SonyBMG, one of the world’s biggest record labels, has made music by its artists free to listen to over the internet. The record label has signed a deal with We7 to stream songs on user’s computers accompanied by a short advert. The new deal will give music fans access to the complete back-catalogues of Elvis Presley and other artists including Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and others.
Speaking to BBC’s Newsbeat, the boss of We7 Steve Purdham, said the deal will give “free music in return for some of your time.”
The new service, which launches today (April 28th), will build the profiles of its users so that adverts are target specific to each person. Once users have listened to the songs they will also have the option to pay to download the tracks to their computer or MP3 players.
We7 is seen as the latest effort to try and control the growing problem of music piracy, which has seen the sale of traditional recorded formats, such as CDs, decline rapidly over recent years.
Elvis For Free
April 28, 2008 | Other Source:GoogleSendToTodd wrote on
April 28, 2008
We have had music-for-free for years. It is called the radio, or when I was a kid the "wireless". I'm afraid that the record industry still doesn't understand what the new technology has to offer. For heavens sake, we used to tape the Top Twenty and listen to it over and over again for free, but we did buy the music that we wanted to own and cherish. An LP was a work of art both to the ears and the eyes. The CD shrunk the art, but it was nice to collect. But the down-load will never be saved or cherished, and a generation of music could be lost forever. Think about it SonyBMG - music to cherish is the way to go, and packaging to hold memory sticks, and whatever comes next is essential. I've seen a mobile phone prototype that projects a TV size image, and soon the iPod will do the same. The art can still be part of the music. Keep the art, and you cherish the music. Let's face it we guys lusted over the album art of pop vixens of the past, and show me a girl that didn't drool over Elvis' LP pictures, and I'll show you a liar!
JerryNodak wrote on
April 28, 2008
SendToTodd: Well said. Speaking of pop vixens: When I was a teenager I remember drooling over an album cover that featured Nancy Sinatra in a skimpy pink bikini. Caused quite a sensation back in the day. Don't remember the album title, but I still remember the cover.
JimmyCool wrote on
April 29, 2008
JerryNodak, who cares about the album title with a sexy pic on it? LOL. I have to admit I always download Elvis MP3s, but it's not the same, they don't have that CD quality I like, and having scanned album art is just not the same. That's why I ALWAYS buy the CD, even if I downloaded it first. It sounds better, it looks better and it's only mine!
Steve V wrote on
April 29, 2008
JerryN - I had that Nancy album also. It was called 'Sugar' and the pink cover sure was sweet!
theoldscudder wrote on
April 29, 2008
Elvis & Free. Two words that never went together in Colonel Parker's dictionary.