CNET buys MP3.com
Is Sophie still alive over at what used to be MP3.com?
Apparently. She’s just announced that CNET Networks has acquired "certain assets" of MP3.com and as of December 2, "the MP3.com website will no longer be accessible in its current form.
"Following a transition period, CNET Networks, Inc. plans to introduce new and enhanced artist services. If you would like to receive email updates on these new services and notification when they are available, as well as an invitation to their special artists-only preview, please sign up here.
"Your personal information, music, images, related content or other information will not be transferred to CNET Networks, Inc. or any other third party."
What’s the ‘audience’ reaction? Here’s one below.
LOL well with only 3 songs being available for free I wasn’t using it for anything much anyway, just horsing around. I guess all that shopping / partying / marketing money that was obtained by all those serious business investors got used up, eh? Too many dance floor tickets? Too many indie concerts? Too many free gazillion-MP3-songs CDs? Too much upstream bandwidth? So sad. Ah well, I hope CNET paid a grand or two to put into your wallet.. that’ll buy you a Burger King Whopper every day for a year or two. Welcome to the unemployment world, my friend … I’ve been here for about two and a half years now.
For the rest (as of 6:30 am, Pacific Standard), go here.
In the meanwhile, the balance of the message reads:
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MP3.com’s content administration tools will remain available until the site is redirected on December 2, 2003. Please note, however, that promptly following the removal of the MP3.com website, all content will be deleted from our servers and all previously submitted tapes, CD-ROMs and other media in our possession will be destroyed. We recommend that you make alternative content hosting arrangements as soon as practicable.
Please remember to update or remove all links and references to the URL www.mp3.com. Additionally if you would like a historical record of your page, we recommend that you capture screen shots of the page as well as your artist statistics pages since they will no longer be available once the site goes offline.
MP3.com stopped collecting monthly fees for Gold and Platinum Artist Service subscriptions as of November 3, 2003. For any monthly Gold or Platinum Artist Service subscription fees MP3.com received during the period beginning October 13, 2003 and ending November 2, 2003, MP3.com will be issuing a refund that will be prorated to reflect a termination of the subscription as of November 2, 2003. For any previously paid annual Gold and Platinum subscription fees MP3.com has received during 2003, MP3.com will be issuing a refund that will be prorated to reflect a termination of the subscription as of November 2, 2003. Any artists who subscribed to the Platinum or Gold Artist Service after November 2, 2003 will receive a full refund of any fees paid.
If you subscribe to any other MP3.com services, you will receive separate email messages with specific information about refunds and service availability.
Participants in the truSONIC Business Music Service program will be receiving an email update about the process for their continued participation in that program.
All content uploads will cease immediately. Approvals of previously uploaded content will continue through Friday, November 14, 2003.
CDs will be available for purchase through Monday, November 17, 2003 at 12:00 PM PST.
MP3.com will perform a final artist accounting and check distribution on or around December 1, 2003. Any artist account with a balance of at least $25.00 will qualify to receive a payment in the final artist accounting (reduced from the usual requirement of $50.00). Payment of CD royalties will be included in the final artist accounting. If you anticipate a payment, please verify and update your artist account and contact information no later than November 20, 2003. Click here for help updating your contact information.
Please be sure to check the Sophie message board and System Service Report (SSR) for further updates.
On behalf of all of us at MP3.com we thank you for your patronage and continued support. It has been a privilege to host one of the largest and most diverse collections of music in the world. MP3.com wishes to express its sincere thanks to each of you for making our website an important part of your musical journey. We wish you continued success.
Sincerely,
MP3.com
P.S. Remember that in order to receive email updates on CNET’s new artist services, you should sign up here today.
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January 28th, 2004 at 9:34 am
Snowball Johnny had about 150 songs on mp3.com, without notice they were all destroyed, they sent a check for 66 dollars to cover the costs… But we never stop, we are the hardcore users of the www, we took our own archives to http://www.besonic.com/johnny to start up again…. SJ (jan 27 2004) :´I have months of work ahead and bought http://www.bluez.nl to link me and my mp3.com colleages like Rick Skuse, Sole Survivor, Bad Teacher, DJ Escobar, Rosita eo, but we are not angry at the moneysnatchers like Micheal, when hé sold out, we knew this would happen. Our subculture will never die, because we got more class in one hair than they have in the whole universe, and¨We Will Overcome¨!´.
Mp3.com was killed by cold-hearted moneymakers, the same stupid
souls, that make and sell arms or turn the food-industry into the killing fields of humanity. We can put a man on Mars, but we can´t put peace in our hearts.
Mario Strörmann, bad@teacher.com, Rotterdam, Holland
September 24th, 2004 at 8:52 am
Upload to soundclick too
Soundclick have done the most to recreate mp3.com. It has radio stations and a sense of community. I don’t know if there will be any money [pay per play] but perhaps that will be next?