To enable successful transmission of music files over the internet a new digital MP3 music format was required and subsequently developed for quick music download….

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During my browsing I uncovered an online debate that’s been raging for a few days now. The debate seems to have been sparked by an article on the Creative Commons website which praised the new e-Label Beatpick for succesfully copying the Magnatune business model. The guys at Beatpick seem to have taken this as an affront because a rather defensive statement was issued in response, strongly denying that the Beatpick model had been in any way influenced by Magnatune.

I started scrutinising the different terms and it seemed to me that Beatpick offered a better deal to its artists because contracts could be broken at any time and artists maintained full ownership of their music.

Beatpick furthermore gave customers the opportunity to share their music with four friends! (although I do agree I still haven’t understood how that’s possible to control…)

Here are the main differences I uncovered:
1. Beatpick’s website and automatic control panel are more user-friendly than Magnatune’s (which insists you already have iTunes to listen to any music)
2. Beatpick offers customers the opportunity to communicate with the artist; if magnatune does I still haven’t figured out how!!
3. Beatpick seems to offer a more varied selection of music; sometimes very commercial but other times kind of experimental and weird
4. Magnatune seems to be aimed at a rather middle-aged, comfortably salaried type person while Beatpick has a more youthful and ‘designy’ appeal (i.e. it looks better)

AllofMP3 doesn’t officially support the distribution of files downloaded from its site, but one of its great attractions is that, because it leaves this decision to the end-user, no DRM is imposed. Its encoding possibilities are another excellent feat…

“With 90 megahertz of additional spectrum, today’s cellular carriers will be tomorrow’s next-generation broadband providers,” Michael D. Gallagher, assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information, said in a statement. By Gene Koprowski

<P>Now this is something I like to see.&nbsp; It’s good for the Artists, Customer and the Music companies.&amp ……

Also, for a site that sells obscure music, they do a horrible job of guiding the user and creating a community around their brand. Where’re the user ratings? User Comments? Recommendations?

On another note, i’m still surprised Apple has yet to implement the “long tail” model for their store, selling niche market songs for less than $.99

What do the stones or bowie get from magnatune other than the chance to screw over the labels that helped build their brand made them rich?

Magnatune seems more like a retailer than a label. Local record store buyers used to carry local music. This looks far more like that model than the label model.

Unless Magnatune can advertise at iTunes level budgets, there best chance is to have an established artist sign. You’d need somebody with plenty of material and money now. Somebody like the Rolling Stones or David Bowie level. These guys have a lot of money, make most of their money on their back catalog, and could help break a corrupt distribution system with little loss to their overall income.

If magnatune gets artists similar to what I get elsewhere, I’ll purchase from them. Music fans should have a lot of options and I’m glad magnatune offer these.