I bet that got your attention. I must admit that the lure of getting something for nothing is a very powerful one. A free CD or download is almost sure to get noticed. Before the internet, there was some free music but not like we find it today. The whole idea of offering free music via the internet, was as a way for independent artists to promote their latest CD releases or their up coming live shows. Their hope was to increase their audiences and in so doing, make a living making music.
One the earliest websites to host free music, was IUMA.com. The letters stood for, Internet Underground Music Archive. The site offered bands and artists free web pages from which they could showcase their music and network with other artists and musicians, as well as meet their fans. At one point the site had the largest selection of independent music on the internet. However, having found no clear business model to generate the revenue needed to keep the site online, it officially ceased operations in 2006, two years after being abandon by it's parent company, Buongiorno UL Ltd in 2004.
So, if money has always been an issue, how is that the notion that music should be free become so pervasive?
The internet has been the home of free stuff for most of its existence. There's been free utilities, free graphics, free email, and the list goes on. But, during the dot com boom of the mid to late 1990s, scores of businesses offering all kinds of products and services came online. While many never made a penny, one thing was clear. Making money via the internet had arrived. In the mid 90s Mp3.com was almost synonymous with free music. That, was until the company went public in 1999. While you can still get free downloads, they've put more emphasis on the offerings of major label artists.
What's the big deal anyway? Recorded music has nearly always had a price tag. And, there was a time that no one thought twice about how much their favorite artists' releases would cost. They were just glad to have new music. Today, at a basic cost of $.59 to $.99 per download of a single, getting that song that you can't get out of your head or the one that you'd be searching for a long time, sounds like a steal to me. I know that one of the biggest draw backs to buying anything on line is having the means to make the payment.
What I talking about, is eCommerce. One way to get that prized item that you've found online, is by setting up a PayPal account. PayPal is company that allows you to establish an account with funds taken from your credit card or bank account. It was founded in 1999 by Max Levchin and Peter Thiel. Payments are made via email. In its infancy, the company was closely linked to eBay users, but anyone can get a PayPal account.
Another, and very popular way to make online purchases is by using your credit or bank debit card. But, if you don't have either, fear not. Prepaid debit cards appear to be the way to go. Prepaid debit cards offer those with poor or no credit, as well anyone wishing to make purchases online, an easy way to buy goods or pay for services online. For about two dollars per transaction, a prepaid debit card can be loaded with any dollar amount that you specify. You don't over spend, because the limit is set by the amount that you place on the card. Walmart, netSpend, and Green Dot are just a few of the prepaid providers.
A recent Bloomberg article stated that recorded music sales rose by 8.5%, which is up from last year at this time. A lot of the increase was due to digital music sales. I think that it's too soon to tell whether a better product is the reason for this. It might mean that more and more artists are resisting the temptation to give their music away. Or, it could be that stronger measures are being taken against those who download illegally. Or, maybe recorded music is finally being viewed as something of value again.
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