired Up - Diora (2009)
Gisele Bundchen Bazaar Magazine
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Gisele Bündchen
BornGisele Caroline Bündchen 20 July 1980 (age 31) Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Hair colorLight Brown
Eye colorBlue
Measurements35-23-35.5 (89-59-90)
Weight57 kg (130 lb; 9.0 st)
Dress size38 EU/6 US
Shoe size37 EU/6 US/4 UK
AgencyIMG Models
SpouseTom Brady (2009–present)
Website www.giselebundchen.com.br
USA FASHION & MUSIC NEWS - GISELE BUNDCHEN BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES
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==Gisele Bundchen Biography==
Gisele Caroline Bundchen ( born July 20, 1980 in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) is a Brazilian model, occasional film actress and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. According to Forbes, she is the highest-paid model in the world and also the sixteenth richest woman in the entertainment world, with an estimated $150 million fortune.
==Family and early life==
Bundchen was born in the Brazilian town of Tres de Maio and grew up in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, to Vania Nonnenmacher, a bank clerk pensioner, and Valdir Bundchen, a university teacher and writer. She has five sisters - Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, Rafaela and her fraternal twin Patrícia, Gisele's junior by five minutes. Bundchen is Roman Catholic and speaks Portuguese as her native language. She also speaks Spanish and English.
- I was born in Horizontina, a town in the backcountry of (Brazilian) state Rio Grande do Sul. The town was once mainly colonized by Germans. In the school which I attended, learning German was actually obligatory from third grade on. But being out of touch with the language for such a long time, I unfortunately forgot it. I belong to the sixth generation of my family in Brazil.
==Modeling career==
Originally, Bundchen wanted to be a professional volleyball player and considered playing for the Brazilian team, Sogipa. While in school, Bundchen was so thin that her friends used to call her "Olivia Palito" (Portuguese for Olive Oyl, Popeye's skinny girlfriend) and "Saracura" (a type of Brazilian shorebird).
In 1993, a then-13-year-old Bundchen joined a modeling course with her sisters Patrícia and Gabriela at her mother's insistence.The following year, Bundchen went to Sao Paulo on a school excursion to give them an opportunity to walk in a big city. In a shopping mall, while eating at McDonald's with her friends, Bundchen was discovered by a modeling agency. She was subsequently selected for a national contest, Elite Look of the Year, in which she placed second Claudia Menezes, from Bahia, took first place. Bundchen placed fourth in the world contest, held in Ibiza, Spain. In 1996, Bundchen moved to New York City usa to begin her modeling career, debuting at Fashion Week.
Gisele Bundchen on the Fashion Rio Inverno 2006, January 30, 2006. Her debut on the cover of the July 1999 issue of Vogue magazine, and the accompanying editorial entitled "The Return of the Sexy Model", is widely viewed as marking the end of the fashion's "heroin chic" era. She graced the cover again in November and December of that year. She won the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year for 1999, and a January 2000 cover gave her the rare honor of three consecutive Vogue covers. In 2000, she became the fourth model to appear on the cover of the music magazine Rolling Stone, when she was named "the most beautiful girl in the world." Bundchen has been on the covers of many top fashion magazines including W, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Allure, international editions of Vogue, as well as style and lifestyle publications such as i-D, The Face, Arena, Citizen K, Flair, GQ, Esquire, and Marie Claire. She has been featured both in the Pirelli Calendar 2001 and 2006 and in broader market publications such as Time, Vanity Fair, Forbes, Newsweek and Veja, more than 500 magazine covers throughout the world.
Bundchen consistently works with acclaimed photographers such as Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, Mert and Marcus, Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Lindbergh, David LaChapelle, Mario Sorrenti, Nino Munoz and Patrick Demarchelier, and with renowned directors such as Jean Baptiste Mondino and Bruno Aveillan.
Claudia Schiffer said: "Supermodels, like we once were, don't exist any more" and reckoned that Gisele Bundchen was the only one close to earning the supermodel title.
Naomi Campbell said: "Models need to earn their stripes - I just think the term is used a little too loosely. Kate Moss is obviously a supermodel but, after Gisele, I don’t think there’s been one."
On August 26, 2008, the New York Daily News, in a list, named Bundchen the fourth-most-powerful person in the fashion world.
On May 12, 2009, The Independent, called her the biggest star in fashion history.
==Endorsements and earnings==
Since her debut, Bundchen has been the face of a variety of advertising campaigns including several seasons of Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Mervyn's, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace, Givenchy, Bvlgari, Lanvin, Guerlain, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Earl Jean, Zara, Chloé, Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret. She has appeared in advertisements for Nivea lotion and is the face of several Brazilian brands including Vivo, Multiplan (Shopping Malls), Colcci, Credicard (Citibank) and Volkswagen do Brasil. After C&A Brazil hired Bundchen as a spokesmodel and began airing television commercials, sales increased by 30%.
At the Fashion Rio Inverno 2006In May 2006, Bundchen signed another multi-million dollar deal, this time with American giant Apple Inc.. She starred in an advertising campaign to promote the new Macintosh line through the Get a Mac advertisements. Also in 2006, Bundchen became the new face of Swiss luxury watchmaker Ebel.
She has her own line of sandals with footwear company Grendene called Ipanema Gisele Bundchen. Forbes puts her 53rd on their list of the most powerful celebrities of 2007 because of the international success of her shoe line, making the brand Ipanema the most sold Brazilian flip-flop in the world, surpassing the legendary Havaianas. Custom Ipanema flip-flops sell for as much as $230 a pair. She is also the owner of a hotel in the south of Brazil, the Palladium Executive.
On May 1, 2007, it was announced that Bundchen had ended her contract with Victoria's Secret.
In July 2007, having earned an estimated total of $33 million in the past 12 months, Forbes magazine named her the world's top-earning model in the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels.
An American economist named Fred Fuld developed a stock index to measure the profit performance improvement of companies represented by Bundchen compared with the Dow Jones Industrial Average. According to Fuld, the Gisele Bundchen Stock Index was up 15% between May and July 2007, substantially surpassing the Dow Jones Industrial Average which was up just 8.2%.
==Charity activities==
Bundchen lends her support and image to a number of charities and humanitarian causes, such as the I am African campaign, in which she painted her face to protest the lack of attention given to Africa's HIV/AIDS victims. Without receiving payment, Bundchen was, in 2006, the face of American Express Red Card, an initiative launched by U2 front man Bono and Bobby Shriver to send a percentage of monies earned from the financial transactions of this credit card to Africa's HIV/AIDS victims.
