Steve Jobs and the State of Legal Music Downloads

An anonymous reader writes "Rolling Stone has published an interview with Steve Jobs about the current state of the music industry. He is a smart man, that guy. 'When we first went to talk to these record companies -- about eighteen months ago -- we said, "None of this technology that you're talking about's gonna work. We have Ph.D.s here who know the stuff cold, and we don't believe it's possible to protect digital content."'"

Comments

Digital copying is ALWAYS possible.

[L-s-L69]

"We have Ph.D.s here who know the stuff cold, and we don't believe it's possible to protect digital content."

Smart guys. If you can play it, you can copy it. Either someone breaks the copy protection (Jon J) or you plug a digital out into a digital in.

Trouble is the record companies know this but still keep trying which just makes it harder and more frustrating for the avarage guy/girl who wants to listen to ligit tracks on a mp3 player.

jobs lies about subscriptions

[bmarklein]

Jobs is so intent on trashing the subscription model that he resorts to lies:

One question to ask these subscription services is how many subscribers they have. Altogether, it's around 50,000. And that's not just for Rhapsody, it's for the old Pressplay and the old Musicmatch. The subscription model of buying music is bankrupt. I think you could make available the Second Coming in a subscription model, and it might not be successful.

Actual current numbers for the sub services:
Rhapsody (from Real Networks): 250,000
MusicNet: 175,000
Napster (formerly pressplay): 80,000
MusicMatch MX: 150,000

Total here is over 600,000. These services tend to run about $10 per month, yielding a total revenue of over $6 million per month across all services. iTunes has sold 20 million songs in 7 months, or less than $3 million in revenue. Profit margins on subscriptions are higher as well.

I use Rhapsody and it kicks iTunes ass - there's just no comparison, given my listening habits (I'm almost always online). Looks like there are plenty of people who agree with me.

Re:jobs lies about subscriptions

[bmarklein]

I posted these below, but just so you don't miss them:

• Rhapsody: 250,000
• MusicMatch: 150,000 (scroll down - it's in the body of the article)
• MusicNet: 175,000

Can't find the Napster numbers, but I think the numbers above should convince you I know what I'm talking about.

plagiarized from ...

[Anonymous Coward]

here

Re:Bonus content

[Frymaster]

atually, the vinyl industry is a good lead to follow. remember the home taping "debacle" of the late 70's/early 80's ("home taping is killing the recording industry!"). the labels responded with lots of added features to get you to buy the platter:

1. coloured vinyl. god i love coloured vinyl
2. gatefold sleeves
3. bonus flexi discs
4. free "fan club" memberships with proof of purchase
5. poster wraps. the idea was blatantly ripped off from a british band crass (who were definitely anti-record industry)
6. free pony-sized four colour 8-page magazines
7. infinity groove out tracks. good for parties or, uh, acid trips

of course you cant to most of that with cd's... but the labels at least have to try.

Re:Don't give in to Apple's lies.

[dtiberius]

Thanks, Dr. Richard Paley. BTW, the iron core of the moon still reverberates with the original aramaic words that created the universe.

Re:Bonus content

[proj_2501]

i have lots of kiddie picture discs with pinocchio and donald duck etc. on the entire surface of the disc.

i also have these really old acetate 78 10" records that had animations on the label that you could watch with a little mirror zoetrope that sat on top of the spinning record.

also there are weird ways of having two distinct grooves on a record so that depending on where you put the needle down a different song plays. tool did this as well as numerous underground resistance recordings.

clear vinyl is nifty too.

Re:Steve Jobs Gets It.

[Snocone]

Duplicating a song that you do not own a copy of is theft.

Incorrect.

It is copyright violation.

And if I'm in one of the jurisdictions around the world which is not a signatory to the Berne Convention, it's not any kind of a violation at all.

Re:Bonus content

[Chibi]

of course you cant to most of that with cd's... but the labels at least have to try.

I've noticed that a few new CDs are being advertised on television bundled with a DVD. Yeah, you might be able to download the DVD content online, too, but this is perhaps a sign of the music industry trying to do more to entice CD purchases (although there are still those who clamor for them to increase the quality of the actual music first).

I import quite a bit of Japan (yes, I watch too much anime), but the Japanese pack their initial releases with tons of goodies that definitely entice people to buy the actual products. Silkscreens, postcards, DVDs, other kinds of knick-knacks. Looks like the US market might be following suit a bit?

And for the record, I think despite these rewards, the Japanese also have a problem with piracy, partially due to the fact that their distribution is loaded with so many middlemen that their prices are even more outrageous than in the US.