The Perfect Online Music Store? 532
brace asks: "With the proliferation of online music sales, more and more companies are jumping onto the bandwagon and trying to sell you downloadable music. Some of them do a good job, some of them are just bad at it. The question I have for Slashdot readers is essentially 'What would the perfect online music store offer you?' Should it have OGG and FLAC tracks, as well as MP3? Would you rather pay per-song or per-month? Would you want the option to purchase hard-copy as well (like the actual album, or even band merchandise)? Should the song samples be 30 second downloads or full-song streams fed on-demand? Is a radio station important for an online music store?"
"Personally, I'd like to see a store that has a 24/7 internet radio station, on-demand streaming, $0.99 downloads (and $9.99 album downloads), links to purchase actual albums or merchandise, and with MP3, OGG, and FLAC support. I'd also like to see the artists being paid more than 10%..."
This is what id like.. (Score:5, Interesting)
Oh and no DRM please, I like my music without bullshit.
you just described allofmp3 (Score:5, Insightful)
No fucking way am I gonna pay a buck a song and ten bucks an album for downloads unless I really like the work and can get pristine quality. Thus far I would say Magnatune does it best: you can listen to anything they have (and you can actually hear it because the quality doesn't suck) and, if you want to buy it, you can set the price and download it in high quality formats. I've bought a few albums there and have actually found myself going back to buy a work again because I decided I liked the work more than I thought and I felt bad about being such a cheap bastard.
if the record companies would trust people to do the right thing and stop calling us all thieves they could make a LOT more money. If I can buy a used CD for five bucks, rip it and get the quality I want, why the fuck would I pay twice that for the download? Magnatune gets it... the others don't.
Re:you just described allofmp3 (Score:3, Interesting)
"if the record companies would trust people to do the right thing and stop calling us all thieves they could make a LOT more money. If I can buy a used CD for five bucks, rip it and get the quality I want, why the fuck would I pay twice that for the download? Magnatune gets it... the others don't."
The empirical evidence runs counter to your opinion. The iTunes Music Store does absolutely gangbuster business, and they have very little trouble signing up artists, compared to Magnatune. They charge a bu
Re:you just described allofmp3 (Score:4, Insightful)
Magnatune is trying to be a niche online record label, not a catch-all retailer selling music as a loss leader for their music player devices, so comparing them directly is pretty meaningless. Does Magnatune have issues with their marketing and PR? Absolutely, but I'm not sure that the fact that they let you listen to high quality streams before you buy has anything to do with their issues (it's not really payment optional, they just let you choose your payment amount between 5 and 20 dollars for an album, I believe, with 8 being the recommended amount).
If the problem is just exposure of the artists and the Magnatune site, that's a fixable problem and doesn't fundmentally disprove their model (which I see as high quality, DRM-free tracks for a reasonable price per album, with free full song previews). In any case, I think the jury's still out on this one, but there's plenty of room for an iTunes and a Magnatune to coexist out there (in fact, iTunes is going to be doing a deal with Magnatune in the near future to promote some of their artists in exchange for time-limited exclusives to sell their new albums).
Re:Another big problem with allofmp3 ... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Another big problem with allofmp3 ... (Score:3, Insightful)
Look at how much you pay for allofmp3.com, and you will understand that artists cannot get anything from it.
Re:Another big problem with allofmp3 ... (Score:3, Insightful)
ethical? (Score:3)
Citing "ethics" in defense of hollywood record companies is like citing Joan Crawford as a model for child rearing methodology.
That said, no one forced those artists to sign to those lab
10 years out (Score:5, Interesting)
So, before I begin purchasing music online, it has to be at least 256 AAC quality, reasonable (meaning easy to disable) licensing or non-restrictive DRM, and a better selection of music. Until then, I'll buy CDs, burn them and give away or sell the worthless shell to somebody else.
I do have to say that most people do not purchase as much music as I do, and that a certain amount of it needs to be freely available at lower bitrates. Streams are great, but smart playlists loaded on demand (RSS-ish) would be great. They could simply be automatically disposed of afterwards.
