“Advertising attached to the music will ensure that artists receive royalties for making their songs available, whilst consumers will receive and share DRM-free music legitimately”.
Peter Gabriel, tech entrepreneur Steve Purdham and finance guru John Taysom have teamed up to create a new technology and music venture site called We7 that will offer ad-supported, DRM-free, MP3 downloads.
Each track will container a 10 second or less advertisement, the proceeds from which will go towards paying “the artists, musicians, actors, filmmakers, comedians and bands.”
“Advertising attached to the music will ensure that artists receive royalties for making their songs available, whilst consumers will receive and share DRM-free music legitimately,” notes a press release on the site.
The ads will apparently be placed on the front of music tracks and albums based on a consumer’s personal demographics such as age, location and gender and can be extended into personal preferences. Luckily though, the ads don’t remain attached to downloaded MP3s forever, for after a period of time users will be able to have an ad-free version of the track.
For those that don’t want to hassle with ads, users will have the option of purchasing ad-free tracks as well.
We7 will most likely be geared towards independent and upcoming artists as I doubt any of the record labels are likely to embrace this new format. They like guaranteed revenue, and aren’t likely to offer content to an unproven venture.
The site sort of hints at this, noting that “Only if enough members of We7’s TasteMaker community feel that a new band or artist deserves to be published will that artist ‘win’ the right to be downloaded thus ensuring the quality of music published.”
Users will be able to become “TasteMakers” and vote on whether or not an artists should be offered for download. But, what’s cool about if they make the proverbial “cut” is that any revenues earned on the sales of ads embedded in their music downloads goes directly to them and not a music label. It’s another chance to support artists and bands whose music you appreciate without lining the pockets of studio execs.
“We7 provides artists – even across the more experimental or minority genres – with the opportunity to build a new source of income from their music. Ad funded downloads are the way to provide free music to the consumer without depriving musicians of their livelihood,” comments Peter Gabriel, musician and co-founder.
But, can it succeed against the 800-pound gorilla in the room that is illegal file-sharing? Will people really hassle with ad-filled content when it could just as easily be acquired without it? Maybe, just maybe, I think it can.
I’m starting to think that the future of digital music downloads really will be this sort of ad-supported business model. Now pirates will always be pirates, and so anything short of free, with no ads or DRM, will ever lure them back to civilization. But, for the vast majority of people out there, the ones who actually fear getting caught using P2P or file-sharing programs and so use iTunes or other music download sites, the potential is enormous.
“In the can’t pay won’t pay digital world where consumers expect ‘free’ content, the idea of WE7 is simple: artists get paid, music fans get free downloads and advertisers get heard. Also under the battle cry of ‘Don’t Steal it – We7 It’, the We7 model removes a key driver of music piracy: cost, ” adds Steve Purdham.
Teenagers and college student kids, the record industry’s “best customers” are the ones who would probably embrace it the most. They have limited financial resources and use computer networks that are usually closely monitored for illegal file-sharing activity. Free tracks for having to listen to a quick “radio-esque” ad wouldn’t be a bad trade off.
For those that are older, and have more financial resources at their disposal, buying tracks will probably be a better option than wasting precious free time listening to ads.
All in all though, at least they’re not afraid to try out new music download models, something the RIAA will never be falsely accused of.
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This is EXACTLY where I said music downloads would be headed. It may take the labels time to digest this new business model but if it takes off it could mean DRM free tracks paid for with ads Something I am not opposed to at all!
You did and I totally agree. Somebody referred to it as being like radio ads you know you hear a few tracks and then a 30 second ad. PLus if it really does go away after a while then even better.
These changes are good and I see these new models coming out as the beginning to the end of the current industry workings. Once not if these models become popular and profitable the big four will either have to change their model or die a painful death. The industry is finally shifting in a direction that I think benefits all consumers at the cost of the big fat executive salaries of the industry of course.
Seems like a good idea.you can always use an audio editing program to cut out the ads.