Myspace to Sell MP3s From Unsigned Bands

soldrinero writes "Yahoo! news is hosting a story about a new competitor to Apple's iTunes Music Store. Nearly all the other iTunes competitors have been strongly controlled by the music industry, shackled in DRM, and giving little back to artists. The new MySpace music store will feature vanilla MP3 downloads at prices set by the individual bands (3 million of them!), all or nearly all of whom are unsigned musicians with no industry affiliation. Is this the example we have all been waiting for of how the Internet will obviate the business model of the recording industry?"

Re:No, because ...

[Fanther]

Of course not everyone will sell, but imagine a small fraction that eventually will. That could be hundreds.

Multi Search [friskr.com]

Re:No, because ...

[lixee]

Heard of the Arctic Monkeys? The first album from that indie band has become the fastest-selling debut album in UK chart history.

Re:No, because ...

[soliptic]

Yeah but the part myspace played in that success is 90% myth. The band hadn't even heard of the site until after they were signed and successful.

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1 781879,00.html [guardian.co.uk]

What actually happened is they gave their music away on good old fashioned CDs at their gigs. So yet again, the #1 way of independent bands getting successful turns out to be "doing gigs". Plus ca change ;-)

The twitter version of the advocacy guidelines

[jb.hl.com]

I trust you've never read twitter's version of those guidelines!

• As a representative of the Linux community, it is your utmost duty to make everyone completely aware that Linux pwnz teh world and that Bill Gate$ drinks salty manspunk lol!1 Remember to push the idea that free software is suitable for business use while conducting yourself like a five year old.
• Hyperbole and unsubstantiated claims are absolutely A-OK so long as they are used to either advocate or defend Linux or free software in general. If Microsoft makes a web page promoting its server OS though, remember to be there on the frontline attacking it for being the usual Microsoft FUD.
• If someone took the time to respond to your post with hard facts, logic and reason, they must be on the payroll of Microsoft. Call them out and insult them.
• Don't bite if offered flamebait. Be the one who spews the bullshit, then nobody else can.
• Always remember that if you insult someone, it has to be for a good reason (e.g. they disagreed with you).
• Bash the competition. Bash it hard, bash it good. If you haven't accused them of genocide, baby-raping and collusion with the Nazi government/Soviet Union yet, you've not bashed them enough.
• If anyone's using Windows, they automatically have 2 million pieces of spyware and are hosting more trojan horses than the "ancient myths" shelf in a library. Be sure to call them, and anyone else using Windows, an idiot.
• Using phrases like M$, pUrge and WiMP makes you witty and awesome. Chicks dig dollar signs, especially when used to refer to a software company.
• Linux uber alles. If Linux doesn't solve your problem then the problem is your fault. Nothing is ever Linux's fault, ever. It's either Microsoft, hardware companies or users.
• Linux is a panacea. It will cure AIDS and cancer, trigger world peace and make Jerry Falwell die. Microsoft wishes to stop all of the above.

Re:No, because ... I go offshore to buy my music

[lsatenstein]

I pay a fair price for my music (anywhere from 11 cents to about 30 cents) per selection. And I don't have to purchase the entire album. I have the option of listening to the first 30 or so seconds of the music I expect to purchase. What I like about that offshore site, is that the majority of the money goes to the artist. Does it bypass the RIAA, or the other organisations? Well, I hope so, but I do not know. Search for all of mp3 dot com