Re:10 years out (Score:3, Interesting)
Sometimes I'm glad I have not perfect hearing, I don't have to worry about these issues.
Re:10 years out (Score:3, Insightful)
You are not allowed to keep the ripped versions once you've sold or given away the "worthless shell". You might as well be downloading the music off eDonkey because what you propose is just as illegal.
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:5, Informative)
That's generally untrue. And it makes sense:
Imagine if there was a country, Strongbadia, which had very liberal copyright laws, and permitted anyone to make copies of recorded music for a nominal fee. Imagine further that they tended to obtain copies of music from the US, reproduce them en masse for a miniscule sum, and then send the copies they made back to the US, flooding the US market.
The US copyright holder would be totally undercut, since he gets no meaningful profits from the Strongbadian copies, which are made against his will by third parties, and are cheaper than US-made and authorized copies.
So imports are generally prohibited so as to make a US copyright worth something. The pertinent statute is 17 USC 602. It has two independent subsections, (a), and (b). There are some exceptions to the ban in (a) that do NOT apply to the ban in (b). This is important.
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:3, Informative)
Not really revelavent to people's use of allofmp3.com, since it exempts importation for personal use.
Some consideration of allofmp3.com legal issues can be found here [museekster.com].
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:3, Informative)
Try again. And this time, refer to a site that actually knows what laws apply.
No importation is occuring at all. It is a red herring. This is a matter of reproduction.
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't think that 602(b) bans them either.
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:3, Informative)
But of course, again, downloading is not importation, so this is a more academic discussion than the other one which is more direct as to why it's illegal to be in the US and download from allofmp3.
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:4, Interesting)
So let me get this straight: it's wrong for me to buy music from Russia where I can get it more cheaply, because I'd be undercutting the honest American business man?
But it's right for American businesses to outsourced my job to India where they can get labor more cheaply, because that's streamlining business and creating efficiency?
Man!
One day I want to live somewhere where real, living, breathing -- and maybe starving -- people have as many rights as faceless, soulless, corporations.
But I guess it's fair, those corporations paid good money -- money they made by charging customers like me more -- to buy the politicians who wrote them the favorable laws.
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:5, Informative)
Yeah.
I mean, what would the point of having a US copyright be, what value would it have, what incentive would it bear, if we let copies into the country that couldn't have been made here legally to begin with?
It does make sense if you want US copyrights to be meaningful. Otherwise it only takes one country to abolish copyright law and be a pirate, or to have super-weak copyright law (e.g. 1 day terms or something), and the actual authors and US publishers get screwed.
This is actually why the US has been very aggressive in trade discussions with countries that do this: Taiwan, China, Ukraine, etc. In fact, we are insanely pissed off at Ukraine for allowing piracy of American-authored works, since those copies get into markets around the world. We're cutting them off from other US trade, and imposing high tariffs so that they're uncomfortable enough to stop. This often works: Imagine how fucked Taiwan would be if we didn't let their goods into the US. Of course they caved in. The US is kind of a trade bully. Because that's where the money is.
paypal (Score:3, Insightful)
And it doesn't really have anything to do with getting caught; it would be trivially easy for the US to track down every single person that gave these people money - all they need to do is compel the cc companies to report such use (just as they do already with many illicit businesses). It's more a matter of commerce in
Re:This is what id like.. (Score:4, Insightful)
And, the topic did not say your ideal music store had to be feasable with current technology.
This is just what I think would be best format wise, but until the entire recording industry gets its head out of its ass and starts: distributing good music, at a decent price, with a decent chunk going to the artist. I won't be buying shit from them.
allofmp3.com (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:4, Insightful)
And what do you base this statement on? Forget proof, has RIAA even ever commented on allofMP3? Last time I searched RIAA was mute on the subject of AllofMP3.com which is strange when you consider how much music US customers download from there. It is inconceivable that RIAA is unaware that US citizens are using AllofMP3 in droves.
Granted, ripping CDs in the US and uploading them to allofMP3 is likely to be illegal but I have seen nothing to suggest that downloading music from allofMP3.com is illegal.
