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Allofmp3 Shut Down, Again
Posted by
ScuttleMonkey
on Mon Jul 02, 2007 05:27 PM
from the e-roller-coaster dept.
from the e-roller-coaster dept.
studguy1 writes to tell us TorrentFreak is reporting that the Russian government has shut down Allofmp3, the popular online music site. "AllOfMP3 has been a thorn in the side of the RIAA and the US government for years. Last year, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said that if Russia wants to join the WTO, they should shut down the pirate music website that is robbing US recording companies of sales."
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Heh (Score:2, Insightful)
So then, they shut down the wrong website.
Exposure leads to increased sales, period.
DON'T DO IT (Score:5, Funny)
(http://www.informationr.us/ | Last Journal: Monday November 05, @09:38AM)
No Big Deal (Score:5, Interesting)
The rather more substantial thorn in the record industrys side is now iTunes and Apple.
Re:No Big Deal (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No Big Deal (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:No Big Deal (Score:5, Funny)
(http://fohat.wordpress.com/)
Hmmmmm! (Score:5, Funny)
(Last Journal: Wednesday May 12 2004, @04:58PM)
Soo... (Score:5, Insightful)
When US record companies see no positive impact in sales, will Russia be allowed to let allofmp3 reopen?
Because, for some reason I find myself really doubting that people that were paying pennies for songs are going to suddenly turn around and start paying an order of magnitude more.
But hey, what do I know? I'm just a lowly consumer...
Re:Soo... (Score:4, Informative)
Copyright is for a period of time, period.
Trademark is forever until failed to be maintained.
And you're an idiot for telling people they HAVE to file copyright infringement suits - even worse, this isn't even copyright infringement, it's a civil issue over which of the (many) royalty schemes allofmp3.com should be paying.
But hey, feel free to think you knew something.
Countdown until AoMP3 reappears in China/Brasil/.. (Score:1, Redundant)
GO!
Re:Countdown until AoMP3 reappears in China/Brasil (Score:4, Informative)
(http://www.tlarson.com/)
From what I understand, the RIAA...I mean, US Government...I mean, WTO actually named AllOfMp3 by name, rather than specifying that a specific class of service be suspended.
So even though MP3Sparks is the same site, run by the same company, offering the same service, since the name is different, they've successfully satisfied the WTO request in this regard.
FWIW, you can't pay by credit card at MP3Sparks either.
Re:Countdown until AoMP3 reappears in China/Brasil (Score:4, Informative)
(http://www.zarkill.com/)
http://www.mp3sparks.com/info/payments.shtml [mp3sparks.com]
Bribery? (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Something (usually money) given in exchange for influence or as an inducement to dishonesty.
Re:Bribery? (Score:5, Funny)
(http://www.game-point.net/ | Last Journal: Monday November 14 2005, @09:19AM)
Re:Bribery? (Score:4, Informative)
coerce [wiktionary.org]: to use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in attempt to compel one to act against his will.
extort [wiktionary.org]: To wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt.
This would matter except . . . (Score:5, Insightful)
wahhh. (Score:1, Funny)
And once they stop "robbing" RIAA, sales go up? (Score:4, Insightful)
If there was a similar legitimate, and DRM-free service, and prices were low enough, perhaps sales would go up.
It seems that RIAA still does not get it, things like Napster, mp3.com, and allofmp3 will keep coming until the RIAA, or the artist themselves decide to stop fighting the Internet model, and instead profit from it.
Re:And once they stop "robbing" RIAA, sales go up? (Score:5, Interesting)
(http://theravensnest.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday October 07, @07:05AM)
There isn't much a customer can do about this, but there is a lot an artist can do when they do the same sums. This is why the RIAA members want AllOfMP3 shut down. It shows exactly how much profit they are raking in from online sales to exactly the people they don't want to know; the ones they claim to represent.
Re:And once they stop "robbing" RIAA, sales go up? (Score:5, Interesting)
"allofmp3 WAS legitimate in Russia. It paid royalties to ROMS, the Russian organization responsible for collecting copyright fees. The RIAA simply didn't like ROMS' rates and structures (even though Russia, as a sovereign nation, has every right to set its own royalties), and declared allofmp3 illegal."
Well, for what it's worth, ROMS isn't recognized by any of the world's performance licensing groups. Whether that's a badge of honor or a shame is, as the math texts state, an exercise left to the reader.
Contrary to popular belief, the cost of sale of a music download usually isn't zero. There are mechanical royalties to the composer and lyricist to deal with (the mechanical rate is set by law), and there are usually contractual royalties as well, paid to the performer. Record companies have tricks for minimizing these royalties, but it's a safe assumption that for a typical track sold on iTunes, mechanical and contractual royalties are being accrued.