In 2009, she appeared almost simultaneously in more than 20 covers of the international issues of Elle magazines wearing (Product) Red clothing and posing with products from companies who support the same cause. (RED)’s primary objective is to engage the private sector in increasing assistance for the Global Fund, to help defeat AIDS in Africa. Companies whose products take on the mark contribute a percentage of the sales or portion of the profits from that product to the Global Fund to finance AIDS programs in Africa, with special attention on the health of women and children.
At the Fashion Rio Inverno 2006In 2003, Bundchen designed an exclusive and limited edition of platinum hearts, working with Platinum Guild International and Harper’s Bazaar, crafted by jewelers Gumuchian Fils. These platinum hearts were sold to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital which specializes in cancer treatment. She served as the spokesperson and campaign model for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. Bundchen already gave a Sao Paulo Fashion Week's payment check for Zero Hunger (in Portuguese: Fome Zero), a Brazilian-government program introduced by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also in 2003.
She was, in 2009, one of the celebrities to sign up for the auction fundraiser of celebrities autographed iPods to raise cash for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, organised by Tonic.com., alongside former U.S.A.'s president Bill Clinton, Cher, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Ellen DeGeneres and others. The money is for the Music Rising institution which aims to recover and invest in the musical culture of the destroyed areas.
She promotes protecting the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Amazon Rainforest water sources, donating to this cause a percentage of profits from her line of sandals named Ipanema Gisele Bundchen. Also, Bundchen helps projects such as Nascentes do Brasil, ISA, Y Ikatu Xingu and De Olho nos Mananciais.
Bundchen and Grendene, the company that produces and disseminates her line of sandals, also joined the Florestas do Futuro project for the reforestation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The project was created by the NGO named SOS Atlantic Forest in 2004. The new forest, named for Gisele Bundchen Sementes, started with 25,500 shoots of 100 different species, enough to revitalize an area of 15 hectares.
On 20 September, 2009, she was designated Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
==Acting career==
In 2004, Bundchen entered the film industry, playing the bank robbers' leader, Vanessa, in the 2004 remake Taxi. In 2006, she played a minor character in The Devil Wears Prada.
Personal life and Relationships:
On Thursday, February 26, 2009, Bundchen married New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in a small Catholic ceremony in Los Angeles ( la ). On April 5, 2009, the couple remarried in Costa Rica with Brady's son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan, present. For the ceremony, Gisele wore a dress and veil designed by famed fashion designer John Galliano. Bundchen's three dogs were also present at the ceremony. Bundchen and Brady had been dating since late 2006. Before marrying him, she dated actor Leonardo DiCaprio and professional surfer Kelly Slater. On Friday, June 19 2009, People magazine reported that Gisele was pregnant with her first child with husband Tom Brady. The baby is due on December 14, 2009.
==Music tribute==
As an homage to Bundchen, Brazilian singer and songwriter Gabriel Guerra, along with musician Pedro Cezar, wrote the song Tributo a Gisele (Tribute to Gisele in English), which is currently the theme of the model's official website. In January 2008, Bundchen met Gabriel Guerra at Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro.
There's another music called "Coisa Linda" ( Pretty Woman ) dedicated to Gisele Bundchen by Nelio Guerson and Carlos Guerson. More info on Palco MP3, Last FM and Garagem MP3.
==One reason to love New York==
In the December 2005 issue, New York magazine chose and publicized a list of 123 reasons to love New York City with reason number 43 being that Gisele Bundchen lives there.
==Nude photography==
On April 11, 2008, a black-and-white photo of Bundchen, shot by Irving Penn, was auctioned for US$193,000 (£96,000). The picture was one of dozens from the collection of Gert Elfering that were sold at Christie's International in New York. In all, the auction tallied US$4.27 million and included pictures of Brigitte Bardot, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Carla Bruni. Bundchen's picture reached the highest price in comparison with the others. Bardot was the second with US$181,000 (£90,000).
In 2009, Gisele featured, on artistic nude picture, the cover of the work retrospective book of Australian photographer Russell James.
==Image inspiration==
In 2006, Elle magazine bosses surveyed the American leading stylists and asked them to name the star whose hair is a favourite for their clients. More than 50 per cent gave Gisele the title of best hair in Hollywood, followed by Sienna Miller in at second place and Nicole Richie in at third position.
In February 2008, a result of research was publicized by The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) to reveal how world celebrity images, which overwhelm popular media, influence people's choices and decisions to undergo plastic surgery. The question asked was "What influences do celebrities have on the decisions patients make?". The survey was sent to more than 20,000 plastic surgeons in 84 countries. Gisele Bundchen, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Pamela Anderson, Sophia Loren, Brad Pitt and George Clooney were the most frequently mentioned celebrities. Gisele won the abdomen and hair categories and took second place in the breasts category.
==Controversies==
PETA anti-fur target
In 2002, during the taping of the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Bundchen was the target of a protest made by four members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals because she was signed to be the new face of Blackglama, a trademark of a fur-farming cooperative. When Bundchen was on stage, four women jumped onto the runway holding posters that read "Gisele: Fur Scum" and included the logo for PETA. Bundchen tried to ignore them while several security guards detained the protesters. Bundchen told CNN that the protest was "unwarranted" because the fashion show featured only faux fur. After the incident, the producers decided to stop the music and redid Bundchen's segment once the protesters were removed.
References
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a b "Gisele Bündchen: "Brazil Should Become World Champion"". Deutsche Welle. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2011. "Gisele Bündchen was born – together with her twin sister Patricia – on 20 July 1980 in Brazil"
IMG Models: Portfolio. IMG Models. Retrieved 25 January 2011
a b "IMG Models: Portfolio". IMG Models. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
"Gisele Bündchen in pictures and photos". www.pxdrive.com. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
Shanahan, Mark; Goldstein, Meredith (21 September 2009). "Bundchen the environmentalist". The Boston Globe.