Presumably if it was illegal to download from allofMP3 then RIAA would get an injunction (or some such legal device) against the credit card companies so that VISA and Mastercard would not let US customers do business with AllofMP3.
I've used AllofMP3.com for nearly a year and I'm thrilled with them. They give me MP3s in the format I want (192kbps VBR MP3s) and they have old hard to find music (e.g. King Crimson - Discipline) that I can't get from other online services.
SIDEBAR: it was actually the fact that I couldn't fine old AC/DC and King Crimson albums that I wanted on iTunes that drove me to AllofMP3, not the fact that AllofMP3 is cheaper!
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Informative)
17 USC 106(1), given the definitions of a phonorecord in 17 USC 101, and numerous cases such as Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 75 F. Supp 2d 1290, 1294 (D. Utah 1999).
I have seen nothing to suggest that downloading music from allofMP3.com is illegal.
Well, now you have!
Presumably if it was illegal to download from allofMP3 then RIAA would get an injunction (or some such legal device) against the credit card companies so that VISA and Masterca
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:5, Interesting)
so I guess I guess I can post links to bugs bunny to support mine.
is buying russian liquor illegal ? is buying a russian fur hat illegal ? no.
http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3faq.htm#Is%20Al
http://www.technewsworld.com/stor
http://news.com.com/5208-1027-0.html?forumID=1&th
2 friggin seconds on google and your little soapbox is destroyed
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Interesting)
Answer: Because Apple has not secured the copyrights for the songs they sell outside of those 4 countries.
If having the distribution rights in one country were enough to allow you to distribute worldwide, you can damn sure bet Apple would do so. They wouldn't deny themselves a revenue stream like that.
Just because the RIAA hasn't commented on it, it doesn't mean it's it legal.
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Interesting)
Nope. My dislike for them and for uninformed statements are about level, so it's an interesting tightrope. Read my history, if you want. The RIAA sure as fuck ain't going to pay a Canadian to post on non-RIAA related topics on slashdot. But while we're dodging the discussion in favor of silly acusations, how do I know you aren't a front account posting on slashdot to drum up card numbers for some crooked russian outfit?
I'll I keep hear
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:5, Informative)
602 - Infringing importation of copies or phonorecords
(a) Importation into the United States, without the authority of the owner of copyright under this title, of copies or phonorecords of a work that have been acquired outside the United States is an infringement of the exclusive right to distribute copies or phonorecords under section 106, actionable under section 501. This subsection does not apply to--
(1) importation of copies or phonorecords under the authority or for the use of the Government of the United States or of any State or political subdivision of a State, but not including copies or phonorecords for use in schools, or copies of any audiovisual work imported for purposes other than archival use;
(2) importation, for the private use of the importer and not for distribution, by any person with respect to no more than one copy or phonorecord of any one work at any one time, or by any person arriving from outside the United States with respect to copies or phonorecords forming part of such person's personal baggage
[...]
(b) In a case where the making of the copies or phonorecords would have constituted an infringement of copyright if this title had been applicable, their importation is prohibited. In a case where the copies or phonorecords were lawfully made, the United States Customs Service has no authority to prevent their importation unless the provisions of section 601 are applicable.
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:5, Informative)
(b) In a case where the making of the copies or phonorecords would have constituted an infringement of copyright if this title had been applicable, their importation is prohibited.
That means that unless the copies made would have been legal had US law applied at the place where they were made -- and therefore, since only the US copyright holder has power under US law, he would have had to consent; Russian organizations have no blanket power under US law -- they are NOT importable.
And since the exception in (a)(2) only applies to (a), and not (b), you're fucked.
Also 602 doesn't apply. Downloading is reproduction, not importation. Check it out: Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 75 F. Supp 2d 1290, 1294 (D. Utah 1999).
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Interesting)
Russian copyright law [outsourcing-russia.com] grants the holder the exclusive right to distribute and reproduce the work. Russia is a signatory of the Berne Convention [wipo.int], so if allofmp3.com is operating legally within Russia, they already have the copyright holders' consents.
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Interesting)
Since I'm talking about US-located downloaders breaking the law, Russian copyright law is not a part of this discussion.
so if allofmp3.com is operating legally within Russia, they already have the copyright holders' consents.
