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Recently Google unveiled its imaginatively named Google Music service to the world then declared its availability to be in the US only. Naturally, as often happens in these situations, the rest of the world groaned and grumbled a bit. I am sure Google would have loved to open their new service to the world but I fear the antiquated licensing deals with the music industry put pay to any such idea.

It still seems crazy to me that in this hyper connected, fibre optic world we are still governed by these outdated modes of business. I know the music took a massive hit from the likes of Napster when it first exploded onto the scene and ever since then they have been on the defensive when it comes to the digital world but come on guys, join the rest of us here in 2011.

I know you may be sick of reading this by now but I recently read the Steve Job biography and even he was constantly shocked and dismayed that these music industry types just didn't understand the world had changed and they could no longer cling to their outmoded forms of thinking.

The very idea of giving the consumer a choice to legally purchase just one or two songs from an album filled them with dread, possibly because they knew that around 80% of most albums are just filler. If people could just buy the few tracks they wanted the world would fall apart, mass hysteria would follow and we'd all fall into the fiery pits of hell.

Obviously none of these things happened and once presented with a cheap, legal and easy means to obtain music the vast majority soon bought into the iTunes service.

The next move was to streaming. Many companies have dabbled in this service, probably the most successful being Spotify. For a monthly fee you gain access and can stream from over 15 million songs to various devices. However there are still limitations. Not all artists are available on Spotify and so it is still a less than perfect situation. Of course as you are only 'renting' the content once you stop paying the subscription all the music is no longer available.

I know it must be scary for these record executives to just release their grip on what they perceive to be their only stream of revenue. However it must be remembered that this is the same industry that funds such services as the RIAA for millions of dollars to lobby on its behalf in Washington. It is this industry that usually only pays the actual artists a pittance from any sales. It is this industry that for better or worse (worse in my case) has unleashed shows like X-Factor upon us, reducing music to nothing more than a commodity with plug and play plastic-popstars.

With that all said maybe it is no surprise that these executives still fail to see the opportunities that are standing before them in this digital age. They fail to see cheaper logistics and cheaper prices spurring on bigger sales. They fail to see how their artists can engage with their audiences and raise their interest across social networks. They fail to see how sharing music can build an audience and reach a new people.

Maybe one day a new breed of executives will reach the boardrooms and effect change. Ones that have grown up in this modern era. Ones that have shared the frustration of Digital Right Management systems. Ones that have discovered new music because their friends shared it with them. Until this day comes however I feel we are all destined to live with these draconian licensing laws that govern how we are able to enjoy our various forms of digital entertainment.

-Karl (@claw0101)

Author

Ewen Rankin

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