AfterDawn: News

SpiralFrog to add songs from EMI

SpiralFrog, a service offering free music downloads in the US and Canada, has announced a licensing deal with EMI to offer songs from that label for download. EMI is the second of the four major labels to offer content through the ad-supported service, which already features music from Universal Music Group. SpiralFrog plans to add more than 1 million EMI tracks over the next few weeks.

"You're going to see that users on our site are going to see a lot more content, so there's going to be far fewer searches where they won't find music they're looking for," said Joe Mohen, SpiralFrog's chairman and founder.



According to Nielsen SoundScan Universal Music and EMI accounted for nearly 40% of US album sales so far in 2008 (through May 25). The other two major labels, Sony BMG and Warner Music made up another 46%, while albums from independent labels comprised just over 14%. SpiralFrog already has deals in place with a number of independents, and according to Mohen there are plans to add the remaining two majors by year's end.

Mohen also indicated that the company is a year away from being profitable.

SpiralFrog's music downloads use Microsoft DRM, which requires either Windows Media Player or one of a few compatible portable music players. The list of compatible players doesn't include either the Apple iPod or Microsoft Zune.

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 3 Jun 2008 1:23

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• 2 comments

• joe777

  The first few lines I thought this sounds / looks good, but alas its only another method of control. They are only moving the goalpost's again. DRM, licence's, certain media players only. Ah so its free music with a catch. They will get a percentage of the ad revenue and still provide a means to stop format shifting and prob if you want to format shift then you can buy the tune again. I am old enough to have (certain bands) the record album, the 12", the tape and the bloody cd. What more do they want from me. I say all music should be free with no strings attached. If a torrent site can possibily make millions a year in adds(but once they pay the server bills not make much, so they are not profiting from the site) then surely the licence holder can make a fortune from their torrent site with no restrictions. After all the labels would only need to up the song / album once then the community will take care of the rest. Whats wrong with these people, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to work it out. Imagine a torrent site ran by the labels, with clean songs everywhere no spy/malware and a ratio tracker to weed out the h/runs. Yeah sounds to good to be true eh!!!
  If it did happen I wonder how busy it would be. I bet they would need a state of the art data center to cope with that traffic.

  3.6.2008 11:36 #1

• lxfactor

  like the other story stated.. piracy is unserved consumers.

  3.6.2008 11:59 #2