AfterDawn: News

MP3Tunes opens its doors

As AfterDawn reported last week, former MP3.com CEO Michael Robertson announced an upcoming DRM-less MP3 music download service called MP3Tunes. MP3Tunes has opened its doors and has delivered exactly what it promised, DRM-free MP3 audio. This means that if you purchase a track there, technically you can do whatever you want with the file, including distributing it over P2P networks (which im sure is against the companies AUP) and storing it on portable MP3 players. Whilst major record labels are less likely to add their music to the store, it still opened with 300,000 tracks from smaller independent labels.

Not only has this store beaten its competitors by not using any DRM software, it also requires no extra software to download or play the music. It is completely compatible with all browsers and it sells single tracks for 88c (albums for $8.88) compared to iTunes, which sells tracks for 99c (albums for $9.99). The fact that major record labels are reluctant to license music to services that don't use any DRM protection hasn't bothered Robertson however.



"A consumer-friendly digital music store that provides true music ownership to paying customers can triple the digital music business almost overnight," Robertson argued. "MP3tunes gives the consumers more value because they can use the music on all their computers and MP3 players - whatever brand they may have." MP3Tunes tracks are recorded at 192kb/s. Robertson is convinced that any success with consumers will lead to major label interest.

Source:
Betanews

Written by: James Delahunty @ 9 Feb 2005 8:17

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• 22 comments

• RedAnt

  This sounds like a winner to me, if you purchase a track you should be able to do whatever you want with it. I like this idea.

  9.2.2005 10:24 #1

• GrayArea

  This is a very appealing business model. I wish they were using VBR encoding, but that's just a quibble. I think I'll have to give this service a try and support it if I can find music I like.

  9.2.2005 11:25 #2

• Pop_Smith

  Maybe i will start purchasing my music, 8.88 for an album? I am in :) Plus, the more people that use it, the more it will call attention to it so please buy at least one track from here if you can.
  
  Pop Smith

  9.2.2005 11:48 #3

• Motomatt

  I personally didn't see any music I recognized on the site.. How about you guys ?

  9.2.2005 12:26 #4

• Pop_Smith

  I don't either but, that is becasue we all 'recognise' songs that are by big name companies (major record labels) that won't (for now) let their music be distributed DRM free.
  
  But, if you really think about it, this makes NO sense as Pre-release albums are usually found via IRC and that is how the songs find the way to usual P2P apps.
  
  It would actually benefit the record labels to let MP3Tunes distibute music, unrestricted, for 99 cents a piece.
  
  As soon as I see a new, major labeled CD on MP3Tunes I am going to buy it. Maybe if enough people do it (if that ever occurs) they will get other record labels on board and making the $ they would loose (although a pretty small amount) to P2P users who have not bought the music they download.

  9.2.2005 14:10 #5

• neewbie

  Looks alrite but i use a different site so it doesnt really bother me.

  9.2.2005 16:43 #6

• daemonzx6

  I think I will give this a go
  It has finally happened...

  9.2.2005 20:57 #7

• cermi3

  I still don't like paying for MP3s but it's ok I just buy CDs now.

  9.2.2005 21:57 #8

• Klezmorim

  88c per track is still too expensive, in my book, for a compressed format that is "lossy" even at 192kb/s. $8.88 for an album? After I supply a blank CD? And print a label? And print the jewel case inserts? No, thanks.
  
  Now, if they'd sell the tunes for 25c a piece or $3 an album I'd be very interested.
  
  Can we get some more competition going to lower these prices? Anyone? Anyone?

  10.2.2005 03:59 #9

• neewbie

  wat country u from? cos the cost will be different for every countrie and yeah.....

  10.2.2005 04:05 #10

• GrayArea

  Klezmorim >"88c per track is still too expensive"
  
  I would tend to agree with that. Hopfully if services like MP3tunes are supported and successful competition will drive the prices down. I'm going to shake loose with a few dollars anyway just to show them that I think they are doing the right thing.
  
  Motomatt> "I personally didn't see any music I recognized on the site.. How about you guys ?"
  
  All the music on the site is from indi lables and individual artists so you won't find any cartel controlled "popular" music on there. It looked to me like all the tracks available on the site can be previewed. Try to rate any tracks you preview or buy. That's how we can create our own "top 40". I'd much rather have 100,000 people help me choose what to hear that a few corporate goons. It will make music better.

  10.2.2005 08:17 #11

• GrayArea

  Klezmorim> "...After I supply a blank CD? And print a label? And print the jewel case inserts? No, thanks."
  
