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Apple Wooing Smaller Labels

Posted by pudge on from the yo-slashdot-raps dept.

kalel666 writes "Apple has a big event planned for Thursday in Cupertino with hundreds of representatives from smaller indie music labels."

4 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. Death to Big Labels by Deton8 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Done properly, this kind of move by Apple could eventually kill the big record labels by removing their need to exist. Bands could get their product to market without the absurd overhead imposed upon them by the big labels. You all know the scam -- the big label "advances" the band a seductively huge blob of cash, then leeches it all back in fees and charges, to where the band become their indentured servants.

    1. Re:Death to Big Labels by kincade · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If Apple were to go one step further and provide free genre-based streamed music channels they could easily mix in independent artists. The artists gain free exposure to a potentially huge market, and Apple would increase sales in areas that would usually be low. It's very tedious and time consuming to wade through pages of free samples attempting to find tracks you like. Having them streamed with some easy method of selecting 'favorites' would be an enormous benefit to the process. Personally I have purchased several CDs based on songs I've heard via Shoutcast streams, and would consider using Apple's service if this type of free sampling mechanism were available -- provided they release Win software in a reasonable amount of time, and work on lowering that $.99 price where practical..

  2. Much more attractive that indielabel inclusion... by Noodlenose · · Score: 5, Interesting
    ...is the prospect of a deal between Apple and Amazon.com that was mentioned.

    The synergetic effects would be impressive for both companies, as Apple would have their products available on the biggest online retailer on earth and would benefit from amazons itunes link up. Amazon would get exposure to the big - spending Apple users.

    Clever..

  3. Finally! Now to see... by Chroneos · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...which labels show up on iTMS, I'm hoping to not only see spinART and Rough Trade, but also smaller labels like Mezzotint who seem to have most of their old catalog out of print aside from vinyl and cassette. I've been saying since its debut, iTMS can be a vehicle for low budget labels to get digital media out with less cost than a run of discs.

    --
    ------------ Ben Chroneos