D.C. Libraries Offering Free, DRM-Free MP3 Downloads From Sony Music
from the well,-look-at-that dept
The legacy entertainment industry has worked so hard to claim that getting any of their works for "free" must be illegal. Remember, the public service announcement created by NBC Universal and used by both the city government of NY and the federal government as an "anti-piracy" advertisement states that "there's no such thing as free" content. EMI, in its fight with MP3tunes, similarly tried to claim that it never, ever, released free music online -- a point easily proven to be false. So it's interesting to see -- as a whole bunch of folks have sent in -- that the DC libraries recently announced that library card holders can download free music from the library website from Sony Music. The library website says that it comes from "the entire Sony Music and IODA catalogs." You only get to download three songs per week, but they appear to be DRM-free mp3s. This is why it gets more and more difficult to take the big labels and the big studios seriously when they go on and on about how bad "free" is. They're using it themselves...Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: dc, free, library, mp3s
Companies: sony music
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iz it free?
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It's not free!
In effect, the DCPL bought a volume license for the songs. Once they get X number of downloads the DCPL will either have to buy more licenses or turn off the tap.
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Re: It's not free!
Do what I do: take your notebook to the library, and rip the CDs without even checking them out.
Hmmm... I wonder: is there a law against that?
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it's sort of how the record industry views people not buying as losses. well, this is their solution. sell it to the government, and through taxes everyone buys, whether they like it or not.
and besides, a lot of stores just use the radio, which is public and free, to cut costs. at least, they do around where I live.
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Not legal in US or UK
Nope, AFAIK it's only free for non-commercial use, if you are a store/bar/restaurant/waiting room/... you have to pay the collection agencies (ASCAP/BMI in the US).
There has even been a case where the UK collection agency wanted money for one of a supermarket's employees singing in public while working.
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Re: Not legal in US or UK
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Tricky
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Re: Tricky
Depends on who's math you use. If you use "normal" math, your just some dude who would have probably never purchased the song in the first place, and are contributing to others who would have probably never have spent any money either. So not really a lost sale, more of a missed opertunity....
If you use the AA's math. You have just single-handedly cause the collapse of civilization as we know it. Because of you, a kitten has just died, and a baby seal was clubbed. Your upload has been downloaded by at least a million people, and at $150,000 a pop.. that's.... that's... well its a fucking lot OK! Were going to wrap you up in the legal system for 20 years, take every penny you fucking have, and burn your picture at PRO-IP rallies for decades... friggin freeloading pirate!
/sarc
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Radio.
Broadcast TV.
Libraries.
For consumers - they are free. How are we expected to have decent digital media concepts with this group of idiots trying to run the show?
Problem isn't the digital media - it's the above idiots making moronic comments like the above in italics.
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"three songs per week"! Holy cow! Can Sony stand the expense?
Unusually, in this case you have the facts right. Sony also "gives" away videos on Youtube. I had cause to look up a certain "artist", and all of its videos began with a Sony copyright notice. So big deal.
SONY can give away SONY products as much as they please, MIke. (And giant SONY can bear the expense!) DOES NOT MEAN that you pirates can legally "help" them by distributing their files even if for "free".
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Re: "three songs per week"! Holy cow! Can Sony stand the expense?
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Re: Re: "three songs per week"! Holy cow! Can Sony stand the expense?
And create exotic particles on the other side threatening to destroy an entire universe?
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Re: Re: Re: "three songs per week"! Holy cow! Can Sony stand the expense?
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Re: "three songs per week"! Holy cow! Can Sony stand the expense?
I've lost count how many times Mike says this is not what he suggests. But keep on going OOTB. Maybe one day you'll quote him correctly and stop deionizing everyone on the site.
On a side note you seem not to understand how Youtube works do ya?
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Re: "three songs per week"! Holy cow! Can Sony stand the expense?
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I really would rather listen to and purchase DIY/Obscure Bands Music than go near any sell-out.
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Free? I think not.
http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/2011/04/just-say-no-to-freegal.html
Apparen tly the library pays at least $1 per download on average, and the company has horrible customer service.
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The DC Library is one of those Rogue web sites
Piracy is when you get music for free.
So this must be piracy? Isn't it?
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Library Membership is Limited -- Drat!
Now I'll have to see if I can get a similar deal from my local library.
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mp3 songs download
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