  One more thought, get yourself an MP3 player! Audio CDs are so eighties... ;-)

  10.2.2005 08:43 #12

• punx777

  walmart.com has 88 cent tunes also.... 94 cents after tax i belive, still has drm, but has a much wider selection then mp3tunes, the thing i like best is you can use a walmart giftcard rather then iving your credit card #

  10.2.2005 08:56 #13

• Klezmorim

  Gray Area: "One more thought, get yourself an MP3 player! Audio CDs are so eighties... ;-)"
  
  LOL! Been there, done that. I've had an iRiver for two years, now. Love it. I like to see cover art and read liner notes, though. Heck, I still mourn the demise of vinyl LPs because of the loss of large-format album design.
  
  And sharing an MP3 player with my bay-bay ain't as much fun as slippin' in a disk (CD or LP) of Ol' Blue Eyes singin' "Come Fly With Me" and getting interested on the sofa ;)
  
  You make a good point about the success of one pay-site urging competiton (and lower prices). I think I *will* give 'em a try....

  10.2.2005 09:19 #14

• GrayArea

  punx777 - You sure about MalWort's selection being bigger? (I'm asking, don't claim to know, and really don't want to go there to find out...) MP3tunes just opened it's "doors" and has 331,029 songs. That will only get bigger.
  
  Klezmorim > I like the album covers a lot as well. I figure that in most cases if anything in my (way too big) record collection will ever be worth anything, it will be the jackets. I must admit, when I listen to Frank, it's usually MP3s though... The needle just don't hit the wax much at my house these days. Just a thought, hook the iRiver up to the aux input of your stereo. 1/8" stereo mini plug to RCA cord. My Rio works great that way.

  10.2.2005 10:02 #15

• Klezmorim

  Gray Area: "...[H]ook the iRiver up to the aux input of your stereo. 1/8" stereo mini plug to RCA cord."
  
  Yup, BT-DT, also. :) In fact, I'm going to do it tonight to listen to the album I just *bought* off of MP3Tunes.com!
  
  MP3Tunes' got plenty of folks I'm familiar with. My tastes run rather "indie" anyway. If the RIAA wants to come after me, they're NOT gonna find any Britney, Madonna or 'N Sync to sue me over.

  10.2.2005 10:26 #16

• GrayArea

  Klezmorim> Kinda figured you'd be hep to that. Posted more for the benefit of those few who may not know. Now it's my turn to go shopping! If we collectivly put our money where our mouth is things will get much better, and I'm not just talking about music! As JB sez, "I feel good"!

  10.2.2005 11:11 #17

• GrayArea

  I have yet another opinion to share regarding MP3tunes.com. It will probably land me in the "AfterDawn pariah" flaming penalty box (again) but here goes anyway. If you choose to purchase music from MP3tunes, please do not share it via P2P. If purchased files are shared that way it will discourage MP3tunes and possible competitors from offering "un-DRM-ed" music and will give aid and comfort to the enemy, big music. The last thing I want to hear is some a-hole PR person from Time-Warner (or whatever other big label) saying "We told you so". Okay, I'll shut up now.

  10.2.2005 11:44 #18

• neewbie

  I get em for 50 cents

  10.2.2005 17:23 #19

• punx777

  GrayArea....im pretty sure they w*m has much more, i searched for several of my favorite bands on mp3tunes & they didnt have it (skynyrd, joe satriani, ect.) id rater have drm & a bigger selection then no drm and a lesser, because drm is EASY to get rid of (just burn, then re-rip)

  10.2.2005 18:41 #20

• cermi3

  "walmart.com has 88 cent tunes also.... 94 cents after tax i belive, still has drm, but has a much wider selection then mp3tunes, the thing i like best is you can use a walmart giftcard rather then iving your credit card #"
  
  Even Wal-marts MP3s are edited. This is why they are 88cents but I think 25cents is good. I wish

  10.2.2005 21:20 #21

• daemonzx6

  GrayArea has a good point, it will just give the RIAA something else against us.
  
  the fact that WalMart has edited mp3s is just apalling. I don't download anything from them anyway. hell, I haven't even been in a WalMart in forever. WalMart is just a place of evil for me, I guess. DRM is something I cannot tolerate, so I will never buy from any service that uses DRM. If everybody stopped buying from these places, DRM might have a chance of finally dying like it should. if just one great band would smack their label into letting them put their music on MP3Tunes, then it might set an example and others might follow. I wish Radiohead would do that, they oppose DRM almost as much as I do. If they're about the music, they should because they have lots of songs that are extremely hard to find legally. Why pay for "safe" files when you can get them for free with the magic of BitTorrent? haha

  12.2.2005 21:39 #22