"The World's Top-Earning Models-Forbes Magazine". Forbes. 19 July 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"The "20 Richest Women In Entertainment",18 January 2007,Forbes". Forbes. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Death of the supermodel". Vogue.co.uk. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Antunes, Anderson. "Could Supermodel Gisele Bundchen Be On Track To Becoming a Billionaire?". Forbes.
a b Gisele Bündchen. "Celebrity Central: Gisele Bundchen biography". People. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Please log in to comment View All Comments ». ""Top 10 Celebrities with twins" at Metromix". Chicago.metromix.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen: "Brazil Should Become World Champion"". Carlos Albuquerque. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
a b c Gisele Bündchen profile in the FMD-database. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Profile at Vogue.com
O'Connell, Vanessa (20 March 2008). "How to Walk Like a Model". Wall Street Journal (Dow Jones & Company, Inc). Retrieved 20 February 2011.
a b "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"A twelve-step program for beauty junkies, and more". Nymag.com. 17 January 2000. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World : Photos : Rolling Stone
""Career", from her official site". Giselebundchen.com.br. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Voguepedia: Gisele Bundchen". Vogue. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"Gisele Bundchen – Biography". models.com.
"MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino".
"Russell James Retrospective Book".
a b c d "Gisele Bundchen – Model Profile". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"Gisele Bündchen – Campaigns".
"Biography for Gisele Bündchen". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
September 2004 American Vogue
"Reason to Love New York". New York Magazine. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen: Charmed life of the mega-model". The Independent (London). 12 May 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
"Icons at Mdels.com". Models.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"The Money Girls are Here".
"Accomplished Women Entertainers". CEOWORLD magazine. May 18, 2011.
100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011, FHM magazine
"Gisele Bundchen Named World's Richest Model". People. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
"FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
Gisele Bündchen Closes Out Givenchy’s All-Star Show – The Cut. Nymag.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-28.
Beggy, Carol; Shanahan, Mark (12 April 2008). ""Photo of Gisele brings big bucks", 12 April 2008 The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
""Foto de Gisele nua é comprada em leilão por US$ 193 mile", (Portuguese) xclusivo.terra.com.br". Exclusivo.terra.com.br. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Celebrity Central / Top 25 Celebs" People magazines
"Gisele Bundchen – Gisele Tops Elle Hair Poll". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Celebrity Influences on Plastic Surgery" (PDF). Retrieved 22 June 2009.
"EXCLUSIVE: 14th Annual America's Most Wanted Celebrity Body Parts". Fox News. 6 January 2011.
"Who's the Most Desirable Actress in Hollywood?".
"Gisele Bündchen Closes Out Givenchy’s All-Star Show" October 3, 2011, New York Fashion
"Forbes Celebrity Top 100 2002". Forbes. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
a b Alexander, Ella (2 June 2011). "Gisele The Billionaire". Retrieved 18 August 2011.
Triggs, Charlotte (1 May 2007). "Gisele Bündchen, Victoria's Secret Part Ways". People. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"The World's Top-Earning Models - Forbes.com". Forbes. 16 July 2007.
Índice Gisele Bündchen. Expo Money (2011-09-15). Retrieved on 2011-10-28.
Revista RI mostra relação entre Gisele Bündchen e ações. Revistapublicidad.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-28.
Bertoni, Steven (13 May 2010). ""Gisele is again highest paid model in the world". MSN report, January 2010". MSNBC. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Our Founder Sejaa web site
Blankfeld, Keren; Bertoni, Steven (5 May 2011). "The World's Top-Earning Models". Forbes.
a b and Steven Bertoni, Keren Blankfeld (5 May 2011). "The World's Top-Earning Models". Forbes. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
"Procter & Gamble's CEO Discusses Q3 2011 Results – Earnings Call Transcript". Seeking Alpha. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Marca de lingerie de Gisele duplica procura por franquias Hope" 20 July 2011, Folha.com (in Portuguese)
Profile at Forbes
"The 20 Youngest Power Women of 2011" 24 August 2011, Forbes
[www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2011/11/17/gisele-bu...
"China Daily – Lifestyle". China Daily. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen To Be Latest Promoter Of (Product) Red Clothing & Products". Fashion.exposay.com. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Elle Magazine Features Gisele for (RED)". Joinred.com. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen ajuda a reflorestar a Mata Atlântica". Odebate.com.br. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
Morgan, John (16 December 2003). "Gisele Bundchen gives her heart to St. Jude's children". USA Today. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
"Charity IPod". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Shanahan, M (2011-03-18). "Gisele Bundchen supports earthquake relief; Brady sells New York pad". The Boston Globe.
"Supermodel Gisele Bundchen becomes UN Environmental Ambassador". Unep.org. 22 May 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
Ipanema Flip Flop web site
"Most Beautiful Couples" 2005, People Magazine
Fin, Natalie (27 March 2009). "It's True. Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen Secretly Wed". E!. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
"Report: Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen marry – ESPN". ESPN. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
04:05 pm ET (15 December 2009). ""Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady Name Son Benjamin", People, 18 December 2009". Celebrity-babies.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
"Gisele Bündchen Talks to Vogue's Joan Juliet Buck on Having a Baby, Tom Brady and Sejaa". Vogue Magazine. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
"Supermodel Gisele Bündchen: breastfeeding should be made law". The Daily Telegraph (London). 2 August 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
"Gisele Explains Breastfeeding "Law" Comment After Outcry". UsMagazine.com.
Stephanie Seymour Vogue Magazine
Via Flickr:
Stephanie Seymour Biography
Birth name Stephanie M. Seymour
Date of birth July 23, 1968 (1968-07-23) (age 41)
Place of birth San Diego, California, U.S.A.
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Hair color Light Brown
Eye color Blue-Green
Measurements (US) 33-23-33
(EU) 85-58-85
Dress size (US) 4
(EU) 34
Shoe size (US) 9
(EU) 41
Spouse(s) Tommy Andrews (1989-1990) 1 child
Peter Brant (1995-Present) 3 children
Stephanie M. Seymour (born July 23, 1968) is an American model and actress. Seymour has modeled for many notable fashion magazines and designers, and has been photographed by several well-known photographers including Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon, and Gilles Bensimon. She has appeared on over 300 magazine covers
STEPHANIE SEYMOUR TOP MODEL SUPERMODEL & Biography Pictures.
thefireboys.blogspot.com/2009/11/stephanieseymourgooglegr....
==Career==
Born in San Diego, California, the middle child of a California real estate-developer father and hairstylist mother, Seymour started her modeling career working for local newspapers and department stores in her hometown at the age of 14. In 1983, she entered the Elite Model Management Look of the Year modeling contest (now called Elite Model Look), but lost.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Seymour appeared in numerous issues of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and appeared on the cover of Vogue. During the same period, Seymour was a primary lingerie and hosiery model for the relatively new Victoria's Secret company in its mail-order catalogs and retail stores. In 1991 and again in 1994, Seymour posed for Playboy.