No, they have either a) compulsory licenses so that they can reproduce legally without consent, or b) c
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Informative)
The Berne Convention is the reason that Russians couldn't ignore their own copyright laws with regard to works created by non-Russians.
No, they have either a) compulsory licenses so that they can reproduce legally without consent, or b) consent of the RUSSIAN copyright holder. Who very well might not be the same person as the US copyright holder.
And from what I hear, it's the former.
If you have any specific sources on the exact
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Informative)
If they are in compliance with Russian copyright law, they have the copyright holders' permissions, which means they are in compliance with U.S. copyright law.
(Edit - If they really are distributing under a compulsory license [slashdot.org], that's something else.)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:4, Insightful)
(standard IANAL stuff applies)
Even under US Copyright law, these copies are legal. They are licensed under contract in a legitimately recognized sovreign nation that is an active and signifigant participant in the world community. Russian-born contracts are perfectly valid and enforecable across borders.
Facts:
1) The music was legally licensed in the nation where the sale is taking place.
2) There exosts no prohibition against sale in the legal license.
3) There exists no prohibition against sale accross borders once the music is legally licensed.
4) When the RIAA had legal grounds to injunct a music distribution method, they do so.
5) The RIAA has never made a single public mention of AllOfMP3, and there exists no evidence to suggest that AllOfMP3 is on their hitlist.
6) Copyright law allows me to purchase music in another country and bring it here, so long as the purchase was legal.
7) The sale of music by AllOfMP3 is legal.
Downloading is reproduction, not importation. Check it out: Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministry,
I trust that you, also, are not a lawyer since you have taken IR v ULM way out of context.
1) In IRvULM, the hosting site did not have license to distribute. AllOfMP3 does.
2) In IRvULM, there is no mention whatsoever of the distinction between reproduction versus importation as an issue. Judge Campbell was ruling on the distinction between viewing and copying. The judge ruled that viewing a page constituted the illegal making of a copy, rather than a legal viewing (i.e., same as photocopying a book rather than same are reading it in the library) which has zero bearing on a case where the licensee has every legal right to sell copies of the material and is doing so under the auspices of a legally recognized government that engages and accepts the rules of the WTC, of which Russia is a member in good standing.
What, can't you read?
Though it's clear by this statement that you were being offensive in your reply, you'll note that I stuck to the facts and didn't engage in meaningless insult. Try doing that from now on and people will respond better to your arguments. and especially avoid being so cocky when you are wrong. It doesn't make you look so good.
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Interesting)
In the US, on the other hand, it's just as illegal to download from allofmp3 as it is to download from the p2p service, so there's still no point in using allofmp3, unless you really enjoy giving your credit card number to Russians running a service
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Insightful)
I personally generate a temporary VISA number so they aren't getting my real one in case "something" would happen. But why are you saying it's not legal? Can someone here saying this point me to a place where it says they're illegal
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:2)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Insightful)
Copyright infringement isn't stealing, because the reason we can't go around stealing eachother's cars is that in doing so we deprive others of their possession.
What we're dealing with is unauthorized distribution of duplications. Yes, this is wrong and illegal, but it doesn't have the same consequences as stealing.
I'm not doing this just to be a pedantic prick, but when you talk about economics, you have to look at risks and concerns. A big risk in the existing record business is mass unchecked redistr
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Interesting)
*Yes, it's illegal to download from them. This is because downloading is reproduction, not importation (which is also generally illegal anyway)
Before disputing this, please read 17 USC 106; pertinent definitions in 17 USC 101 (in particular 'phonorecord'); Intellectual Reserve v. Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 75 F. Supp 2d 1290, 1294 (D. Utah 1999); A&M Records v. Napster, 239 F.3d 1004,
Re:allofmp3.com (Score:3, Insightful)
iTunes rock (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:iTunes rock (Score:5, Insightful)
Now that I am more than 10 years out of college, it is definately worth $0.99 to just get the song I want without trolling the p2p networks looking for music.
Besides, in recent years, if it ain't hip with the teen/college crowd, it ain't on the p2p networks. Those tracks that are there are of very variable quality -- you have to get several copies because some moron can't rip or encode correctly. It's just not worth the hassle.
