Napster Launches UK Music Service

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Napster Launches UK Music Service

Posted by michael on Friday May 21, 2004 @02:06AM from the all-jethro-tull-all-the-time dept.

amichalo writes "Napster just went multi-continent with the surprise announcement of a Napster UK on-line music service. From the website, singles at 1.09 British pounds, albums start at 9.95 pounds. Availability for other European nations not available. Apple has previously announced they would be entering the European market by the end of the year with rumors of singles priced at 1.49 Euro."

16 of 172 comments (clear)

No iPod support by Phantom69 · 2004-05-21 02:09 · Score: 5, Informative

Only secure WMA downloads available. Not the greatest idea IMHO bearing in mind the popularity of the iPod.
1. Re:No iPod support by Anonymous Coward · 2004-05-21 02:36 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  You are 100% correct.
  
  I'm posting anonymously because I'd prefer Napster to _not_ know which school I'm from - they're currently in negotiations with us. I saw what happened to the last guy who spoke up on this topic, and I'd prefer to save us the hassle.
  
  Both Napster and Real/Rhapsody said the _same damn thing_ when we were talking to them: basically, that the RIAA was setting pretty much all the terms, and Apple/Real/Napster2 are just middlemen. If they could offer those songs at a cheaper price, _they would_. I don't trust any of them all that much, to be honest, but I really believe that they think the pricing and DRM schemes are bad, too.
  
  There's also a surprisingly large amount of oversight going on by the RIAA. When we were talking about volume pricing, both Real and Napster responded that they could offer us a better deal, but they'd _need to talk to the RIAA first_.
  
  Don't bitch at Apple, Napster2, and Real about the crappy prices and DRM. There's very little they can do about them. The RIAA is the bad actor here. You can get easy concrete proof of this because the academic contracts for Rhapsody and Napster2 both include the same terms about "stopping IP infringement on University networks".
  
  Since I posted as an AC, I understand a fairish number of you won't believe I'm telling the truth. That's fine, and I don't blame you. But for the rest of you: stop blaming Napster2 for being greedy with the prices and DRM. They're definitely not the ones responsible.
  
  It's another thing entirely to go say "this isn't a good value", though - I'm not sure it is.
not competitive by davids-world.com · 2004-05-21 02:09 · Score: 5, Insightful

both prices seem inacceptable - given the current exchange rate, a song should not be more than about 0.85 euros, or 1 euro max (to round it up).

The price difference is very evident in times when the American prices at iTMS are just one click away. Ripping off customers is the wrong signal for both stores, and for the music industry. Will they ever learn?
1. Re:not competitive by swright · 2004-05-21 02:17 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  According to MacRumors.com the iTMS Europe will have songs for 1.29 Euros - but that includes a 19.5% sales tax. The [fixed] amount to be given to artists is 0.80 euro.
  
  Yes, more expensive than iTMS USA, but the USA price doesnt include a sales tax - apparently in states where there is a sales tax that is added on top.
  
  More info here
2. Re:not competitive by ponxx · 2004-05-21 02:40 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  That's completely normal. For some reason everyone has decided to simply charge more in Europe...
  
  I've recently tried to buy a new camera from Amazon. Canon EOS 300D is priced at:
  Amazon US: $850 (adding 20% sales tax-> $1020)
  Amazon UK: UKP 780 ($1400)
  Amazon Germany: EUR 1000 ($1200)
  
  I thought these markets are meant to be competitive? Why is Amazon UK charging a mark-up of more than 40% on a digital camera???
  
  Similar things go for cars, clothing, CDs, DVDs, etc. What is needed with all this globalisation is a complete freedom to re-import things from anywhere in the world, that would see prices crashing down right, left and centre!
3. Re:not competitive by anonicon · 2004-05-21 02:55 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  I could be wrong, and since I'm posting on Slashdot, I probably am, but perhaps the reason why that Canon 300D is so much more in the UK or mainland Europe is because of government import taxes that are attached to it before it goes on sale.
  
  Every government charges differently, and since Amazon has to abide by their laws, the pre-sales tax cost will be different. Either that, or Amazon thinks UK shoppers are suckers. ;-)
No link? by Mz6 · 2004-05-21 02:10 · Score: 4, Informative

Seems the poster didn't want to include any links. For your reading pleasure..
Napster beats iTunes to Europe with U.K. launch

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Hmmm.
1.49 Euro by DrXym · 2004-05-21 02:10 · Score: 4, Funny

1.49 Euro = 1.79 USD per track

How do they keep their prices so low and still make a profit?
1. Re:1.49 Euro by in7ane · 2004-05-21 02:14 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  You are not converting for the metric measurement properly.
  
  What you got to realize is that there are 10 bits per byte in the EU now, and so the costs are higher.
Bit bloody pricey eh? by phaze3000 · 2004-05-21 02:11 · Score: 4, Interesting

1.09 for a single? When iTunes in the US is 99c (~ 0.56)?
You're having a giraffe ain'tcha?

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Blaming GW Bush for the Iraq war is like blaming Ronald McDonald for the poor quality of food.
pathetic browser support though by Gaima · 2004-05-21 02:12 · Score: 4, Informative

I went along to the .com site last night, and was promptly redirected to the .co.uk as it has detected I was from the UK. Fair enough I guess.

The free 11meg download intrigued me, so went to look. Didn't get far mind.
At the bottom of the front page it does say:

System Requirements
PC only, Windows XP/2000, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1 or higher, Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher, Internet connectivity

The page I was sent to, as a Konq user, was even worse:

Napster is currently compatible with Windows XP/2000.
Windows 95, Windows NT and the Mac OS are not supported at this time.

They wouldn't have had my custom anyway, but even if they would have had, after that, no chance.
Get with it Napster
10 quid? Fuck off by Enlarge+Your+Penis · 2004-05-21 02:15 · Score: 5, Insightful

I can get it on a CD with no DRM for that. Hell, if I take advantage of the current exchange rate I can probably get it for half
10GBP for an album? by perly-king-69 · 2004-05-21 02:19 · Score: 4, Interesting

So, do I download and burn 14 WMP files for 10GBP, or go to CDWOW or play.com and buy it for 8GBP?

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This sig is inoffensive.
Likely cost breakdown by JosKarith · 2004-05-21 02:20 · Score: 4, Interesting

"1.09 British pounds" Lemme guess -
0.20 Tax
0.01 Payment to the artist
0.78 Music industry profits

and now with added -
0.10 DRM administration

And you don't even have a physical object, so if your HDD fries you have to buy it all over again...

My housemate downloads large amounts of music - as he puts it - "I paid for it once on vinyl, once on tape, once on CD. After my CD's were stolen did they really think I was gonna buy them all over again?"

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'Don't worry' said the trees when they saw the axe coming, 'The handle is one of us.'
Ridiculous prices by Nadir · 2004-05-21 02:22 · Score: 4, Interesting

The Apple iTunes price of 1.49 for a single is ludicrous. Especially considering that the Euro is at $1.19 now.
Haven't they considered that average European salary is less than in the US ?

Bah

Tristan

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The world is divided in two categories:
those with a loaded gun and those who dig. You dig.
The advertising campaign by pumaman_fly! · 2004-05-21 02:45 · Score: 4, Interesting

That explains all the chalk grafitti that popped up everywhere in Edinburgh today.

Pic here:here