In 1998, she wrote Stephanie Seymour's Beauty Secrets for Dummies. In 2000, Seymour was ranked #91 on the FHM 1000 Sexiest Women of 2000. In 2006, she appeared in a campaign for Gap with her children.
Salvatore Ferragamo's creative campaign for his fall/winter 2007/2008 collection featured Seymour and Claudia Schiffer, shot on location in Italy with Mario Testino. In the promotional photos, the supermodels play film stars protected by bodyguards and pursued by the paparazzi.
==Acting==
In 2000, Seymour played Helen Frankenthaler in the movie Pollock. In 2002 she played the role of Sara Lindstrom in the "Crazy" episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
==Personal life==
At the age of 16, she began dating John Casablancas, the head of Elite Model Management, who was, at the time, married to model Jeanette Christjansen. The couple lived together before Seymour broke off the relationship.
From 1989 to 1990 she was married to guitarist Tommy Andrews. The marriage failed, but resulted in the birth of her first son, Dylan Thomas Andrews in 1990.
By mid 1991, she became involved with Axl Rose, the lead singer of Guns N' Roses. She appeared in two music videos by Guns N' Roses: "Don't Cry" and "November Rain". The couple broke up in February 1993 after Rose accused Seymour of being unfaithful. In August 1994, Rose sued Seymour for assaulting him during a 1992 Christmas party, mental and emotional abuse, and for withholding $100,000 worth of jewelry. Rose claimed he and Seymour were engaged. In turn, Seymour countersued Rose for assaulting her and denied they were ever engaged.
Shortly after her break up with Rose, Seymour began dating Peter Brant, a married publisher and real estate developer. She gave birth to the couple's first son (her second) Peter Jr. in December 1993. Seymour and Brant married in 1995 in France. Seymour gave birth to their second son Harry in 1996 and to their third child, daughter Lily Margaret, in 2004. In March 2009, Seymour filed for divorce from Brant after 14 years of marriage.
==Filmography==
Film
Year Film Role Notes
2000 Pollock Helen Frankenthaler
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Sara Lindstrom Episode: "Crazy"
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Que Coisa Linda & Coisa Linda Muito
Via Flickr:
Que Coisa Linda & Coisa Linda Muito
COISA LINDA
( Music and Lyrics By Nelio Guerson & Carlos Guerson )
(P) 1993 All Rights Reserved SR 258450
FREE MUSIC MP3 DOWNLOAD MP3 - Direct From Artist
WEBSITE:
palcomp3.com/nelioguerson/mp3-coisa-linda/
SONG FILE :
almora.palco.fm/e/d/d/2/nelio-guerson-carlos-guerson_cois...
LETRA COISA LINDA
Coisa linda
Foi tao belo o momento
Voce brincava de bambole
Cabelo solto ao vento
Coisa linda
Nao sai do meu pensamento
Te levar pra bambolear
No meu apartamento
Pra relaxar ligo a TV
Esta passando um filme romantico
Voce me diz que nao precisa aprender
Que pode ensinar a brincar de amor
Brazilian music played by Brazilians! Coisa Linda means "Beautiful thing" in Portuguese and celebrates love, music and life, which are in fact, beautiful things!
Playing the finest songs of Brazilian popular music repertoire, Coisa Linda brings a warm and authentic interpretation of some of Brazil's most loved musical masterpieces.
Free Music & Music Download
A music download is the transferral of a song from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment.
Popular examples of online music stores that sell digital singles and albums include the iTunes Store, Napster, Zune Marketplace, Amazon MP3, Nokia Music Store, TuneTribe, Kazaa and eMusic. Paid downloads are sometimes encoded with Digital Rights Management that restricts making extra copies of the music or playing purchased songs on certain digital audio players. They are almost always compressed using a lossy codec (usually MPEG-1 Layer 3 or Windows Media), reducing file size and therefore bandwidth requirements.
However, this may cause an apparent loss in quality to a listener when compared to a CD, and cause compatibility issues with certain software and devices. Uncompressed files and losslessly compressed files are available at some sites.
As of 2006, digital music sales are estimated to have reached a trade value of approximately US$2 billion, with tracks available through 500 online services located in 40 countries, representing around 10 percent of the total global music market. Around the world in 2006, an estimated five billion songs, equating to 38,000 years in music, were swapped on peer-to-peer websites, while 509 million were purchased online. As of January 2011, Apple's iTunes Store alone saw $1.1 billion of revenue in fiscal Q1.
Music downloads offered by artists
Some artists allow their songs to be downloaded ( FREE MUSIC ) directly from their websites. This is the case. So do it for free.
Challenges to legal music downloads
Even legal music downloads have faced a number of challenges from artists, record labels and the Recording Industry Association of America. In July 2007, the Universal Music Group decided not to renew their long-term contracts with iTunes. This legal challenge was primarily based upon the issue of pricing of songs, as Universal wanted to be able to charge more or less depending on the artist, a shift away from iTunes' standard 99 cents per song pricing. Many industry leaders feel that this is only the first of many show-downs between Apple Inc. and the various record labels.
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Tuesday, November 06, 2012
MUSIC : Free Music Download
MP3 DOWNLOAD - FREE MUSIC - DOWNLOAD MUSIC - FREE MP3 :
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MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 Filename extension .mp3
Internet media type audio/mpeg, audio/MPA, audio/mpa-robust
Type of format Audio
Standard(s) ISO/IEC 11172-3, ISO/IEC 13818-3
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression. It is a common audio format for consumer audio storage, as well as a de facto standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback of music on digital audio players.
MP3 is an audio-specific format that was designed by the Moving Picture Experts Group as part of its MPEG-1 standard. The group was formed by several teams of engineers at Fraunhofer IIS in Erlangen, Germany, AT&T-Bell Labs (now a division of Alcatel-Lucent) in Murray Hill, NJ, USA, Thomson-Brandt, and CCETT as well as others. It was approved as an ISO/IEC standard in 1991.
The use in MP3 of a lossy compression algorithm is designed to greatly reduce the amount of data required to represent the audio recording and still sound like a faithful reproduction of the original uncompressed audio for most listeners. An MP3 file that is created using the setting of 128 kbit/s will result in a file that is about 1/11th the size of the CD file created from the original audio source. An MP3 file can also be constructed at higher or lower bit rates, with higher or lower resulting quality.
