Press release heralds new ad-supported P2P music downloading model supposedly embraced by the music industry, but EMI, Time Warner, and Universal now deny agreeing to license their music libraries in this way.
Over the weekend a new and innovative free and legal P2P music service called Qtrax was announced. Using an ad-supported downloading model that would direct revenue back to artists and rights holders, it claimed to have been embraced by the music industry.
"QTRAX is a magical and game-changing service that revolutionizes the way fans consume digital music," said QTRAX President and CEO Allan Klepfisz. "We will provide a vastly better service than unauthorized sites with superior technology, alluring and vast content, and free music that won’t get you arrested. QTRAX makes other services look as outdated as the cassette tape."
Qtrax music files are to contain some form of DRM that allows it to see how many times a song has been downloaded and played. Artists, record companies and publishers will be paid in proportion to the popularity of their music, while also taking a cut of advertising revenues.
Ford, McDonald’s and Microsoft are said to be among the advertisers already signed up to support what is thought to become the world’s largest legal music store.
However, in recent news today it’s been reported that 3 of the big 4 music labels, EMI, Universal, and Time Warner, have denied having any licensing arrangements with Qtrax. Sony had yet to reply to the inquiry.
"Warner Music Group has not authorized the use of our content on Qtrax’s recently announced service," Warner, the No. 3 music company, said in statement late on Sunday.
Allan Klepfisz, Qtrax’s president and chief executive, acknowledged Sunday that the deal with Warner Music had not been signed, but said he expects to reach an agreement on terms "shortly."
"With everybody else, we have agreed on all terms," he added, noting that in some cases, deals had yet to be formally signed.
The P2P service was set to launch today, but the software is currently unavailable for download. A message says that it won’t be available until midnight EST.
It will initially be supported only on Win Xp and Vista, with a beta for Mac OSX coming March 18th.
Some of its advertised features include:
- A special section called "Last Night," where users can search for newly added tracks from live concerts that were recorded the night before.
- A colorful and diverse array of content beyond music, including: music videos, artist documentaries, interviews, album reviews, artist recommendation lists, and biographies among other things.
- Exclusive songs and content from artists on profile pages where fans can access the latest news relative to artists, purchase DVDs, ring- tones and concert tickets.
- A media player with which listeners can easily keep and organize their entire music library, with the ability to import tracks from other locations, including iTunes.
- A Firefox-based Internet browser, from which users can visit other web destinations while concurrently downloading tracks without having to open additional windows.
- A new DRM system that counts the number of times particular tracks have been played in order to fairly compensate artists and right holders, without restricting consumer use.
- A guarantee that users will never download spyware, adware or spoofs.
So far I’d say that it really sounds too good to be true. I mean the music industry hasn’t really been an innovator by any means and to think they’d be willing to offer their music content in exchange for advertising revenue seems to be a case of wishful thinking.
Qtrax sounds like a very good idea and in my opinion is where the music industry is headed since so many have already gotten used to the idea of free music thanks to illegal P2P and file-sharing services. But, if the music industry decides to license their content to Qtrax then it will forever entrench the notion that music is indeed a free commodity. Once this happens there’s no going back. Are record labels really willing to make this leap?
Related Posts
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- Qtrax is Back!
- EMI offers music catalog to Qtrax network
- Record labels want a bigger cut of digital music profit
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Check this out.
http://gizmodo.com/349606/major-labels-deny-signing-deals-with-qtrax-downloading-music-via-p2p-still-illegal
“Qtrax sounds like a very good idea and in my opinion is where the music industry is headed since so many have already gotten used to the idea of free music thanks to illegal P2P and file-sharing services. But if the music industry decides to license their content to Qtrax then it will forever entrench the notion that music is indeed a free commodity. Once this happens there’s no going back. Are record labels really willing to make this leap?”
It simply DOES NOT MATTER what the industry decides to do. They can either go with something like qtraxand get compensated or get bypassed completely like they already have been for years now.
It was their GREED that brought all this on in the first place. They refused to make a deal with napster long ago and now they are paying a very heavy price for it!
Suing does not work threats do not work bad publicity for P2P does not work and legal alternative downloads are only a drop in the bucket compared to illegal downloads. So what’s left?
They either make a deal with something like qtrax or go on losing money their choice!
DRM ? No thanks.
Although they’re starting to head into the right direction take the drm crap out and i might consider looking at this.
is a scam i tried the software but when i clicked download it says: “downloads are coming soon!”
“” is a scam i tried the software but when i clicked download it says: “downloads are coming soon!” “”
lol not true i couldn’t even download it
“” The connection has timed out
The server at qtrax-cdod-r1.vitalstreamcdn.com is taking too long to respond. “”
kind of tells you how many people hate it?(ddos???) or how many are trying this out
nothing will be as great as the pink palace……..still getting over that soon there will be another site as good as it was……
MiniNova seems to have nearly as much as Demonoid did without the Ratios. Tried several Private trackers but All were Narrowly limited on Searches Could not come close to the Demonoid. Not bad for a Public Tracker.
Qtrack looks like it could fill a Void if They play Their Cards right !
DRM? not interested
This is just stupid I hope it goes belly up fast