iTunes

[Andy Tarpinian]

On Dec 19, 2007, at 12:55 PM, The Dong wrote:

> Andy Tarpinian wrote:
>> I think it's a case of you needed a company, like a record label to
>> hold digital distribution rights for your songs.
>
> Ummm. Start your own company?
> Fake a company?
> Whatever...
>
> This middleman system makes little sense to me for pure digital  
> distros.
> Is its only purpose to make it more difficult for artists to be  
> free to
> be in charge of digital distribution themselves? A way to prop up the
> likes of the RIAA and dumb down artist autonomy or capability?
> Or to limit and stifle content to 'that which they deem suitable for
> distribution'.
>
> As far as I can tell, iTunes IS (or could/should be) one of the  
> digital
> distributors for artists music directly, not through a proxy.
>
> Anyone can fill in a form, upload some content and receive payments!
> If they are allowed to, that is.
>
> I guess Apple signed away lots of rights to the muso biz before they
> first started?
>
> I'm sure someone can explain it better, but it still won't make much
> sense, heh.
>
> No iTunes for me in any taste or form, evar! ;)

they do it, I'm guessing, because if there is a dispute over payment,  
royalties, licensing etc... it's easier to sue a company than an  
individual :)