If people don't know who you are...
June 21, 2007
A while back a musician asked to have a song of his removed from Project Opus. The song was listenable on Project Opus through the "IMPORT MUSIC" function. Essentially, Project Opus acts as a directory for the song. The song has to be freely available on a server to be "Imported". However the actual song file is served from the original location. Project Opus does not copy or host the song. When the song is played, the player clearly indicates the song's owner and which server is providing the host with appropriate link backs. No advertising is permitted on the song page for music not hosted by Project Opus directly.
So this musician found his music on our site when he typed in his name + "music" into Google. His name came up first inside Project Opus. He e-mailed us quite irate about having his music on our site without his permission. I explained to him the situation, that someone from Project Opus liked his music which they found on www.theothersite.com and added it to their favourites/playlist via our import function. He told me that he posted the song on the other site as a promo, which in my opinion makes sense. Except that site wasn't in the top 10 pages on Google (probably more I stopped looking) when I searched his name + music or the actual song title, while we were first in both. I told him we will be happy to delete the reference, but someone may add it again.
He asked me to delete there, as he wanted to sell his music and that our player made it too "EASY" to get his music and he was selling it on his website, which is nowhere (I just checked) on a Google search for his name.
So now his listing on Project Opus is no longer indexed by Google (We could have manually removed it from Google, I guess), and any search for his name turns up NOTHING related to him or his music. But he is selling his music off his site.
....sigh
Sounds like he's taken a
Sounds like he's taken a page from the record industry - which also seems to believe that promotion (web, radio etc) has nothing to do with making hits or even identifying new artists.
I respect that it's their IP and they want to protect it - but early in ones career 'slippage' in sales may help recognition if it leads to repeat listening and referal (ie theirs no lost in a download that isn't listened to and little gain if it isn't shared).
Also there are more ways to monetize that reputation than than selling songs.
Needa new music business model
I hear you Peter.
It's going to take time for a global business model to take hold for music. Selling audio files was the only way the industry knew how to make money. Selling millions of songs was the only way for musicians to become famous (the real goal of most bands when you get right down to it.) Even though that model is collapsing, I think that is the only thing bands can hold onto until a new model presents itself.
prima donna
that is quite funny actually. i would think that any publicity would be welcomed by an up and coming artist who clearly isn't available through easy access means. it is sad that that was the artist's reaction. the exposure he/she could have received via your service could have actually really helped out!
sigh is right.
have a wicked weekend.
cheers!
B