MP3.com Blocks Access to Major Label Content - For Now
In an e-mail statement to My.MP3.com members, CEO Michael Robertson informed users that the company is temporarily closing access to major label content available through the My.MP3.com accounts. Using its free software Beam-It, members were previously able to scan CDs into the server, which then gave them access to the music on those CDs via their My.MP3.com account.
My.MP3.com servers stored which CDs the user had scanned and then allowed the member to play them from the extensive MP3.com libraries of albums and recordings.
The following letter was sent to each My.MP3.com member late last night:
MP3.com Voluntarily Disables Major Label Content From My.MP3.comDear My.MP3.com member,
As you may already be aware, MP3.com has been engaged in an ongoing legal process with the five major record labels in regard to their recordings stored in My.MP3.com. While we have been working to settle these matters with the labels, MP3.com has voluntarily agreed to disable their content in the My.MP3.com database while negotiations continue apace. As a result, you will, at this time, be unable to access the major labels' content through your My.MP3.com account. We will continue our efforts to restore your music as soon as possible, and we hope that you will continue to enjoy the remainder of the My.MP3.com content, including all indie label content, the more than 350 albums in the Classical Music Channel and the 400,000-plus songs available to you for free on MP3.com.
As stated in the letter, MP3.com is currently involved in litigation with several record companies, and last month was found guilty of copyright violations. The company then chose to offer a subscriber-based service for listening to music over the Internet.
Visit MP3.com for more details.