Things I really like about iTunes:
- cost;
- quality;
- ease of purchase;
- the "others also bought" links let me explore things I haven't heard before; and, of course
- buying the single for a buck instead of a 10 track crappy cd for $14 for that one single.
Things I still am waiting for:
- broader catalogue (Madonna and The Beatles for two are still not available)
MP3? (Score:3, Insightful)
I wouldn't pay for any downloadable music that wasn't CD quality and storable to as many CDs or MP3 players as I wanted.
Re:MP3? (Score:2)
iTunes (Score:2, Insightful)
FREE MUSIC (Score:3, Insightful)
FREE MUSIC!
Than go to iTunes. (Score:2)
Re:Than go to iTunes. (Score:3, Informative)
Allofmp3.com (Score:4, Insightful)
I would happily pay $.99 a track for what Allofmp3.com offers. Of course, they only charge $0.01 per megabyte.
Of course, Allofmp3.com is probably illegal, at least in the US. But the RIAA should learn the lesson that the MPAA has learned:
Give people the content they want (movies, some of them costing $100s of millions to produce), at a fair price ($15 DVDs), in a format that's convenient (DVDs have good quality and nonrestrictive DRM) and there will be no incentive to pirate your content.
Re:Allofmp3.com (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Allofmp3.com (Score:4, Insightful)
That, and produce a quality product. I'm hard up to find any new music that isn't over sampled over produced stripping teeny bopper. I mean with the iPod and you listen to the music without her shaking her ass your face on the screen you see the crap for what it is.
Re:Allofmp3.com (Score:3, Insightful)
well the RIAA may own and produce a lot of crappy music of "today". The only problem is that they own really, REALLY *REALLY* good music from "back in the day". I'm sorry but show me one independent artist who's nearly as good as Ella Fitzgerald.
Hey that's how it's been for decades. If you're really good, people like your shit, the big guys go after you, and you succumb to the big buck, or at least prospects of it.
The thing is, if you want to become really famous, and make the big bucks, you have to
The perfect music store (Score:2)
a flexible distributed search engine
wide variety, from studio releases to live recordings to fan-inspired mashups.
Hmm, sounds like an average p2p network.
Global library (Score:2)
www.geocities.com/James_Sager_PA
I think its vitally important to keep record of what users buy. This way, you can give other users tips... ALA:
80% of users that had 50% of your favorite music also downloaded groups: A,B,C
Read reviews, and mod them up/down, and your favorite critics suddenly occur... Read what they say about music and trust them because they were right all the other times.
ETC ETC, you can go deep... Right now its getting the rights to downlo
Perfect music store (Score:3, Funny)
For me (Score:4, Insightful)
Then I can do whatever the hell I want to with it. Yes MP3 and OGG are nice, and yes FLAC is lossless, but the ability to download a
Ah, yes, and I'd like the ability to download the track I purchased 3 times, just in case. Making sure I could grab my music again if my hdd fails would be an extra warm selling point too.
AudioGalaxy (Score:3, Insightful)
So, the obvious comments: (Score:5, Interesting)
The Slashdot Crowd...
They're going to demand support for all of the Ogg contained codecs.
They're going to demand no drm, even optionally, so while you'll probably see AAC as a general format, you wont see fair-play.
You'll see the classic mp3, of course.
The price is going to have to be far less than 99c, since so many people here resent all things associated with the Apple store. I'm thinking what, 30 pence will please you guys?
The Normal Crowd...
For everyone else, you know what the perfect music store would be? The iTunes music store with basically a few additions:
There should be some ability to purchase at least some songs (i.e. certain classical pieces) at a higher bitrate.
There should be the ability to purchase files for more than one player, so that may mean something like WMA.
There's probably more, but I think these are the key points...
Re:So, the obvious comments: (Score:2)
The best online music store? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:The best online music store? (Score:3, Insightful)
The perfect music store. (Score:4, Insightful)
already exists... (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.magnatune.com [magnatune.com]
I'm not affiliated in any way other than to love what they do. I've listened to lots of stuff, including their streaming mp3s of entire genres. I have bought a couple of albums from magnatune, and still listen to it today. It's been a long time since I've been into music this much.