The compression works by reducing accuracy of certain parts of sound that are deemed beyond the auditory resolution ability of most people. This method is commonly referred to as perceptual coding. It internally provides a representation of sound within a short-term time/frequency analysis window, by using psychoacoustic models to discard or reduce precision of components less audible to human hearing, and recording the remaining information in an efficient manner.
This technique is often presented as relatively conceptually similar to the principles used by JPEG, an image compression format. The specific algorithms, however, are rather different: JPEG uses a built-in vision model that is very widely tuned (as is necessary for images), while MP3 uses a complex, precise masking model that is much more signal dependent.
==Development==
The MP3 lossy audio data compression algorithm takes advantage of a perceptual limitation of human hearing called auditory masking. In 1894, Alfred Marshall Mayer reported that a tone could be rendered inaudible by another tone of lower frequency. In 1959, Richard Ehmer described a complete set of auditory curves regarding this phenomenon. Ernst Terhardt et al. created an algorithm describing auditory masking with high accuracy. This work added on a variety of reports from authors dating back to Fletcher, and to the work that initially determined critical ratios and critical bandwidths.
The psychoacoustic masking codec was first proposed in 1979, apparently independently, by Manfred R. Schroeder, et al. from AT&T-Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ, and M. A. Krasner both in the United States. Krasner was the first to publish and to produce hardware for speech, not usable as music bit compression, but the publication of his results as a relatively obscure Lincoln Laboratory Technical Report did not immediately influence the mainstream of psychoacoustic codec development. Manfred Schroeder was already a well-known and revered figure in the worldwide community of acoustical and electrical engineers, and his paper had influence in acoustic and source-coding (audio data compression) research. Both Krasner and Schroeder built upon the work performed by Eberhard F. Zwicker in the areas of tuning and masking of critical bands, that in turn built on the fundamental research in the area from Bell Labs of Harvey Fletcher and his collaborators. A wide variety of (mostly perceptual) audio compression algorithms were reported in IEEE's refereed Journal on Selected Areas in Communications. That journal reported in February 1988 on a wide range of established, working audio bit compression technologies, some of them using auditory masking as part of their fundamental design, and several showing real-time hardware implementations.
The immediate predecessors of MP3 were "Optimum Coding in the Frequency Domain" (OCF), and Perceptual Transform Coding (PXFM). These two codecs, along with block-switching contributions from Thomson-Brandt, were merged into a codec called ASPEC, which was submitted to MPEG, and which won the quality competition, but that was mistakenly rejected as too complex to implement. The first practical implementation of an audio perceptual coder (OCF) in hardware (Krasner's hardware was too cumbersome and slow for practical use), was an implementation of a psychoacoustic transform coder based on Motorola 56000 DSP chips.
MP3 is directly descended from OCF and PXFM. MP3 represents the outcome of the collaboration of Dr. Karlheinz Brandenburg, working as a postdoc at AT&T-Bell Labs with Mr. James D. Johnston of AT&T-Bell Labs, collaborating with the Fraunhofer Society for Integrated Circuits, Erlangen, with relatively minor contributions from the MP2 branch of psychoacoustic sub-band coders.
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 2 encoding began as the Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) project managed by Egon Meier-Engelen of the Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt (later on called Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, German Aerospace Center) in Germany. The European Community financed this project, commonly known as EU-147, from 1987 to 1994 as a part of the EUREKA research program.
As a doctoral student at Germany's University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Karlheinz Brandenburg began working on digital music compression in the early 1980s, focusing on how people perceive music. He completed his doctoral work in 1989 and became an assistant professor at Erlangen-Nuremberg. While there, he continued to work on music compression with scientists at the Fraunhofer Society (in 1993 he joined the staff of the Fraunhofer Institute).
In 1991 there were two proposals available: Musicam and ASPEC (Adaptive Spectral Perceptual Entropy Coding). The Musicam technique, as proposed by Philips (The Netherlands), CCETT (France) and Institut für Rundfunktechnik (Germany) was chosen due to its simplicity and error robustness, as well as its low computational power associated with the encoding of high quality compressed audio. The Musicam format, based on sub-band coding, was the basis of the MPEG Audio compression format (sampling rates, structure of frames, headers, number of samples per frame).
Much of its technology and ideas were incorporated into the definition of ISO MPEG Audio Layer I and Layer II and the filter bank alone into Layer III (MP3) format as part of the computationally inefficient hybrid filter bank. Under the chairmanship of Professor Musmann (University of Hannover) the editing of the standard was made under the responsibilities of Leon van de Kerkhof (Layer I) and Gerhard Stoll (Layer II).
A working group consisting of Leon van de Kerkhof (The Netherlands), Gerhard Stoll (Germany), Leonardo Chiariglione (Italy), Yves-François Dehery (France), Karlheinz Brandenburg (Germany) and James D. Johnston (USA) took ideas from ASPEC, integrated the filter bank from Layer 2, added some of their own ideas and created MP3, which was designed to achieve the same quality at 128 kbit/s as MP2 at 192 kbit/s.
All algorithms were approved in 1991 and finalized in 1992 as part of MPEG-1, the first standard suite by MPEG, which resulted in the international standard ISO/IEC 11172-3, published in 1993. Further work on MPEG audio was finalized in 1994 as part of the second suite of MPEG standards, MPEG-2, more formally known as international standard ISO/IEC 13818-3, originally published in 1995. There is also MPEG-2.5 audio, a proprietary unofficial extension developed by Fraunhofer IIS. It enables MP3 to work satisfactorily at very low bitrates and added lower sampling frequencies.
Compression efficiency of encoders is typically defined by the bit rate, because compression ratio depends on the bit depth and sampling rate of the input signal. Nevertheless, compression ratios are often published. They may use the Compact Disc (CD) parameters as references (44.1 kHz, 2 channels at 16 bits per channel or 2×16 bit), or sometimes the Digital Audio Tape (DAT) SP parameters (48 kHz, 2×16 bit). Compression ratios with this latter reference are higher, which demonstrates the problem with use of the term compression ratio for lossy encoders.
Karlheinz Brandenburg used a CD recording of Suzanne Vega's song "Tom's Diner" to assess and refine the MP3 compression algorithm. This song was chosen because of its nearly monophonic nature and wide spectral content, making it easier to hear imperfections in the compression format during playbacks. Some jokingly refer to Suzanne Vega as "The mother of MP3". Some more critical audio excerpts (glockenspiel, triangle, accordion, etc.) were taken from the EBU V3/SQAM reference compact disc and have been used by professional sound engineers to assess the subjective quality of the MPEG Audio formats. This particular track has an interesting property in that the two channels are almost, but not completely, the same, leading to a case where Binaural Masking Level Depression causes spatial unmasking of noise artifacts unless the encoder properly recognizes the situation and applies corrections similar to those detailed in the MPEG-2 AAC psychoacoustic model.
