The site, offers free and legal downloads for members and it has quite a collection of free downloads form a myriad of artists. From Country Music, Reggae, Smashing Pumpkins, Electronica and more music from around the globe, they have them all ready for download. They might not have the big names but they have some of the most promising artists along with their music videos which they also offer for free. They even feature MySpace music codes to go with your downloads along with band profiles and the likes. The site contains genre information, band profiles, events information (Schedules), other sources of free music and tips on how you can get your hands on your favorite tunes.
The people who make up the site say they’re just like anybody else who loves music, they’re mad about their tunes. And what better way than to spread the news so others can see and hear what you’re talking about. In today’s world of paid downloads this is truly a find. Just browsed around for sites and they just popped right out. Checked it out and there they were, all free and all legal. That’s the best part, for no threat of being hounded by the RIAA for downloading and copying illegal stuff a couple of years back (see previous post). There are a lot of sites out there that still offer some of the best free music but they are getting wiped out by commercial sites. Unlike college approved sites like Ruckus, they do not have much in terms of money gaining potential. Going P2P is getting harder too but they are still around for they just keep eluding the guys who are out to get them.
P2P has lost some of its shine due to problems with privacy and malware yet many still choose them as a source of all types of downloads. Governments have been stepping up measures to limit and even shut them down but these P2P sites still manage to keep one step ahead of them all the time.
Tags: all genres, Free-Downloads, Legal-Downloads
Categories: Downloading Legally, Music, Providers, Videos
There have been many gimmicks over the year which is usually a precursor of album releases. Sweepstakes for free passes, advertising gimmicks and many more have all had their shares of success. In the drive to develop newer ways of delivering the talent of their brood, music companies have gone far and wide for some of the craziest ideas on the planet just to hype an album’s release. In one of the previous posts, an artist worked hand in hand with a leading cellular phone manufacturer to release a new album as an added bonus for purchasing a new phone. The new phone came with the song already in it for consumers to enjoy even as they are settling their bill.
Artists on the other hand who do not have much backing from big record companies have been trying to get their work the exposure they need, first through YouTube then through social networking sites which promote their music. But keeping competitive with all the thousands of artists in the world not to count the thousands more who are around locally, artists have been finding it hard to get resources to fund further projects. Some big names in the business have put up heir own web sites to do their own promotion simply through word of mouth and search engines. Search Engine Optimization allows them to get their fans to visit their sites which they keep hooked with previews and free music they can listen to as they are browsing thought the site. They can even watch MTV’s of their favorite songs right at the convenience of their PC’s. What better way is it to promote an album than to give one out, for free. Yep, this might be the start of a new trend as the British band Cold Play has decided to offer their first single for free download, free as in no fees no per song charges and taxes to pay.
The move may help them promote their music for through social networking sites, people share interests and other information including their favorite songs and bands. Free marketing as the word get’s out and they include the music within their pages, they unknowingly promote the album for the band and record company. Record companies are having to agree to some odd ways for their artists to get the exposure with them not having to shell out cash for the price of an arm and leg. so check the free download from the ColdPlay site so you can get your hands on the free song, no charges guaranteed.
Tags: Album Releases, Cold Play, Launching
Categories: Downloading Legally, Freeware, Mobile Phones, Music, Providers, Videos
In an unprecedented bummer (yesterday, today and tomorrow for sure) the software giant has released a statement that current users of their music and video entertainment service would have to purchase new registration keys for their downloaded music which was laden with DRM software. This same software tells de-activation servers if the computer and media that is being used is together as the download says it was or otherwise get turned-off preventing the darned stuff from playing at all. Like many users worldwide, people have a need for several copies of their video and audio where-ever they may be, Maybe due to lessons of the past when their hard drive crashed and took all of them with the disk (out the trash) or maybe because they just plain love the damned thing and want it to be available everywhere.
The Microsoft Corp has time and again gone through ups and downs and this would be hailed as one of the dumbest downer they have ever done. At first they delay the availability of XP SP3 by saying it’s still in the beta phase (though its been circulating in the P2P world as a download for quite sometime now) and that they are still monitoring for requests from their customers saying, “We are currently monitoring the need for the update from our users and as of now, we don’t see a need for it. If we do begin to see interest in the said update we will release it accordingly!” Many XP users were pissed at the thought, that the promised update for their XP’s which was promised last year took half a year for release then when the news people say it was ready they didn’t want to share it?! The update then mysteriously appears on the TechNet and other download sites for no apparent reason (Guess a good yelling for that employee or PR guy was ENOUGH REASON) maybe due top the tons of negative email they got when they said that.
