MAJOR MP3.TOM November 28 2000 dotmusic.com Bowie licenses catalogue to music locker service Online music portal MP3.com, fresh from settling its differences with Universal Records over the My.MP3.com locker service, has signed a deal to broadcast David Bowie's music over the system. My.MP3.com's service allows members to listen to their CD collection across a Net connection without having to carry the original discs. Agreements have now been struck between MP3.com and all the major labels, including EMI Records which, through its subsidiary Virgin, distributes David Bowie's albums. The Thin White Duke, however, owns copyrights on some of his "master recordings" and these had to be negotiated separately. As MP3.com's John Diaz explains, discussions are underway with several other artists - such as the Eagles and Tom Petty - who also control their own material: "If they own their own stuff, in order for us to get the copyrights we would have to negotiate that with them." Bowie will make a pretty penny from the deal, earning an estimated 1 cent per track streamed- from fans who have already bough the original CD! In addition, the rock legend is getting his own page at MP3.com to act as a promotional tool, with exclusive tracks including a streaming live version of "All the Young Dudes". Ironically, of course, all this comes from an artist who recently blasted most songs on MP3 sites as "crap". But as more big-name acts get involved with MP3.com, the site is moving further and further away from its original brief- as a showcase for new and unsigned bands. Some of the footsoldiers in MP3.com's army of independent acts are none too happy about being overshadowed by established artists, with a "DJ Shazbut" complaining on an MP3.com messageboard that "when the onslaught of label artists following suit arrives to MP3.com we're going to be under siege!" comment on this article e-mail this to a friend start a discussion [about i-drive] writing index thoughts dotmusic index Problems? Questions? Suggestions? Contact me: mail@tobyslater.com back to top back to home page

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