Do you have a MySpace page? Did you add the music player that allows you to stream music when people visit your page? Well, that’s about to end. NO MUSIC FOR YOU!
According to Wired magazine, MySpace has hired Gracenote to do some dirty work for them.  Gracenote has some kind of program that will troll your MySpace page and delete any music where you don’t hold the copyright (Um, that would probably be 99% of the music on the MySpace service). 
I have a MySpace page, but I don’t really do much with it. I was thinking of streaming a song or two, but I became too lazy…so that didn’t happen. But one thing I do use MySpace for is to check out music from bands that look interesting. If I like a song, I may download it so I can listen to it again, but for the most part I’ll sample the song using the player’s streaming function.  But now, that’s all going to end. I think the MySpace example is just side 2 (of a 4 LP set) of the record labels using their power to pressure alternative mediums that promote music to shut up after benefiting from the power of that medium. Music blogs — though not as visible as MySpace since they are not housed in a central location — have had similar run-ins with the music industry. The only one I know of is Jefito’s problems with his ISP about the number of music files he was putting on his site. I don’t think there was a specific complaint from the RIAA about the files on there, Bluehost (his ISP) was just getting nervous about the possibility that they would get tagged by some lawyer representing the RIAA.  What’s odd is that Jefito was getting music sent to him from the majors to review on his blog! Yes, the same blog that allows readers to sample music and buy the whole CD if they like what they hear by following a link to Amazon. And it’s the same blog that posts mp3s so you can download them for free — which as we all know is illegal. But the majors who were sending him music just sort of turned a blind eye. They liked the fact that the music was being introduced in a thoughtful way to his readers (but they would never admit that in public).
With MySpace, it’s a bit different because many of the bands that post their music on the site may have a record deal, but they don’t own the copyright to the music. This means they are essentially violating copyright laws when they load songs on MySpace — even though they are promoting music that they made and is distributed by a record label with whom they have a business agreement. It’s all messed up…I’m curious, though: if you get a freebie mp3, and you like the artist, do buy the CD or pay for a download from an online music service? Does the offer of a freebie make you more willing to shell out $$$ and buy more of that artist’s music, or do you just take the free sample and look for others?
–PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â
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Lalapunci
November 1, 2006 at 8:52 amHoly confusion Batman! Is the music industry trying to control what artists get exposure, or more important to them, trying to control the cash flow?
Beenzzz (Bean)
November 1, 2006 at 8:55 amTo be honest, I would take the freebie sample and look for others. I guess I’m just a cheapskate that way. I’ve noticed that when I do spring for a CD, that I end up liking one or two songs on it and then the rest is garbage.
Gina
November 1, 2006 at 8:59 amI am so inept, I don’t know how to save the mp3’s.
But, I think I would go looking for more and probably pay for them.
Py, did you hear about your Russian mafia site being a stumbling block to Russia entering the WTO?
jefito
November 1, 2006 at 9:23 amPy, my good man, I’m still getting music from the majors. You keep talking as if I’ve died and gone to that great big blog in the sky. And — even weirder — I’m still on the same host. I don’t even think I’ve scaled back that much. I have no idea what’s going on here.
All that being said, these recent crackdowns on YouTube and MySpace are ridiculous. You’d think that after screwing and suing their consumers for decades, the record industry wouldn’t have a foot left to shoot itself in, but no; they keep pumping lead into their smoking, bloody nubs. Eventually, the big dumb beast is bound to topple over. Until then, I guess we’re all just supposed to shut up and enjoy our legally purchased Fergie CDs.
Py Korry
November 1, 2006 at 9:24 amI didn’t hear about that one, Gina. But I know that Apple/iTunes was trying to get the EU to shut them down.
Lalapunci: The RIAA is populated with idiots who can’t figure out that the Internet is a positive thing for artists. Sure, there’s a lot of file sharing out there, but there’s always been sharing of music. It’s just that they think it’s because people are grabbing free mp3s that CD sales are declining. Yeah, it’s impossible to compete with free, but if the prices on CDs where lower (and I’m talking about $5.99 to $7.99), you could sell the idea that CDs are a better value because the quality of the recording is so much better than mp3s. Also, why didn’t Tower Records set up kiosks where you could plug your mp3 player into a machine and download the songs you want from their library? That way they could have phased out CDs and transition to mp3, WAV, Lossless, and AIFF files — the latter three being CD or close to CD quality.
Like I said, it’s messed up.
Py Korry
November 1, 2006 at 9:30 amSorry for using the past tense, Jefito! I know you’re still around, but from what you told me about locking horns with Bluehost, it just seems like it’s a matter of time before something like Gracenote goes trolling for sites like yours (and mine to a far lesser extent).
Ml
November 1, 2006 at 10:04 amI don’t have internet at home, and work blocks anything to do with my space 🙂
Lalapunci
November 1, 2006 at 10:19 amPy, Thanks for the info. Tower management didn’t have the forsight you have or they wouldn’t have gotten themselves into the mess they did. It is also difficult to change a business model when the person at the helm’s mission is directed by the board of directors.
J
November 1, 2006 at 10:56 amI’m so jaded by my recent entire CD purchases, I guess if I got a free song I would go check out the artist, and maybe buy another song on iTunes or something. But it’s a lot of work, to try to figure out just which songs I MIGHT want to buy, so I don’t know if I’d really bother. Ugh.
MsMamma
November 1, 2006 at 1:05 pmHey Pk- I just gotta tell you I just love the new header. VERY cool! Damn! I wish I had thought of that one! Interesting post, too.
lalunas
November 1, 2006 at 3:13 pmI just listen to the radio, your mix-six, and a few of the girls CDs. You learn new stuff everyday.