The rise of the mp3 has made it easier for indie artists to sell their music and for listeners to customize and instantly access their purchases. But it’s only a win-win for both sides if the sites that sell these songs, or “songs,” obtain permission from those who own the copyright to the tunes they’re selling — which means not only recognizing what the artists want and need but actually paying them for their work. Many of the sites that allow anyone on the Internet to download these files do not, and this is illegal.
As a result, these sites are quickly closing and more and more artists are finding themselves without a means of making their work available to their fans. The mp3 is a major milestone in the evolution of digital music and, as such, it has the potential to change the way that all audio is recorded and distributed.
But the music industry has to be willing to accept this fact and to embrace it as a positive step in the future of its industry. Otherwise, it could find itself being eaten alive by the forces of change.
MP3 Music Search: Tubidy’s Advanced Features to Find Songs
A lot of people swear by their mp3 music search. They’re students trying to work around school rules against electronics, audiophiles on a quest for superb audio quality and Type A podcast listeners who like to curate their content consumption. VICE met with some of them and found that, despite the onslaught of smartphone alternatives, they still love their MP3s.
For most of them, the reason isn’t really all that complicated. The music player’s a bit of an icon, a portable reminder of the way things used to be. There are tons of skins and plug-ins that make it look different, whether that be a Star Wars MP3 player, one designed by Britney Spears or a wooden-looking stereo. You can even design your own skin and E-mail it to other MP3 users.
Another big draw is the search function. If you hear a song that you think is a hit, you can get the name and artist by hitting the little button on your MP3 player or phone that says “shazam.” It’ll recognize it almost always, although it does occasionally miss something.
Finally, some of the new MP3 sites that allow you to download songs for free use a tool called an audio watermark that can be embedded in the file to prevent it from being copied or shared online without authorization. This is the best way to try and prevent piracy while not ruining the experience for legitimate users. And, of course, it’s a great way to help police the law.
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