==Going public==
A reference simulation software implementation, written in the C language and known as ISO 11172-5, was developed by the members of the ISO MPEG Audio committee in order to produce bit compliant MPEG Audio files (Layer 1, Layer 2, Layer 3). Working in non-real time on a number of operating systems, it was able to demonstrate the first real time hardware decoding (DSP based) of compressed audio. Some other real time implementation of MPEG Audio encoders were available for the purpose of digital broadcasting (radio DAB, television DVB) towards consumer receivers and set top boxes.
Later, on July 7, 1994, the Fraunhofer Society released the first software MP3 encoder called l3enc. The filename extension .mp3 was chosen by the Fraunhofer team on July 14, 1995 (previously, the files had been named .bit). With the first real-time software MP3 player Winplay3 (released September 9, 1995) many people were able to encode and play back MP3 files on their PCs. Because of the relatively small hard drives back in that time (~ 500 MB) lossy compression was essential to store non-instrument based (see tracker and MIDI) music for playback on computer.
==Internet==
From the first half of 1994 through the late 1990s, MP3 files began to spread on the Internet. The popularity of MP3s began to rise rapidly with the advent of Nullsoft's audio player Winamp (released in 1997), and the Unix audio player mpg123. In 1998, the Rio PMP300, one of the first portable MP3 players was released, despite legal suppression efforts by the RIAA.
In November 1997, the website mp3.com was offering thousands of MP3s created by independent artists for free. The small size of MP3 files enabled widespread peer-to-peer file sharing of music ripped from CDs, which would have previously been nearly impossible. The first large peer-to-peer filesharing network, Napster, was launched in 1999.
The ease of creating and sharing MP3s resulted in widespread copyright infringement. Major record companies argue that this free sharing of music reduces sales, and call it "music piracy". They reacted by pursuing lawsuits against Napster (which was eventually shut down and later sold) and against individual users who engaged in file sharing.
Despite the popularity of the MP3 format, online music retailers often use other proprietary formats that are encrypted or obfuscated in order to make it difficult to use purchased music files in ways not specifically authorized by the record companies. Attempting to control the use of files in this way is known as Digital Rights Management. Record companies argue that this is necessary to prevent the files from being made available on peer-to-peer file sharing networks. This has other side effects, though, such as preventing users from playing back their purchased music on different types of devices. However, the audio content of these files can usually be converted into an unencrypted format. For instance, users are often allowed to burn files to audio CD, which requires conversion to an unencrypted audio format.
Unauthorized MP3 file sharing continues on next-generation peer-to-peer networks. Some authorized services, such as Beatport, Bleep, Juno Records, eMusic, Zune Marketplace, Walmart.com, and Amazon.com sell unrestricted music in the MP3 format.
==Encoding audio==
The MPEG-1 standard does not include a precise specification for an MP3 encoder, but does provide example psychoacoustic models, rate loop, and the like in the non-normative part of the original standard. At the present, these suggested implementations are quite dated. Implementers of the standard were supposed to devise their own algorithms suitable for removing parts of the information from the audio input. As a result, there are many different MP3 encoders available, each producing files of differing quality. Comparisons are widely available, so it is easy for a prospective user of an encoder to research the best choice. It must be kept in mind that an encoder that is proficient at encoding at higher bit rates (such as LAME) is not necessarily as good at lower bit rates.
During encoding, 576 time-domain samples are taken and are transformed to 576 frequency-domain samples. If there is a transient, 192 samples are taken instead of 576. This is done to limit the temporal spread of quantization noise accompanying the transient. (See psychoacoustics.)
==Decoding audio==
Decoding, on the other hand, is carefully defined in the standard. Most decoders are "bitstream compliant", which means that the decompressed output - that they produce from a given MP3 file - will be the same, within a specified degree of rounding tolerance, as the output specified mathematically in the ISO/IEC standard document (ISO/IEC 11172-3). Therefore, comparison of decoders is usually based on how computationally efficient they are (i.e., how much memory or CPU time they use in the decoding process).
==Audio quality==
When performing lossy audio encoding, such as creating an MP3 file, there is a trade-off between the amount of space used and the sound quality of the result. Typically, the creator is allowed to set a bit rate, which specifies how many kilobits the file may use per second of audio. Using a lower bit rate provides a relatively lower audio quality and produces a smaller file size. Likewise, using a higher bit rate outputs a higher quality audio, but also results in a larger file.
Files encoded with a lower bit rate will generally play back at a lower quality. With too low a bit rate, compression artifacts (i.e. sounds that were not present in the original recording) may be audible in the reproduction. Some audio is hard to compress because of its randomness and sharp attacks. When this type of audio is compressed, artifacts such as ringing or pre-echo are usually heard. A sample of applause compressed with a relatively low bit rate provides a good example of compression artifacts.
Besides the bit rate of an encoded piece of audio, the quality of MP3 files also depends on the quality of the encoder itself, and the difficulty of the signal being encoded. As the MP3 standard allows quite a bit of freedom with encoding algorithms, different encoders may feature quite different quality, even with identical bit rates. As an example, in a public listening test featuring two different MP3 encoders at about 128 kbit/s, one scored 3.66 on a 1–5 scale, while the other scored only 2.22.
Quality is dependent on the choice of encoder and encoding parameters. However, in 1998, MP3 at 128 kbit/s was providing quality only equivalent to AAC at 64 kbit/s and MP2 at 192 kbit/s.
The simplest type of MP3 file uses one bit rate for the entire file — this is known as Constant Bit Rate (CBR) encoding. Using a constant bit rate makes encoding simpler and faster. However, it is also possible to create files where the bit rate changes throughout the file. These are known as Variable Bit Rate (VBR) files. The idea behind this is that, in any piece of audio, some parts will be much easier to compress, such as silence or music containing only a few instruments, while others will be more difficult to compress. So, the overall quality of the file may be increased by using a lower bit rate for the less complex passages and a higher one for the more complex parts. With some encoders, it is possible to specify a given quality, and the encoder will vary the bit rate accordingly. Users who know a particular "quality setting" that is transparent to their ears can use this value when encoding all of their music, and not need to worry about performing personal listening tests on each piece of music to determine the correct bit rate.
