Pandora closed entirely outside USA
polycounter lvl 18
Well, I dunno about the rest of you, but I've been using www.pandora.com a fair bit to find out new bands and music that I like, it's been really cool and I've ended up buying a bunch of albums I'd previously never have heard of.
But I got an email from them this morning, they have been ordered to stop streaming to any IP address outside the USA.
Quote from the email I received (I assume they send these to any registered Pandora users with a UK IP address):
[ QUOTE ]
As you probably know, in July of 2007 we had to block usage of Pandora outside the U.S. because of the lack of a viable license structure for Internet radio streaming in other countries. It was a terrible day. We did however hold out some hope that a solution might exist for the UK, so we left it unblocked as we worked diligently with the rights organizations to negotiate an economically workable license fee. After over a year of trying, this has proved impossible. Both the PPL (which represents the record labels) and the MCPS/PRS Alliance (which represents music publishers) have demanded per track performance minima rates which are far too high to allow ad supported radio to operate and so, hugely disappointing and depressing to us as it is, we have to block the last territory outside of the US.
...
We have been told to sign these totally unworkable license rates or switch off, non-negotiable...so that is what we are doing. Streaming illegally is just not in our DNA, and we have to take the threats of legal action seriously. Lest you think this is solely an international problem, you should know that we are also fighting for our survival here in the US, in the face of a crushing increase in web radio royalty rates, which if left unchanged, would mean the end of Pandora.
[/ QUOTE ]
What the hell are the music industry playing at? They're just damaging their own sales!
But I got an email from them this morning, they have been ordered to stop streaming to any IP address outside the USA.
Quote from the email I received (I assume they send these to any registered Pandora users with a UK IP address):
[ QUOTE ]
As you probably know, in July of 2007 we had to block usage of Pandora outside the U.S. because of the lack of a viable license structure for Internet radio streaming in other countries. It was a terrible day. We did however hold out some hope that a solution might exist for the UK, so we left it unblocked as we worked diligently with the rights organizations to negotiate an economically workable license fee. After over a year of trying, this has proved impossible. Both the PPL (which represents the record labels) and the MCPS/PRS Alliance (which represents music publishers) have demanded per track performance minima rates which are far too high to allow ad supported radio to operate and so, hugely disappointing and depressing to us as it is, we have to block the last territory outside of the US.
...
We have been told to sign these totally unworkable license rates or switch off, non-negotiable...so that is what we are doing. Streaming illegally is just not in our DNA, and we have to take the threats of legal action seriously. Lest you think this is solely an international problem, you should know that we are also fighting for our survival here in the US, in the face of a crushing increase in web radio royalty rates, which if left unchanged, would mean the end of Pandora.
[/ QUOTE ]
What the hell are the music industry playing at? They're just damaging their own sales!
Replies
Sucks about Pandora, at least you can still use last.fm, right?
Sonic, I hope so! But how long before Last.fm suffers the same fate?
The music industry had some serious isses. What about Sony finally deciding to make it 4 for 4 of the big companies and ditch DRM - but instad have brought in a scheme where you have to visit a PHYSICAL SHOP, buy a voucher for the particular album you want, then go back home and download it.
I'm reminded of this;
[ QUOTE ]
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
[/ QUOTE ] I don't mean to doom the thread by comparing the RIAA to the Nazis, but it seams fitting.
They should put their money in R&D instead of legal.
Does anyone know what came of the movement to get those laws changed/updated? Or was legislation turned down because it all centers around contracts?
I can't count the new bands Pandora has exposed me to, which lead me to purchase music. If it wasn't for Pandora I wouldn't own an iPod and I wouldn't buy music. I've never really considered music to be important enough to carry around cases of tapes or CD's, but now that its very portable I'm getting into it, and Pandora played a big roll in making that happen. Exposure to new music + portability = win.
RIAA, go rape the companies that are actually operating outside the law not the ones trying to work with you to make you BOTH money.
If you want to access your list of preferred songs you can still access that. Back in the day I had no direct bookmark to my page but I just asked the pandora guys and they nicely sent me the URL.
Servive still works in the US tho :P
Is there any way you can use an IP proxy or such to access the page?
Sucks you guys can't listen anymore