Once derided as a flash in the pan, the Internet-based MP3 audio format now seems to be at the forefront of a long-awaited revolution in the music industry. Much to the chagrin of some major record labels, the MP3 file format enables artists and fans alike to bypass all traditional channels for music distribution. If it survives the mounting legal challenges that lie ahead, MP3 may forevermore change the shape of the music business.
MP3 is shorthand for MPEG1 Audio Layer 3, a file format that compresses and digitizes music so that it can easily be downloaded from the Internet. Downloading an MP3 file takes only a few minutes and results in a near-CD quality copy of a song that has been compressed to nearly one-tenth of its original file size.
If you want to listen to the files using your computer's built-in audio capabilities, all you have to do is download and install an MP3 player. Most MP3 players are available for free or are available as low-cost shareware. To choose a player compatible with your operating system, visit www.mp3.com/faq/playing2.html.
If you'd rather take your music with you, portable MP3 players are available. These lightweight devices fit in the palm of one hand and are smaller and much more convenient to use than CD and tape players. They also have no moving parts, so your songs will never skip when you walk or jog (as they might with a conventional CD player). Portable MP3 players currently retail for around $200, but are expected to go down in price as more competitors enter the market.
The most popular model today is Diamond Multimedia's Rio player. The $199 Rio PMP300, which is powered by a single AA battery, can hold over 60 minutes of music and will play continuously on a single charge for up to 12 hours. It's available at most large electronics stores or direct from the manufacturer at www.diamondmm.com.
Some major record labels, as well as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), fear that MP3s will promote bootlegging of copyrighted recordings. The RIAA recently filed a lawsuit to block the manufacture of the Rio player, but lost when Diamond proved that their player was designed only to record and play downloaded MP3 files, and was not capable of duplicating or uploading files to the Internet. The RIAA has so far been largely unsuccessful in combating the MP3 onslaught.
Not all record labels see the MP3 format as a threat. Some companies feel that the Internet offers a new market for old material that has (until now) been economically unfeasible to reissue. However, piracy is a concern, and the industry is currently scrambling to come up with an alternative file format that cannot be duplicated as easily as MP3.
Technically, MP3 is legal due to the fact that it is merely a file format. However, some of the applications people are finding for this new file format may be illegal. There is apparently a burgeoning subculture of audiophiles using the Internet to unlawfully distribute copyrighted music without the permission of the copyright holders. To make sure that you are not violating copyright laws and depriving an artist of his or her just compensation, you should always look for an ASCAP ( www.ascap.com) and/or BMI (www.bmi.com) license before you download an MP3 file.
More than a few established bands have been bitten by the MP3 bug. Many well-known artists (including recent chart-toppers such as the Beastie Boys) have defied their own record labels, offering their fans free MP3 tracks exclusively over the Internet. Other popular artists, including Tom Petty, are using MP3 as a promotional tool. Petty, with the blessing of his label, is offering early tastes of new and upcoming songs in MP3 format.
MP3 holds its real advantage for smaller, undiscovered bands, however. Talented musicians often struggle for years without ever getting noticed by the major labels. Those who do manage to sign a deal are given relatively little time to build a following. Recently, such critically acclaimed bands as the Reverend Horton Heat and the Supersuckers were dropped by their record label because they were unable to demonstrate immediate commercial success.
At a time when musicians seem to be valued less for their creative abilities and more for their economic potential, the MP3 file format may soon bring new vigor to the once-moribund world of popular music. Aspiring musicians must no longer depend upon the largess of a giant corporation in order to be heard. Today, any musician can record songs in MP3 format and sell them directly to listeners over the Internet. The format requires little, if any, investment in time or money, and the royalties can be high. In most cases, musicians retain all ownership rights to their music, a legal nicety most record labels disallow.
Currently spearheading the MP3 movement is MP3.com, based in San Diego, California. MP3.com exists to bring musicians and audiophiles together at www.mp3.com. Other major distributors of MP3 music include Goodnoise, at www.goodnoise.com and MusicMatch www.musicmatch.com.
MP3 and the Internet promise to bring the consumer a wider array of music choices than was ever before possible. With nothing more than an Internet connection and an MP3 player, an audiophile can easily build custom albums containing some of the most compelling and eclectic music the world has to offer.
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