A new program has been released that takes internet radio streams from Shoutcast and records them as MP3's. But it doesn't stop there - it also seperates each song, titles them (track name & artist), then it locates the album art - and it has a link to buy the album at Amazon (isn't that sweet).I don't really feel right about advertising this software, so I'm going to let make you search for this if you want the link or the name. But one things for sure: No matter what the actions the RIAA (lawsuits) or the government (i.e. the ridiculous broadcast flag) take, people are going to continue to get music via the web, for free. Programmers and P2P kids are waaaaay ahead of anything the biz can do to stop them. Nobody can turn the clock back to 1995 and restructure the way labels handle things.
Sure, Real fans who want better quality than a 128k .mp3 will still buy CD's. Fans who want to hold and cuddle a booklet or a collectible will still buy CD's and vinyl. Everyone else is going to rip it. There is no way to hold this back.
Here are some ideas:
- Eliminate DRM for existing digital files and adapt an industry-wide model like Emusic, where people can download a shitload of files for a cheap price.
- Build this nominal monthly subscription fee into service providers like one of the many fine-print bullshit surchages for telephone service. If everyone in the US who had broadband internet paid a buck a month extra, couldn't we monetize this whole thing and the perception of "music for free" would still be there? (Yeah, yeah I know this raises issues with other digital content sources, but so what. This is a blog, not an MBA thesis.)
- Get someone else to foot the bill.
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