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Apple iTMS dominance slowing European launch?

updated 05:00 pm EDT, Wed May 5, 2004

Major labels wary of Apple


Music labels are in licensing their songs to Apple because they fear its long-promised European music download site will dominate the online business, according to a report by UK-based The Independent: "The five main record labels are understood to be scared that Apple, which makes the iPod digital music player, will become as successful in Europe as it has in the US, where it has 70 per cent of the legal download business. That could let it dictate which stars or records succeed or fail by deciding which to promote on its site. 'The big fear is that Apple will become like an online MTV - where the record labels gave away their content, in the form of videos, without getting control of it.'"


by MacNN Staff

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  1. austinspace

    Registered User

    Joined: Apr 2004

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    05/05, 05:10pm | report spam | Reply |

    apparently

    ...music labels haven't tired of demonstrating how ignorant they are.

  1. Dalhectar

    Junior Member

    Joined: Jan 2002

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    05/05, 05:19pm | report spam | Reply |

    cut nose...

    ...spite face

  1. Makosuke

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

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    05/05, 05:23pm | report spam | Reply |

    Ick...

    Although trying to hold on to as much control of an asset, particularly in the face of a rapidly changing market, is perfectly understandable, this illustrates exactly what's wrong with the current music distribution system:

    1) The record lables are trying to maintain their grip on property that, fundamentally, ISN'T THEIRS! They're supposed to support and promote the musicians whose music is the real product, and those musicians are in turn theoretically concerned with having their art appreciated by the largest possible audience of fans. And yet when faced with a technology that would drastically increase the distribution of that music, in a way that many fans want, they do their best to stop it, because it'll loosen their grip on the profits and control of "their" music.

    2) They're trying to maintain their grip not by embracing a new medium, but by stifling it. That's exactly the sort of thing that evil monopolies have done throughout history, and nobody ever benefits but them.

    [See: Standard Oil, Firestone, and GM systematically dismantling the public transit system in US cities post WWII; phone and long distance companies trying to stop new competitors from entering the broadband market, and the spread of Internet phone calling, etc.]

  1. Bryson

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2002

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    05/05, 05:43pm | report spam | Reply |

    FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

    I can't beleive this. People seem to completely excuse Miscrosoft for their abusive monopoly power and their complete lack of quality and security, but they can't stand it when someone else has a large market share for something. The damn sky is falling because Apple currently has 70% market share. Oh my god!.

    Please someone hold MS to the same standard they hold Apple.

  1. lkrupp

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2001

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    05/05, 05:51pm | report spam | Reply |

    Ok, so this is how it is

    It's perfectly ok for Microsoft to dominate the world with 95+% of the market but it's NOT ok for Apple to have 70% of the online music market. This makes perfect sense, doesn't it.

  1. testudo

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    Joined: Aug 2001

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    05/05, 05:53pm | report spam | Reply |

    store sales better

    That could let it dictate which stars or records succeed or fail by deciding which to promote on its site.

    See, this is important. When Best Buy or Sam Goody or whoever sells CDs, they promote whatever CDs the distributors pay them to highlight. So the publishers get to push the acts they want to push. Unless Apple starts taking money from the publishers (I assume they do, but who knows), then its up to the store to promote who they want (omigosh! What a concept!). It almost sounds like they're scared people will end up buying music of people they want to, rather than who the publishers want you to.

  1. jonbwfc1

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    Joined: Nov 2003

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    05/05, 06:03pm | report spam | Reply |

    It occurs to me..

    If it's not going to be Apple, it's going to be someone else. Are they really dumb enough to think exactly the same thing won't happen if say Real or (god forbid) Microsoft get 70% of the market? SOMEBODY is going to be the online MTV. It can either be someone who seems willing to work with them, or maybe someone who has a record of unfair competitive practices, market tilting and all round skullduggery.

    If the record companies had a braincell to rub together between them they'd be falling over themselves to cut a worthwhile deal with Apple while they still hold the best hand. Because if MS gets hold of the market, they'll wake up one day to find one of MS's lawyers sat on the other side of the table saying 'we own the online music market. Sign this or go out of business'.

  1. dthree

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 1999

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    05/05, 06:21pm | report spam | Reply |

    hahaha

    "The big fear is that Apple will become like an online MTV - where the record labels gave away their content, in the form of videos, without getting control of it."

    That is a laugh! The record labels crawl all over themselves to get thier videos on MTV because its good ADVERTISING! Yes, thats right. The record companies are now trying to say that its hurts them when MTV plays thier ADVERTISING. WTF!?

  1. beeble

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2004

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    05/05, 07:27pm | report spam | Reply |

    Due to their practices

    I've stopped buying music except from iTMS. That's the way I want to buy my music and I imagine that millions all over the world are sick and tired of being mentally pushed around in stores by labels. I want the music I want and I wish they'd quit being so arrogant as to think that I actually want the music they want me to want.

    RIAA and the major labels have lost my business completely except for iTMS and if that wasn't there, then I'd buy nothing. Lets face it, there isn't that much being produced these days by the majors that's any good!

    Don't tell me I'm wrong for disliking what you thrust at me. Make stuff I want to buy or loose my business. How much more simple can capitalism be?

  1. bauhaus

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2003

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    05/05, 07:41pm | report spam | Reply |

    YANAL-you're not a lawye

    testudo wrote "See, this is important. When Best Buy or Sam Goody or whoever sells CDs, they promote whatever CDs the distributors pay them to highlight. So the publishers get to push the acts they want to push. "

    This is illegal in the US for both brick and mortar sellers (see the federal case from the 80's between Pepsi and Coke) and radio stations (see the US Government vs. Clear Channel.)

    Sometimes it's best to know what you are talking about.

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