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November 9, 2006

zune - brown is the new... brown.

I've been withholding judgement on Microsoft's latest attempt to dethrone the mighty iPod - the Microsoft Zune. But today the news just came out that MS has sold the music-buying public down the river by agreeing to give a cut of all Zune hardware profits to Universal Music (the label that doles out such artists as U2, Jay-Z, Sonic Youth, etc). WTF?? This is a huge blow to all music CONSUMERS and artists, in my opinion.

Why so suck? I'll just quote Engadget, which sums it up nicely:

In typical RIAA boot camp style, Doug Morris, CEO of Universal said, "We felt that any business that's built on the bedrock of music we should share in." So, if we have this straight, according to Universal, any music-playing device sold should provide some profit to them -- even if that device will never play a song recorded by Universal.

Okay- so does this mean that Morris and his brain-dead suit cronies really think they invented music- the bedrock upon which their claim for a cut lies? Because if that's the case, you can expect Fender, Shure and Ludwig to start wanting a cut of every CD player, car stereo and home entertainment center for the same reasons. After all, they are the REAL bedrock of the music industry by providing the actual instruments that ARTISTS use to create music (note extreme sarcasm in last sentence). Seriously - exactly how much of this 'usage tax' will trickle back to the actual artists? Although initial rumbles hint at profit sharing, if history is any indication - not a fucking cent. The music industry (specifically the major labels) know that their entire distribution, pricing and contractual system is a house of cards right now- consumers and artists want and deserve better.

I can honestly say that every MP3 on my device(s) originated from either a purchased CD that sits in my collection, or a legal download service (specifically iTunes Music Store these days). Why in fuck's sake should I give a cut to Universal for hardware to listen to these songs that I've already purchased? Why should you? There's no good reason. None whatsoever.

This move really stinks of back-channel cronyism and more directly, Microsoft using the only source of innovation it's ever had- it's pocketbook- to try and bring down the system for everyone who's making money in it besides themselves and their hand-picked partners. It disgusts me. I was prepared to look at the Zune with objective eyes and consider it myself, but this just put the first and last nail in their coffin for me. For god's sake, they couldn't see their way to purchase Zune.com from the Spanish site that owns it - letting potential customers who guess at the URL go to a dead end - and opted for the low-rent Zune.net instead. Just another example of putting money in the wrong hands, for the wrong reasons, and showing their customers who really comes first- the big business that's only interested in closing the system for anyone who isn't directly lining their pockets.

Read more at the following sites and register your complaints loudly:

Sad day for musicians, artists and consumers everywhere, in my humble opinion. It's deals like this that stifle creativity and culture, and just keep making the rich richer at the expense of the real drivers of the music industry- the artists themselves.

Posted by Scott at November 9, 2006 10:38 AM