Signal to Noise

Regarding my suggestion that Apple should use iTunes to transform the indy music scene, the reaction was varied, vocal, and very mixed. Alec Saunders likes the idea and provides some good feedback:

Ted’s proposal is just the sort of inspired lunacy, the zig to Microsoft’s DRM zag, that Apple ought to embrace. Let people upload their own music and share the profits from downloads with them. iTunes has more market power than you think, Steve. What would happen if iTunes became the indy “label” of choice?

I never really thought of iTunes being a label, but that’s exactly what it would become. Also, I’d to emphasize the point the iTunes has more market power the most people think. That’s why, despite upstarts like Tamago and Tunecore, iTunes has a better chance at succeeding in the task of enabling indy producers. There’s no question that certain, limited options for indy distribution exist (remember CD Baby?) but I don’t want them to just exist. How many of them embrace the 2.0 community ideal? I want them to have an impact. Imagine the Apple-shaped crater from the impact of a 2.0 iTunes. Om Malik was also digging the idea.

Andy Abramson likes the idea but doubts it will happen. He brings up MP3.com’s Michael Robertson, who has had a similar vision for a long time, citing his experience as evidence that the old guard of record industry powers that be would never allow Apple to truly go indy with the thing. I think the reason MP3.com lost in the end was because they didn’t have the commercial legitimacy iTunes now possesses.

Perhaps most compelling was Michael Robertson’s own response, which he posted in a comment:

MP3.com WAS the Youtube of music. We had lots of firsts:

- Accept every band (major or indie)
- Free band signups
- Free unlimited storage and bandwidth
- Non-exclusive
- Shared ad money (called payback for playback)
- Sold CDs (gave artists 50%)

When MP3.com shutdown a few new sites popped up to take it’s place. Purevolume.com became the biggest initially and then myspace combined band hosting with social networking. Magic happened!

So yes, Steve should sell MP3s. And I have 3 other ideas like publishing the database format for ipods so other software can store files onto them.

MP3.com was a 2.0 company operating in a 1.0 world, and this is unfortunate. MySpace’s arrival on the scene, much to the detriment of a potential indy iTunes, is something I certainly noticed. The problem is, as far as music goes, MySpace doesn’t go far enough. It still doesn’t lower barriers to entry for distribution, which was the crux of my idea. MP3.com did. However, MySpace’s social networking apparatus and community-building capabilities would be a slice of heaven pie for indy producers if their UI was cleaner (a la Apple) and their market posture for music distribution was stronger (a la Apple). Plus, indy music isn’t the main focus of MySpace, so they’ll never cater to indy producers the way iTunes could/should.

Re-read the list Robertson posted–with the exception of selling CDs, that list is a success formula for an indy iTunes. Combine that with easy publishing tools, perhaps in GarageBand or Logic Express, and Apple has a lock on the whole process, as they prefer to.

Commenter Paul writes:

Apple can hardly process the content that is coming in already fast enough and they certainly like to keep (editorial) control over their iTunes stores. What you are describing might be a bit too wild and free for Apple.

If Apple insisted on editorial control over the music content, they would be completely missing the point. Quality Control happens AUTOMATICALLY in a 2.0 world.

Nathan writes:

Apple does have the tools and infrastructure to make this happen. However, its a bit like asking Virgin Megastore to open up a few shelves to local indie bands from the neighborhood. Possible, but highly unlikely.

I agree that it’s unlikely, but then again, so was the iPhone. Apple has a tendency to surprise. And the reason I’m bent on Apple doing it is because I believe they’re the only ones who have the framework for guaranteed success at it. Which reminds me, while I was sleeping last night, several hundred web sites popped up which promise to ‘get your music into the iTunes store’ or otherwise aide indy distribution. Among them–Amiestreet, iJigg, Tunecore, Project Opus, Tamago, and about half-dozen others.