Holy crap, they make it sound like they just orchestrated the lunar landing or something. How overly dramatic can you be? Geez... [overly arrogant loud-voiced news anchor]...and we have some breaking news: I just tooted. Just further confirmation that the record industry has their collective heads up their collective asses... -----Original Message----- From: themode2k [mailto:themode2k@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: Wed 11/6/2002 3:57 AM To: orb@mailman.xmission.com Cc: Subject: Re: [Orb] Nibiru - How to make great handfulls of lovely dosh!! Thought this might be of interest(?) re mp3's Major Label First: Unencrypted MP3 For Sale Online "... For apparently the first time ever, a major record-label subsidiary is releasing an unencrypted MP3 file onto the Internet, hoping fans will fork over 99 cents for the right to own and use the song without constraints. Maverick Records and Vivendi Universal Net USA jointly announced today that a special dance remix of, "Earth," a track by bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, marks the first time a major-label artist has ever put a downloadable MP3 song up for sale on the Internet. Because the track is an unencrypted MP3, it will be possible for listeners to burn the song onto CD and to transfer it to portable players. And, like CD tracks that easily can be converted to MP3 files, the song inevitably will find its way onto the numerous illicit file-sharing networks. Jonathan Lamy, spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), said his organization customarily declines to speak publicly about the business practices of its individual member labels, and he would not comment on Maverick's MP3 release. "This is a bold step for Maverick Records and Meshell Ndegeocello," said Derrick Oien, president of VUNet USA's Music and Media Group, in a written statement. "They deserve recognition for giving digital music fans a simple way to collect and enjoy this previously-unreleased new song." Better Late Than Never? GartnerG2 music industry analysts P.J. McNeely said the move is one other labels probably will watch closely. But it's also an experiment, McNeely said, that was very late in coming. Napster, the notorious MP3 swapping service that set the music industry on its ear only to be later sued into submission, launched the MP3-download phenomenon in late 1999. "Unfortunately," McNeely said, "we didn't see this like two years ago. The labels are slow to embrace new distribution channels and marketing methods. The fact is this technology isn't new points at the lack of speed with which the labels have been moving." ..." Full story can be had here http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/176747.html bill HU5 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Orb mailing list Orb@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/orb