-Jim
I'll agree to that! (Score:5, Informative)
I listen to the New Age and Electronica shoutcast stations from Magnatune on Rhythmbox petty much all day and night.
For people who like new music -- and it's *good* music, too -- Magnatune is probably the best Internet resource.
You choose what you want to pay for an album ($4 minimum, $8 suggested, the sky is the limit) and 50% goes to the artist. You can download full-quality WAVs, MP3, OGG, FLAC, AAC, and I think there's one more. You can also download all of the album art in PDF format, so you can write your own CDs as they would be from the store, minus the DRM.
I usually get the WAV zip file, then compress it to OGG/Vorbis for my computer and write the WAVs to CD for my car.
-Jem
Easy... (Score:5, Interesting)
So, as you might guess, I'm not buying any online music anytime soon...
Re:Easy... (Score:2)
Everything in parent, plus:
FLAC is good enough. Since it is a lossless codec, I can transcode it without the inherent loss between, say, going from OGG to
sound quality (Score:4, Insightful)
What I would like to see... (Score:5, Interesting)
That is it off the top of my head.
A single repository for live stuff... (Score:2)
It will draw people in that are interested in both the live stuff and paying to support the bands that support the free distribution of their music.
Give me that and I'd frequent your store. Hell, I've even been peeking more and more at iTMS because of their large studio collection of the Grateful Dead. They even have a good size collection of other jambands (WSP, SCI).
Last time I used it (Score:3, Interesting)
The Perfect Music Store (Score:2, Interesting)
* Lossless compression scheme and a cheap program to encode it to any other format.
* 50 cents or less pricing per song
* GOOD MUSIC SELECTION (ie Beatles, Beach Boys, U2, Led Zeppelin)
* EVEN MORE GOOD MUSIC SELECTION (Rarities, B-Sides, Live Shows, exclusives)
* Indy artists
* Less 50 cent, nelly and timberlake on the front page
* Reasonable DRM (none)
* Audiobooks
Don't buy music online. (Score:5, Interesting)
After I purchase my real, shiny CD I rip it to MP3 and stick the CD on my shelf. If my hard drive crashes and burns, I've got my hard copy right there, waiting to be re-ripped.
I just don't see the appeal in buying music online in the way proposed. My idea of buying something involves actually having a physical end product, otherwise it's just called 'renting'.
Re:Don't buy music online. (Score:4, Interesting)
Of course, you can back order through them but then you will have to go twice to the store. Why not buy online then.
Re:Don't buy music online. (Score:3, Insightful)
My local outlet is quite comprehensive (even more impressive considering this is a town of less than 30,000 people), but is it such a bad thing having to go and browse twice?
Music should be something social. It's great being in a store and bumping into someone with similar tastes and interests. This may come as a shock but it's a great way to work on those people interaction skills, just g
Re:Don't buy music online. (Score:3, Insightful)
If I was a Britney fan, I'd probably agree with you, I like to think that real music has some soul to it, and having a CD with interesting cover notes or band information I can roll over in my hands and read while listening to the music means something to me.
It's not something I can quantify, it's an emotion about the music. I love music, I just hate what MTV, the Pepsi generation and (gasp) The Inter
magnatune (Score:2)
The perfect online music store is already here, at magnatune. [magnatune.com]
Stream the entire catalog for free! If you decide you want to download something, you chose the format and the price. The artist gets 50%.
The quality of the entire catalog is extremely high. This is a feature, not a bug
Check it out and enjoy
-- a satisfied Magnatune customer
ultimate music store would be musician centered (Score:2)
Not worse than a CD (Score:4, Insightful)
Backups (Score:2, Interesting)
perfect? that's easy! (Score:2, Funny)
2. Everything encoded in a new revolutionary format which features greater than CD quality, and all files magically don't take any space to store or time to download.