Perceived quality can be influenced by listening environment (ambient noise), listener attention, and listener training and in most cases by listener audio equipment (such as sound cards, speakers and headphones).
A test given to new students by Stanford University Music Professor Jonathan Berger showed that student preference for MP3 quality music has risen each year. Berger said the students seem to prefer the 'sizzle' sounds that MP3s bring to music. Others have reached the same conclusion, and some record producers have begun to mix music specifically to be heard on iPods and mobile phones.
==Bit rate==
Several bit rates are specified in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer III standard: 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128, 160, 192, 224, 256 and 320 kbit/s, and the available sampling frequencies are 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz.[21] Additional extensions were defined in MPEG-2 Audio Layer III: bit rates 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128, 144, 160 kbit/s and sampling frequencies 16, 22.05 and 24 kHz.
A sample rate of 44.1 kHz is almost always used, because this is also used for CD audio, the main source used for creating MP3 files. A greater variety of bit rates are used on the Internet. 128 kbit/s is the most common, offering adequate audio quality in a relatively small space. As Internet bandwidth availability and hard drive sizes have increased, higher bit rates like 160 and 192 kbit/s have increased in popularity.
Uncompressed audio as stored on an audio-CD has a bit rate of 1,411.2 kbit/s, so the bitrates 128, 160 and 192 kbit/s represent compression ratios of approximately 11:1, 9:1 and 7:1 respectively.
Non-standard bit rates up to 640 kbit/s can be achieved with the LAME encoder and the freeformat option, although few MP3 players can play those files. According to the ISO standard, decoders are only required to be able to decode streams up to 320 kbit/s.
==VBR==
MPEG audio may use variable bitrate (VBR). Layer III can use bitrate switching and bit reservoir. Variable bitrate is used when the goal is to achieve a fixed level of quality. The final file size of a VBR encoding is less predictable than with constant bitrate. Average bitrate is a compromise between the two - the bitrate is allowed to vary for more consistent quality, but is controlled to remain near an average value chosen by the user, for predictable file sizes. Although technically an MP3 decoder must support VBR to be standards compliant, historically some decoders have bugs with VBR decoding, particularly before VBR encoders became widespread.
==File structure==
An MP3 file is made up of multiple MP3 frames, which consist of a header and a data block. This sequence of frames is called an elementary stream. Frames are not independent items ("byte reservoir") and therefore cannot be extracted on arbitrary frame boundaries. The MP3 Data blocks contain the (compressed) audio information in terms of frequencies and amplitudes. The diagram shows that the MP3 Header consists of a sync word, which is used to identify the beginning of a valid frame. This is followed by a bit indicating that this is the MPEG standard and two bits that indicate that layer 3 is used; hence MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 or MP3. After this, the values will differ, depending on the MP3 file. ISO/IEC 11172-3 defines the range of values for each section of the header along with the specification of the header. Most MP3 files today contain ID3 metadata, which precedes or follows the MP3 frames; as noted in the diagram.
==Design limitations==
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There are several limitations inherent to the MP3 format that cannot be overcome by any MP3 encoder. Newer audio compression formats such as Vorbis, WMA Pro and AAC no longer have these limitations. In technical terms, MP3 is limited in the following ways:
Time resolution can be too low for highly transient signals and may cause smearing of percussive sounds.
Due to the tree structure of the filter bank, pre-echo problems are made worse, as the combined impulse response of the two filter banks does not, and cannot, provide an optimum solution in time/frequency resolution.
The combining of the two filter banks' outputs creates aliasing problems that must be handled partially by the "aliasing compensation" stage; however, that creates excess energy to be coded in the frequency domain, thereby decreasing coding efficiency.
Frequency resolution is limited by the small long block window size, which decreases coding efficiency.
There is no scale factor band for frequencies above 15.5/15.8 kHz.
Joint stereo is done only on a frame-to-frame basis.
Internal handling of the bit reservoir increases encoding delay.
Encoder/decoder overall delay is not defined, which means there is no official provision for gapless playback. However, some encoders such as LAME can attach additional metadata that will allow players that can handle it to deliver seamless playback.
The data stream can contain an optional checksum, but the checksum only protects the header data, not the audio data.
==ID3 and other tags==
Main articles: ID3 and APEv2 tag
A "tag" in an audio file is a section of the file that contains metadata such as the title, artist, album, track number or other information about the file's contents.
As of 2006, the most widespread standard tag formats are ID3v1 and ID3v2, and the more recently introduced APEv2.
APEv2 was originally developed for the MPC file format. APEv2 can coexist with ID3 tags in the same file or it can be used by itself.
Tag editing functionality is often built into MP3 players and editors, but there also exist tag editors dedicated to the purpose.
==Volume normalization==
Since volume levels of different audio sources can vary greatly, it is sometimes desirable to adjust the playback volume of audio files such that a consistent average volume is perceived. The idea is to control the average volume across multiple files, not the volume peaks in a single file. This gain normalization, while similar in purpose, is distinct from dynamic range compression (DRC), which is a form of normalization used in audio mastering. Gain normalization may defeat the intent of recording artists and audio engineers who deliberately set the volume levels of the audio they recorded.
A few standards for storing the average volume of an MP3 file in its metadata tags, enabling a specially designed player to automatically adjust the overall playback volume for each file, have been proposed. A popular and widely implemented such proposal is "Replay Gain", which is not MP3-specific. When used in MP3s, it is stored differently by different encoders, and as of 2008, Replay Gain-aware players don't yet support all formats.
==Licensing and patent issues==
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Many organizations have claimed ownership of patents related to MP3 decoding or encoding. These claims have led to a number of legal threats and actions from a variety of sources, resulting in uncertainty about which patents must be licensed in order to create MP3 products without committing patent infringement in countries that allow software patents.
The various MP3-related patents expire on dates ranging from 2007 to 2017 in the U.S. The initial near-complete MPEG-1 standard (parts 1, 2 and 3) was publicly available in December 6, 1991 as ISO CD 11172. In the United States, patents cannot claim inventions that were already publicly disclosed by the inventor more than a year prior to the filing date, but for patents filed prior to June 8, 1995, submarine patents made it possible to extend the effective lifetime of a patent through application extensions. Patents filed for anything disclosed in ISO CD 11172 a year or more after its publication are questionable; if only the known MP3 patents filed by December 1992 are considered MP3 decoding, then MP3 may be patent free in the US by December of 2012.
Thomson Consumer Electronics claims to control MP3 licensing of the Layer 3 patents in many countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada and EU countries. Thomson has been actively enforcing these patents.
