Madonna's disembodied voice enquires of file sharers, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" as they try to download a copy of her "American Life" single via Kazaa or other sharing services. But Madonna isn't only thwarting file sharers:
- companies trying to launch legitimate online music services are asking Madonna the same question.
Warner Music Group, which owns Warner Bros. Records, this week informed the companies that they finally could offer Madonna's earlier releases to subscribers for downloading - but only as full-length albums, not separate songs. None of the leading services are equipped to deliver music that way, so they still won't be able to offer most of Madonna's music.
The situation reflects the complexities faced by the music industry as it tries to wean music fans off pirate services. Although many artists, labels and publishers have thrown their support behind such legitimate outlets as Pressplay, MusicNet and Listen.com, some top artists and labels remain reluctant to make their music available online the way millions of fans clearly want - on a song-by-song basis.
"It doesn't make sense," one online company executive said. "It takes away one of the major conveniences for using a service like this."
Caresse Henry, Madonna's manager, said she did not know about the restrictions. "Madonna as an artist has not denied the availability of her music," Henry said, noting that fans can listen to the new album in its entirety this week at the Web site operated by Viacom
Inc.'s MTV. Warner officials would not comment.
Several executives close to the situation, however, said Madonna controls how her music is distributed online.
....People familiar with the restrictions say they don't allow subscribers to play songs from an online jukebox or download individual tracks that had not been released as CD singles. Nor could subscribers download free temporary copies. [LA Times]
I'm very disappointed in you, M, get with the program. You can't force albums on people anymore - they want songs.
Article comments
1 - R. Moose
Another problem with MadDonna's overdub, is that what was a legitimate stream @ MTV's The Leak had the overdub as well.
Hey MadDonna, What the fuck do I think I was doing? Listening to your new album as I was thinking of buying it...until you decided that I was doing something wrong! After the third track of being asked what I was doing, I stopped listening and decided I didn't need to purchase the album from someone that was insulting me!
BTW, MTV The Leak info was mailed to everyone that BOUGHT the American Life single MP3. So it wasn't like WB didn't know what was going on.
2 - Kev
Don't worry priMadonna, you couldn't pay me to download your "music". And oh, by the way - I download what I want, when I want it - AND, I still buy 40-50 CD's per year. Learn to work with the technology not against it, 'cos this is the way it's gonna be! I'm also quite sure that my philosophy is shared with plenty of other music lovers. Time to have a reality check, if your music cuts the mustard, it will be bought (no thanks to Clear Channel)! If not, consider it consumer quality control. No more buying $14 CDs with 2 good songs + fluff. Thanks.
3 - SlackMFer
anyone who tries to download madonna deserves what they get. what the fuck ARE you people doing??? madonna is one of the worst artists of all time and has contributed GREATLY to the horrible state music is in today. thank her for all the poppy bullshit that you bitch about, but continue to buy her shit that's just as bad?? just because she keeps telling people how intelligent and provocative she is doesn't make it true. she had no musical talent so she sold her body instead (and in the meantime created a blueprint for other shitty "artists" to do the same) and her looks were never that good anyway(fix yo' teeth bitch). i'd be happy if madonna never sold another album in her life.