Music is Software?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

According to Reuters, Apple Computer has been in talks with Vivendi Universal about Apple buying Universal Music, (microsoft may be involved as well but this is the first its been mentioned and may be Vivendi tryingto jack up the price, but I can well believe the Beast would want a biece of the action). There have been rumours about Apple aquiring a music company since the start of the year, (although most though it was going to be EMI), getting stronger with news that Steve Jobs had vistied all of the CEOs of the big five music companies and the confirmed reports that apple will start a music service to accompany iTunes and the iPod.

To a certain extent music has always been the software driving harware sales, philips, sony and many other electronics manufacturers, (even Edison back in the day), have bought or established music businesses to ensure that the software. But what happens when the software ceases to become tangible as it has done over the last five years? People have got used to the idea of unmetered access to music. Will people accept a model where they pay for hardware and a subscription and get music for 'free'? What the hell happens to artists, the charts? What happens to those outside the mainstream with no access to the new means of distribution?

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 April 2003 08:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I, for one, am stockpiling old hardware with which I will create vast libraries of OGG files (similiar to MP3's, but better) in the hopes of archiving thousands of albums and having the ability to churn out illicit copies whenever I like. This, combined with my sweet colocation deal, would allow me (personally) to redistribute any music created outside of the commercialised system you describe. Hooray!

(For the first time I'm beginning to understand why they call it "piracy" - I really feel like a pirate! Arr!!)

― Andrew (enneff), Monday, 14 April 2003 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course the financial world thinks its a really bad idea. Apple's share price fell 8% in one day on the news.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 April 2003 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah Ed but that was mainly because Apple would have to spend all its cash (and then some) to consummate the deal; their cash cushion is one of thee big things what makes them an attractive investment

the stock market is notoriously lame about seeing more than 6 weeks into the future

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 14 April 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

That's why EMI was a better propect, cheaper, possibly undervalued, and just gone through a restructuring.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 April 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

and in general, an acquirer's share price always falls after some sort of deal is announced or speculated upon. Same thing happened with Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp last week after the DirectTV announcement.

― hstencil, Monday, 14 April 2003 15:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Its bounced back with the market today.

But what are people's views on this sort of thing?

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 April 2003 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.