Now they do it again by rewarding those who have been loyal to them by actually using the video and audio service by telling them we’re all of a suddenly puckering up our lips and saying no to multiple copies of your downloaded media and you have to pay for another activation key for all copies (they allowed the download of separate activation keys for all users who do get their songs from the site legally) costing them more money! Nice going guys, for during a time when everybody is way out on a limb with what little cash they had you’re asking for more? For me, I’ve never ever heard of the darned service, I know about Apple’s iTunes store (they’ve sold more than 4 billion tracks of music at less than a dollar)but never heard of their multimedia service. This may be nice for them so they add points to the, “Why you should hate Microsoft List”, which amounts to A LOT recently. I thought you guys had the best PR and Customer relations guys in the world money can buy? Guess brains were not part of the tons of money you pay PR people.
Tags: Bummer, Digital Music, Download service, Entertainment, Microsoft, Video
Categories: Downloading Legally, Music, Podcasts, Providers, Resources, Videos
The company has been trying to move into the entertainment theater for quite sometime and they have managed to flop at each and every try. Why, their Apple TV venture is still struggling to make a profit with many customers expressing their opinions with the system’s lack of competitive and interesting content. The company has been trying to push streaming video and other content through the system but the amount of acceptable content has failed way below their promised mark. Many media giants have expressed interest but are still holding back as they try to see what the futuristic TV system that is hooked up to the internet rather than to a cable system is faring out.
Even the company’s CEO Steve Jobs is calling their company’s venture into Apple TV a hobby rather than a major money earning venture as they have invested much into the project with little returns in terms of profit. The promise of distributing content for the iPhone and iPod’s series of multi-media players has indeed perked up the area but still, major profits remain to be gained.
Apple, though it is quite a median player in the PC and portable markets with their Mac’s and Mac Books is recognized by many in the technology business as one of the most performing companies in terms of stock per stock value which is worth around $15.4 billion dollars with $5 billion added in the past year alone according to Fortune. The company continues to reign supreme with their iPod’s and iPhone which are some of the most wanted gizmos and gadgets on earth as far as multimedia is concerned. As more and more cheaper gadgets with similar capabilities come onto the market, the reign of the multimedia giant would be challenged a lot but not as much.
Tags: Apple TV, Flunking Expectations, iPhone, iPod
Categories: DVD Videos, Downloading Legally, Mobile Phones, Music, Providers, Videos, ipods
Nokia, one of the world’s leading cellular phone manufacturing firms has gone to extremes into the marketing of their N-series cell phones, bundled with a new album by India’s top singers. The album, by Rabbi Shergill a top fusion artist has his new album released bundled with the new N-series Nokia Phones. This is hailed by some to be the next step for the digital music industry, the diffusion of the formats for mobile and desktop use which has digital music in two formats. Using uniform playback and format capabilities allows users to have fewer devices in their pockets such is the case with the many walkman phones that have come out on the market. There are plans to release more albums in the same manner and they represent the offer of Nokia to take into consideration the tastes of their customers into consideration.
Being one of the world’s biggest and best cellular phone maker’s, Nokia has again led the pack in what would be the next step for digital music. Currently, cellular phones usually use proprietary formats for their media which can be music and video, digital media players(iPods, iTouch and others too have their own specific formats with desktops and other computers having the broadest range of playback capabilities. The diffusion of all these formats into a unified format would allow digital music for use on all the various devices. The move by Nokia can be called a market tester and they would surely be doing more if the market response would be preferable. The Nokia N-series is considered one of the most capable multi-media device on the market to date. India is considered to be one of the most densely populated countries in the world with most of them crammed into their major cities has a wide market that is open for the cellular market. With more and more of India’s population getting onto the fast paced life in cities and even globally, the market is ripe and set for the coming of the multimedia market going mainstream.
Tags: , N-Series, Nokia
Categories: Downloading Legally, Graphics, Mobile Phones, Music, Ringtones
In attempts to get music stores into the digital music band-wagon, they have come up with a form of digital music purchase system, well sort of. Several music stores have started to sell digital music cards much the same to prepaid cards that allows users to log on to the online store and get them to download their songs for the nifty price similar to the cost of a current audio cd which is $12.00. These cards have a code which they enter that gives the user a sort of consumable account from which their selections are deducted from from the store in CD purchases or for online use. They download the music/albums they wish to get and even get perks such as additional tracks that are offered only to those who purchase the digital cards.
iTunes has been offering Digital Release Cards for sometime and Sony-BMG has their own Platinum Music Pass which is said to have the rest such as Best Buy and Target on their heel to be offering them soon. These cards would allow more and more people to sample the digital music revolution which is still new to some users. They offer digital download only available add-ons such as bonus tracks you don’t get on the original CD. They may need to hurry it up for physical music stores may be going extinct soon for studies are showing that by the year 2012, digital music sales would account for around 40% of all music related sales.
There seems to be lessening ground for these music stores for the ever-expanding reach of the internet which makes digital music possible. Piracy which still accounts for the majority of digital music’s problems is getting heat from all sides and is said to be addressed with the advent and introduction of more digital music copyright controls.