Now, let's say you're a record company. For the sake of simplicity let's say you're one of the cool indie labels, and you pay your artists fairly. One track you sell has a mechanical of $0.08 each to the composer and lyricist, and you're throwing the rest of the band an additional $0.04, for a total of $0.20 that you owe to the artists for each track sold.
So this ROMS outfit tells you that you can have a portion of the licensing fee that they've collected, if you really want it. The web site sold your track for $0.20, for which they paid ROMS $0.02. ROMS takes their cut, so that penny is ready for you to take whenever you want it.
Trouble is, if you take that penny, you still owe the band $0.20. If you take it and don't pay them their $0.20 (for a net loss of $0.19 to you), the best case is that they'll be mightily (and rightfully) pissed. The worst case is that they'll find themselves a lawyer.
So, you eat the difference. ROMS says that they've collected royalties for 10,000 downloads and they owe you $100. You take the $100 and pay your band the $2,000 they're owed. You're out $1,900.
And then ROMS tells you that they have another $100 for you. And another. And another.
My story is hypothetical; mainly for the very big reason that artist who've tried to get sales info from allofmp3.com have failed in their quest. Yes, I am aware that AllofMP3 stated that they supported artists' rights, but they could have at least shared this basic sales data, just as iTunes and legitimate stores do. And, if you try surfing the ROMS site for information on how to collect royalties, it quickly becomes frustrating, even if you speak Russian. Compare this with the two US performance right societies, ASCAP and BMI -- they go out of their way to make it easy for artists to find out how much they are owed. I know that lots of people reading this see ROMS and allofmp3 as the good guys in this situation, but it's just not showing from their actions.
Thorn in the Side? (Score:5, Insightful)
(http://picknit.com/ | Last Journal: Saturday July 29 2006, @03:58PM)
And the site that replaces it is - (Score:4, Funny)
I'm curious.... (Score:1, Insightful)
Please enlighten me.
AllofMP3.com works fine for me (Score:1, Interesting)
And you can still refill your balance with Visa or Mastercard. Just click the links and follow the directions and use a $0 liability card.
In Soviet Russia... (Score:1)
Too bad they are democratic and capitalist now (cough!). We all have to suffer for it.
Because the WTO is run by the US. (Score:2)
(http://slashdot.org/)
Remember when Russia was the enemy? And we had classic cliche's based on them? Meeeemmoorriiiiiieeesssss!!!!
Balance carried over to Mp3Sparks.com (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Balance carried over to Mp3Sparks.com (Score:5, Insightful)
Ironic isn't it. The "pirates" are more honest than the corporations supposedly being harmed.
slyck.com (Score:4, Informative)
(http://silverwoodunderground.com/)
List of alternatives? (Score:1, Informative)
mp3sugar.com
mp3search.ru
mp3stor.com
What's the big deal? (Score:1)
... and move elsewhere. (Score:2)
(http://benow.ca/)
Over a Dozen Alternatives (Score:1)
(http://www.heavygravity.com/)
WTO - America is the worlds biggest joke (Score:1)
No wonder so many countries around the world hate America
Yes CD sales are in decline - BUT digital sales are up. thats how supply and demand works.
Who's robbing who? (Score:1)
Isn't this time for.... (Score:1)
(http://www.mainecoon.plus.com/ | Last Journal: Wednesday January 17 2007, @11:05AM)
Hey, wait......
MP3Sparks = AllofMP3? Heh... (Score:1)
robbing US recording companies... (Score:1)
(Last Journal: Friday November 09, @01:36AM)
Re:robbing == theft (Score:4, Informative)
(Last Journal: Saturday April 21 2007, @06:17PM)
Re:robbing == theft (Score:5, Funny)
-Stick 'em up!
-Yeah - git your hands in the air!
-We heard you got some "sales"
-No funny business - hand em over - slowly!
-That's right - nice and slow, and noone will get hurt...
Re:How does this work again? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Obligatory: Sorry have to do it for the record (Score:2)
Re:How does this work again? (Score:4, Funny)
(Last Journal: Tuesday January 30 2007, @08:29PM)
Re: robbing == theft (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:i hate the riaa, you hate the riaa (Score:1, Interesting)
Yeah, it probably wasn't the whole amount, etc etc. But considering that they aren't IN the US, and they were following their local laws, I can't see a problem.
If you issue is 'immoral', you should look closer to home first. Business here routinely do immoral things, including the RIAA. Worry about what people in your own country are doing before other countries.
Re:Get the customer list and prosecute each one (Score:1)
Re:How does this work again? (Score:1)
If I had mod points I'd mod you up Insightful (Score:2)
Allofmp3 has the ultimate business model for me dollars!
Re:How does this work again? (Score:2, Insightful)
If I go to Russia and buy a CD which costs a couple of $$$ where it would normally costs about $15, then bring it back home, have I stolen anything?