[Infowarrior] - Free music downloads site in chaos as record giants pull out

[Richard Forno]

The latest twist in the goofy tale of the Recording Industry on the Net ---
for those interested in their efforts in this space as put to music, please
visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVS3QqrXhD8&   :)   -----rf



Free music downloads site in chaos as record giants pull out
Last updated at 00:52am on 29.01.08

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23434386-details/Free+music+downl
oads+site+in+chaos+as+record+giants+pull+out/article.do

iPod

Music fans can download free songs without breaking the law

Music fans around the world faced confusion today as it was announced they
would be able to download unlimited, free songs without breaking the law.

A revamped online file-sharing service had vowed to offer a catalogue of
30million free songs that are compatible with iPods, but record labels have
denied they had granted permission to share the songs.

Qtrax, which makes its debut today, is the latest online music venture
counting on the lure of free songs to draw in music fans.

The key to their revolutionary venture was thought to be advertising, which
they hope will pay the bills, namely record company licensing fees.

The New York-based service was among several peer-to-peer file-sharing
applications that emerged following the shutdown of Napster, the pioneer
service that enabled millions to illegally copy songs stored in other
computers.

But Warner Music said it had not authorised the use of its tracks by Qtrax -
and later Universal Music Group and EMI followed suit, saying they did not
have licensing deals with Qtrax and discussions were continuing.

Justin Kazmark, a spokesman for New York-based Qtrax, has declined to
comment.

To take advantage of the free but legal service, the user will need to
download the Qtrax software which displays adverts while the user is
searching and downloading songs.

The site was expected to feature special sections including one called "Last
Night" where users can search for newly added tracks from live concerts that
were recorded the night before.

It will also feature music videos, artist documentaries, interviews, album
reviews and biographies among other features.

Qtrax, which makes its debut today, is the latest online music venture
counting on the lure of free songs to draw in music fans

Qtrax is not the first service to offer free songs for download with
advertising support.

Last September, SpiralFrog launched an ad-supported free service with music
from just one of the major record companies Universal Music. It is still in
talks with other labels.

The latest version of Qtrax still lets users tap into file-sharing networks
to search for music, but downloads come with copy-protection technology
known as digital-rights management, or DRM, to prevent users from burning
copies to a CD and calculate how to share out advertising sales with labels.

Qtrax downloads can be stored indefinitely on PCs and transferred on to
portable music players, however.

The service, which boasts a selection of up to 30million tracks, also hopes
that its music downloads will be playable on Apple's iPods and Macintosh
computers as early as March.

iPods only play back unrestricted MP3s files or tracks with Apple's
proprietary version of DRM, dubbed FairPlay.

CDs sales are falling and file-sharing companies are satisfying the demand
for free music online

"We've had a technical breakthrough which enables us to put songs on an iPod
without any interference from FairPlay," said Allen Klepfisz, Qtrax's
president and chief executive.

Klepfisz declined to give specifics on how Qtrax will make its audio files
compatible with Apple devices, but noted that "Apple has nothing to do with
it".

Qtrax downloads can be stored indefinitely on PCs and transferred onto
portable music players.

Apple has been resistant in the past to license FairPlay to other online
music retailers.

That stance has effectively limited iPod users to loading up their players
with tracks purchased from Apple's iTunes Music Store, or MP3s ripped from
CDs or bought from vendors such as eMusic or Amazon.com.

Rob Enderle, technology analyst at the San Jose-based Enderle Group, said he
expects Apple would take steps to block Qtrax files from working on iPods.

It's thought Apple would be unlikely to allow tracks downloaded from its
rival to be compatible with its players.
Music fans can download free songs without breaking the law

Music fans around the world faced confusion today as it was announced they
would be able to download unlimited, free songs without breaking the law.

A revamped online file-sharing service had vowed to offer a catalogue of
30million free songs that are compatible with iPods, but record labels have
denied they had granted permission to share the songs.

Qtrax, which makes its debut today, is the latest online music venture
counting on the lure of free songs to draw in music fans.

The key to their revolutionary venture was thought to be advertising, which
they hope will pay the bills, namely record company licensing fees.

The New York-based service was among several peer-to-peer file-sharing
applications that emerged following the shutdown of Napster, the pioneer
service that enabled millions to illegally copy songs stored in other
computers.

But Warner Music said it had not authorised the use of its tracks by Qtrax -
and later Universal Music Group and EMI followed suit, saying they did not
have licensing deals with Qtrax and discussions were continuing.

Justin Kazmark, a spokesman for New York-based Qtrax, has declined to
comment.

To take advantage of the free but legal service, the user will need to
download the Qtrax software which displays adverts while the user is
searching and downloading songs.

The site was expected to feature special sections including one called "Last
Night" where users can search for newly added tracks from live concerts that
were recorded the night before.

It will also feature music videos, artist documentaries, interviews, album
reviews and biographies among other features.

Qtrax, which makes its debut today, is the latest online music venture
counting on the lure of free songs to draw in music fans

Qtrax is not the first service to offer free songs for download with
advertising support.

Last September, SpiralFrog launched an ad-supported free service with music
from just one of the major record companies Universal Music. It is still in
talks with other labels.

The latest version of Qtrax still lets users tap into file-sharing networks
to search for music, but downloads come with copy-protection technology
known as digital-rights management, or DRM, to prevent users from burning
copies to a CD and calculate how to share out advertising sales with labels.

Qtrax downloads can be stored indefinitely on PCs and transferred on to
portable music players, however.

The service, which boasts a selection of up to 30million tracks, also hopes
that its music downloads will be playable on Apple's iPods and Macintosh
computers as early as March.

iPods only play back unrestricted MP3s files or tracks with Apple's
proprietary version of DRM, dubbed FairPlay.

Scroll down for more ...

CDs

CDs sales are falling and file-sharing companies are satisfying the demand
for free music online

"We've had a technical breakthrough which enables us to put songs on an iPod
without any interference from FairPlay," said Allen Klepfisz, Qtrax's
president and chief executive.

Klepfisz declined to give specifics on how Qtrax will make its audio files
compatible with Apple devices, but noted that "Apple has nothing to do with
it".

Qtrax downloads can be stored indefinitely on PCs and transferred onto
portable music players.

Apple has been resistant in the past to license FairPlay to other online
music retailers.

That stance has effectively limited iPod users to loading up their players
with tracks purchased from Apple's iTunes Music Store, or MP3s ripped from
CDs or bought from vendors such as eMusic or Amazon.com.

Rob Enderle, technology analyst at the San Jose-based Enderle Group, said he
expects Apple would take steps to block Qtrax files from working on iPods.

It's thought Apple would be unlikely to allow tracks downloaded from its
rival to be compatible with its players.