My.mp3 Stops Service on Major Labels
mp3.com Backs Down in the Face of RIAA Lawsuit
Do My.mp3.com users have grounds for "Breach of Contract" Lawsuit?
May 11, 2000
You just bought that new CD yesterday. You paid top dollar and bought it on-line from Jungle Jeff.com. You chose that company because they were members of my.mp3.com. That way the minute you bought your CD, you could hear it on-line. No more long waits for the UPS driver to deliver your CD.
This morning you sign on and........... YOUR CD IS MISSING!!!
MP3.com on Wednesday halted access to major-label music for users of the company's my.mp3.com service as mp3.com continued to try to placate The Recording Industry Association of America's in their ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit.
Until yesterday, my.mp3.com allowed registered users to access music from the company's database, which translated the songs into a streaming library non-duplicatable digital files. Before users hear the music, they had to either upload a physical CD that contained the album onto the Internet or purchase one from a member dealer.
Users signed up for the service will still be able to listen to over 400,000 songs from independent artists and smaller labels in the library, just not those from major labels.
In the suit, the recording industry had asked for damages that could have put the company out of business. Complete details of the lawsuit and recent rulings are available in this earlier article.
Yesterday's action seems to be an effort to save the company and once more attempt to mollify the RIAA. Legal experts have estimated the damages would be $800 million at the very minimum, and penalties could reach into the billions. But the company is now rumored to be involved in talks that would negotiate a settlement of $100 million, which would allow mp3.com to continue to operate.
the WIZARD predicts that the Industry will once again stab this very responsible company in the back. Then watch and see if Sony or Warner or another major label doesn't set up a nearly identical service.
Meanwhile consumers who lack the legal and financial clout of the Media Giants continue to be abused. Consumer's need an advocate. Perhaps a class action lawsuit. You should be able to control a CD you legitimately purchased. Where's Erin Brockovich when we really need her?
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