Tags: iTunes, Sony BMG Platinum Cards
Categories: Downloading Legally, Mobile Phones, Music, Providers, ipods
Why you might ask, most people are online on social networks which are part of the internet of today. Social networks have truly revolutionized the way people use the internet for it allowed for a more user-friendly internet not controlled by big companies who own. The same big companies have found out that there is more money to be earned by opening the internet up to the public offering a variety of services such as online messaging, social networking and other services. These services are part of everyday use of the internet that marketing has taken a new form, online and on time. Artists now shift from traditional ad campaigns regarding albums, tours and products that had to wait for an event to finish before they were marketing such as memorabilia.
Imagine being an artist who is about to release a new album, being able to advertise and reel in your millions of fans by releasing teaser information as the album is still being made. Advertising memorabilia as soon as the event finishes with the buyers getting their stuff the very next day. Didn’t see the show, don’t worry, you can download them for a fee and watch them at your leisure on your iTunes or digital Media Player. All these have become easy and a reality due to the incontrollable reach of the internet. Millions upon millions of people linked together all the time, as some got to sleep others sign on. Now that’s effective advertising.
The age of big business music companies practically owning an artist is over and in comes the social internet, where you can buy almost anything; food, drink, medicine, clothes, consumer electronics, your next laptop and much much more. Oh, and don’t forget the latest Madonna album……… and JayZ and……….
Tags: Record Companies
Categories: Downloading Legally, Music
As the age of digital music became reality and everybody wants music from all their favorite artists more and more everyday, record companies are trying hard to substantiate their existence in the digital music era. I said trying because of the very reality that they are struggling very hard to remain relevant, at first by opposing the illegal music sharing through P2P sites that are now going legal. Some music sharing sites are beginning to form alliances with them (the record companies themselves) in order to get recognized as legal music sources for the growing list of digital music sharing sources. The advent of cheaper and cheaper digital media players has spurred renewed interest in music which has boomed and online music sites that sell music are on the frontlines of the new frontier in the music business. Since they gave up on DRM due to the total futility of their effort they have been clamoring to find another avenue to capitalize their efforts on to stay an authority in the music scene. In Canada, a bold move by the counterpart of the RIAA, the SOCAN has succeeded in having taxes levied onto music downloads as the previous post discusses. The American music industry might have gotten an idea from them but they are truly in big trouble for artists have started turning on them by signing up with online companies to handle marketing and promotions.
Tags: , Record Labels
Categories: Downloading Legally, Music
The Canadian Copyright Board is causing a stir when it announced that it has ruled that it will begin implementing taxation on music downloads from online sources. The board enacted the rule after the SOCAN (equivalent to the RIAA) pushed for such due to the increasing trade in pirated music. The board has already defied world economics when it ruled that the sale of digital media players was to be taxed in order to make people more responsible with their use. If only such measures were easy to implement in America and elsewhere (which the RIAA and MPAA are finding to be very much difficult if not impossible.
The new rule has online music stores (which would surely be increasing prices) pay a tax of 3.1 cents for each individual track that is downloaded off their web sites. For full album purchases a 1.5 cent tax is placed on ever song which would surely hurt the music download industry which has been booming in spite of the many illegal sources out on the internet. Such drastic measures might be the only solution to curb piracy which is now a global problem that defies borders. From Europe to Asia, the piracy problem has been a thorn in the side of movie, music and governments fro quite sometime. Let’s give it for the Canadians for getting in the news with outrageous solutions to the piracy problem.
Tags: Music Taxation, Taxes
Categories: Downloading Legally, Music, ipods
In the USA, colleges and Universities are under strict orders to control and prevent the illegal sharing of files within the school’s networks. This would be quite difficult for school and university administrators due to the mere fact that almost 80% of all students use external access points to the internet. The aim is to curb piracy in their classrooms and lecture halls where most students have iPod’s plugged in loaded with pirated music. The rule applies mostly to those educational facilities which receive financial aid from the Federal Government but is causing much dismay from school administrators who will have to implement it or face reduced or revocation of government assistance.
The MPAA and RIAA say that millions of dollars of lost revenue due to shared and used music and movies by students who are in university. Such acts are hard to police and can only be controlled if the access is done through the school’s network itself. Policing each and every digital player, laptop and media player would be next to impossible and can be called an invasion of privacy. This is also seen as a source of unnecessary costs which would be spent on control measures to check for such activities and site blocking systems that would allow proper management and detection of such illegal files. Administrators recommend authorized sites such as Ruckus which is strictly for college students and faculty and many other local sources for their needs.
Students are the highest users of pirated songs and movies they get off the internet and legislators are taking notice of such activities. The law is quite broad and still needs refining for it to become realistic and applicable to their intended targets.
Tags: Colleges, Piracy, University
Categories: DVD Videos, Downloading Legally, Mobile Phones, Music, ipods