MP3 license revenues generated about €100 million for the Fraunhofer Society in 2005.
In September 1998, the Fraunhofer Institute sent a letter to several developers of MP3 software stating that a license was required to "distribute and/or sell decoders and/or encoders". The letter claimed that unlicensed products "infringe the patent rights of Fraunhofer and Thomson. To make, sell and/or distribute products using the [MPEG Layer-3] standard and thus our patents, you need to obtain a license under these patents from us."
However, there exist both free and/or proprietary alternatives, with free formats such as Vorbis, AAC, and others. Microsoft's usage of its own proprietary Windows Media format allows it to avoid licensing issues associated with these patents by avoiding usage of the MP3 format entirely. Until the key patents expire, unlicensed encoders and players could be infringing in countries where the patents are valid.
In spite of the patent restrictions, the perpetuation of the MP3 format continues. The reasons for this appear to be the network effects caused by:
familiarity with the format,
the large quantity of music now available in the MP3 format,
the wide variety of existing software and hardware that takes advantage of the file format,
the lack of DRM restrictions, which makes MP3 files easy to edit, copy and play in different portable digital players (Samsung, Apple, Creative, etc.),
the majority of home users not knowing or not caring about the patents' controversy and often not considering such legal issues when choosing their music format for personal use.
Additionally, patent holders declined to enforce license fees on free and open source decoders, which allows many free MP3 decoders to develop. Thus, while patent fees have been an issue for companies that attempt to use MP3, they have not meaningfully impacted users, which allows the format to grow in popularity.
Sisvel S.p.A. and its U.S. subsidiary Audio MPEG, Inc. previously sued Thomson for patent infringement on MP3 technology, but those disputes were resolved in November 2005 with Sisvel granting Thomson a license to their patents. Motorola also recently signed with Audio MPEG to license MP3-related patents.
In September 2006, German officials seized MP3 players from SanDisk's booth at the IFA show in Berlin after an Italian patents firm won an injunction on behalf of Sisvel against SanDisk in a dispute over licensing rights. The injunction was later reversed by a Berlin judge, but that reversal was in turn blocked the same day by another judge from the same court, "bringing the Patent Wild West to Germany" in the words of one commentator.
On February 16, 2007, Texas MP3 Technologies sued Apple, Samsung Electronics and Sandisk with a patent-infringement lawsuit regarding portable MP3 players. The suit was filed in Marshall, Texas; this is a common location for patent infringement suits due to the speed at which trials are conducted there.
Texas MP3 Technologies claimed infringement with U.S. patent 7,065,417, awarded in June 2006 to multimedia chip-maker SigmaTel, covering "an MPEG portable sound reproducing system and a method for reproducing sound data compressed using the MPEG method."
Alcatel-Lucent also claims ownership of several patents relating to MP3 encoding and compression, inherited from AT&T-Bell Labs. In November 2006 (prior to the companies' merger), Alcatel filed a lawsuit against Microsoft (see Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft), alleging infringement of seven of its patents. On February 23, 2007, a San Diego jury awarded Alcatel-Lucent a record-breaking US$1.52 billion in damages. The judge, however, reversed the jury verdict and ruled for Microsoft, and this ruling was upheld by the court of appeals. The appeals court actually ruled that Fraunhofer was a co-owner of one patent claimed to be owned by Alcatel-Lucent, due to work by James D. Johnston while Dr. Brandenburg worked at AT&T.
In short, with Thomson, Fraunhofer IIS, Sisvel (and its U.S. subsidiary Audio MPEG), Texas MP3 Technologies, and Alcatel-Lucent all claiming legal control of relevant MP3 patents related to decoders, the legal status of MP3 remains unclear in countries where those patents are valid.
==Security issues==
Microsoft Windows Media Format Runtime in Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Server contained a coding error that permitted "remote code execution if a user opened a specially crafted media file". Such a file would allow the attacker to "then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights", if the account on which the file was played had administrator privileges. The problem was addressed in a critical update issued on September 8, 2009 (KB968816).
==Alternative technologies==
Main article: List of codecs
Many other lossy and lossless audio codecs exist. Among these, mp3PRO, AAC, and MP2 are all members of the same technological family as MP3 and depend on roughly similar psychoacoustic models. The Fraunhofer Gesellschaft owns many of the basic patents underlying these codecs as well, with others held by Dolby Labs, Sony, Thomson Consumer Electronics, and AT&T. In addition, there is also the open source file format Ogg Vorbis that has been available free of charge and without patent restrictions.
==See also==
Audio compression (data)
Comparison of audio codecs
Copyright infringement
Digital audio player
ID3
Joint stereo
LRC (file format)
Media player
MP3 blog
MP3 Surround
Streaming Media
DJ digital controller
AAC
Ogg Vorbis
Free Music & Music Download
A music download is the transferral of a song from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment.
Popular examples of online music stores that sell digital singles and albums include the iTunes Store, Napster, Zune Marketplace, Amazon MP3, Nokia Music Store, TuneTribe, Kazaa and eMusic. Paid downloads are sometimes encoded with Digital Rights Management that restricts making extra copies of the music or playing purchased songs on certain digital audio players. They are almost always compressed using a lossy codec (usually MPEG-1 Layer 3 or Windows Media), reducing file size and therefore bandwidth requirements.
However, this may cause an apparent loss in quality to a listener when compared to a CD, and cause compatibility issues with certain software and devices. Uncompressed files and losslessly compressed files are available at some sites.
As of 2006, digital music sales are estimated to have reached a trade value of approximately US$2 billion, with tracks available through 500 online services located in 40 countries, representing around 10 percent of the total global music market. Around the world in 2006, an estimated five billion songs, equating to 38,000 years in music, were swapped on peer-to-peer websites, while 509 million were purchased online. As of January 2011, Apple's iTunes Store alone saw $1.1 billion of revenue in fiscal Q1.
Music downloads offered by artists
Some artists allow their songs to be downloaded ( FREE ) directly from their websites. This is the case. So do it for free.
Challenges to legal music downloads
Even legal music downloads have faced a number of challenges from artists, record labels and the Recording Industry Association of America. In July 2007, the Universal Music Group decided not to renew their long-term contracts with iTunes. This legal challenge was primarily based upon the issue of pricing of songs, as Universal wanted to be able to charge more or less depending on the artist, a shift away from iTunes' standard 99 cents per song pricing. Many industry leaders feel that this is only the first of many show-downs between Apple Inc. and the various record labels.
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