DSL Headbangers – Metallica Strikes Online Music Deal
from the didn't-expect-that dept
Well, this came out of nowhere. Metallica, the band that made quite a lot of news by being the first band to sue Napster, is now offering its music online in association with DSL provider Speakeasy. They’re going to offer buyers of their CD with special access to “live recordings, demos, b-sides and other content”. Lars Ullrich, the band’s drummer and spokesperson was quoted as saying, “We’ve always wanted our fans to experience our music online.” It’s unclear if the band has come around to realizing how silly they’ve sounded in the past – or if they haven’t made that connection.
Comments on “DSL Headbangers – Metallica Strikes Online Music Deal”
I approached Speakeasy last year...
…with a similar idea. My pitch was basically that ISP’s *had* to offer compelling reasons for customers to adopt broadband (read: CONTENT) as their primary internet connection, and what better way than to feature sites of indie artists who were creating unique “stuff” for broadband users to enjoy.
I guess Speakeasy took my cue and went to the brass ring for new (and presumably hoarded) content for their subscribers.
Re: I approached Speakeasy last year...
In all fairness to Metallica, their main beef was always over control — that their music was being distributed by Napster without Metallica’s say. Cutting a distribution deal like this does not seem inconsistent with their past position.