3. Everything is without DRM.
4. Despite it being a new format, it automatically plays on every device in existance anyway.
5. Every piece of music ever composed is available and audiobooks of every book written.
6. Revolutionary new searching technology brings you right to what you're looking for the first time every time wh
Here's the deal (Score:2)
Profit! (Score:4, Insightful)
2) Have
3) Implement Recommendations
4) Submit story to
5) Profit!
My 2 bottom lines (Score:2, Interesting)
2) Cash anonymity. [1]
I could not care less about any other details, ogg, mp3, ect, ect.
[1] If I walk into a music store, get a CD off a shelf and pay with cash (tinfoil hat arguments about face recognition systems or ATM bill number records aside) I can expect a certain level of anonymity. Ill buy online when I can expect that level of anonymity. (aka never) No one has my permission to record what music I listen too, what books I read, or what video I watch piriod, and that includes credit ca
I want full length previews. (Score:2)
Nobody Does Mix Albums Properly (Score:2)
Vorbis or FLAC would fix this issue, at least from a CD burning point of view, but a lot of players will still add an auduble glitch into otherwise perfect DJ glue.
The best online music store isnt one (Score:3, Insightful)
Free (Score:4, Insightful)
Even if I did join some service, almost none of the music I listen to would be available. I listen mostly to groups like machinae supremacy, who give their music away for free anyway, classic rock which I already have on vinyl and thus am legally allowed to have mp3s of, ocremixes, and foreign music. It might be possible to pay for some of the foreign music on some of the services, but either I wont be able to read it or it wont work with Linux or it will costly ungodly amounts of money.
In conclusion I would actually pay for music if.
1) Every song ever recorded was available.
2) I could choose my format and bitrate freely.
3) Absolutely no DRM encumberance.
4) Works with Linux.
5) Super cheap, we're talking pennies or half pennies per song.
It's a good thing not too many people feel like me. The record companies would be screwed.
Magnatune. Next question? (Score:5, Informative)
Magnatune [magnatune.com].
MP3, Ogg, FLAC, you name it. Listen to entire albums before buying, if you like. Most artists allow some discretion in how much you pay, depending on how much you like it and/or how much you can afford. Artist gets 50% and, IIRC, they retain full copyright.
I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but these guys really do Get It. Give 'em a whirl, they deserve it.
What I want is lossless sans DRM (Score:4, Interesting)
For me, at least, $5 is about the sweet spot.... it's low enough that I'd buy four or five albums at a time, and I don't think I'd buy any more if they were cheaper, since you can only listen to so much stuff. At $10, I'd guess that my total dollar value of purchases would be much lower, because I'd have to think about each one a little. At $5, it's an impulse purchase... at $10, it's less so.
Even www.allofmp3.com isn't THAT cheap; lossless files from them usually run about a buck apiece. If they were cheaper, and their selection was broader, I'd buy a lot more, but I'm still pretty happy with them as it is.
www.allofmp3.com shows that the infrastructure can work. But it would be hard to duplicate here, because the record labels here want to charge a lot more for stuff. Somehow, I suspect they'd want to price it so that original CDs were actually cheaper; their perspective will probably be that lossless DRM-free files are 'more' than what they give you on the CD (since it's easy to copy). Unfortunately, almost any customer would think of electronic-only delivery as 'less', and wouldn't be willing to pay as much. I certainly wouldn't.
Overall, allofmp3.com is running about $10-11 for a lossless album, and I've bought a few of them. So I am a real potential customer. Get that price down to $5 or so, and I'd buy a boatload of music that I wouldn't otherwise.
The mind reels (Score:5, Funny)
magntune.com (Score:4, Informative)
Admittedly, there's nowhere near as wide a choice of CC-licensed music right now as there is of RIAA-style proprietary music, but that doesn't bother me. There's been so much music recorded through history that there's no way to ever listen to it all, and everything I've downloaded from Magnatune has been excellent. There's enough selection there to keep me happy for quite a while. I've completely lost interest in RIAA music and haven't bought a CD from a record store in years. (I've bought a few directly from performers at live shows, but that's about it).
I'm sure many people will say it but.... (Score:3, Informative)
it's got it nailed. Great service, great price.
Liner Notes (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:How about... (Score:2, Funny)