Idolator
Hypebot reports that eMusic—the site for people who like to drunk-download fifty indie-rock songs at a time—might be up for sale. The question comes just after Warner-owned Vice Records pulled its albums from the online retailer, meaning that people looking for the new Bloc Party album are going to get directed elsewhere.
Our sources now tells us that European digital distributor Vital...pulled Vice's content from eMusic Europe because of "royalty issues". In the US Atlantic helps fund Vice; so it may have been WMG who forced the eMusic take-down here.
We're also hearing persistent rumors that even as some labels are growing restless, eMusic is actively up for sale. Google and Amazon are most often mentioned as buyers. Some even claim a deal is close and attached a purchase price around $100 million to the rumor. I haven't seen any of the private company's numbers, but the figure seems high given the competition (including Amazon) almost ready to or strongly considering entering the mp3 marketplace.
We'd add more here, but we have to grab the entire mid-'80s Dischord catalog before the shit goes down and the prices go up. If you've got any info, please send it along to tips@idolator.com.
Is eMusic For Sale Just As Some Labels Grow Restless? [Hypebot]
Comments
So let me see if I've got this: the one place I could rely on for quality rips at reasonable prices that will actually play on my MP3 player of choice has "royalty issues?"
I shouldn't be surprised, but my sense of childlike whimsy is one of the things about myself of which I'm proudest.
Pardon the snark-free and useful information-free comment, but "Fuck."
Way to ruin an already shitty day. I just discovered 17dots.com, the eMusic writers' blog, and have been falling in love with the service all over again. Which reminds me. I've gotta download about 45 songs before Friday, lest I lose them. I adore eMusic.
man, that sucks! they are the place to go for quality stoner rock. i better stock up.
First Pandora, now Emusic... it's like they're TRYING to drive us to Limewire so they can sue us for illegal downloading.
Hey, it looks as though the record industry may found an economic future after all.
goddammit.
Start with One Last Wish's 1986, then Soul Side's Soon Come Happy and So Less, and lastly make sure you get Fire Party.
Good lord. Will there be anywhere to get a good selection of online non drm music after they go under? What kind of royalties do the labels really want? Gold bullion? My first born?
With emusic for the indies and yourmusic for the majors (albeit 8 months late), I was able to have a pretty impressive music purchase rate over the past couple years. Oh well music industry--guess I'll just watch more tv.
@Halfwit: Seems you pretty much summed it up where we're headed.
Soon A&R guys will be scouting lawyers.
Didn't Bloc Party recently make some negative remarks about being on Vice Records, along the lines of, "if we had to do it again, we wouldn't"? I am so hoping that is the reason Vice pulled BP from eMusic, not because of an impending sellout... crap. This is just bad news all around.
Glad I grabbed those Panthers and Stills joints while I had the chance.
eMusic already messed with their rates a couple of months back. They used to give you 90 downloads for $19.99/month, now they knocked it down to 75 for the same rate. At least they grandfathered anyone that already subscribed at the 90 rate.
@Steve518
Not only did they grandfather in, they gave existing members the option of upgrading at the old rate. It was like when your apartment goes condo, only with music!
@MC
I thought I was the only one who has fallen in love (well, a strong like) with the emusic/yourmusic combo. Sorry, local record stores!
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