An interesting story is developing in music blogs as IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) has requested payment from some of the larger music blogs in Ireland. Blogs have always existed in a grey area regarding their use of links to and hosting of on-line music. There was a recent cull on google’s own blogger site, where they got rid of all sites that linked to illegal music sites. This was done without warning, and was obviously annoying to all those involved, especially those who felt they were linking to music with permission of the artist involved.
A lot of blogs are hobby sites, with their writers receiving no payment for their hours. Some of the blogger’s involved in the IMRO case say that they receive up to 300 emails per week from PR companies and agents asking them to write about their artist, and it is now considered a normal way for a small band to break through to the main stream. Is the music industry trying to kill this? Do they want to be able to control which artist rise to the surface?
You can read about it here! A lot of people getting very annoyed about it. They meet with IMRO tomorrow to discuss the payments, so we shall see how it develops.
Categories: Uncategorized
No More Workhorse 
This really is very silly, but symptomatic of the confusion that reigns in the music industry as to what the hell the business model for large scale music companies looks like going forward. I feel a bit sorry for the IMRO, who think they’re doing the right thing for their artists, but really they’ve chosen the wrong fight, and ultimately it will be artists who suffer from reduced exposure. Very silly.
The strange thing is that artists actually can’t stop IMRO, as they have no right to let blogs or anyone else play their music for free. Once you’ve signed up to IMRO, they will collect the money off anyone who uses your music!
It will damage a lot of blogs by people who just let talking about music and spend their free time doing it! I’d say a lot of them will stop blogging altogether rather than pay the charge. i know i would if someone wanted 750 euro off me!
Any idea how the meeting went?
surprisingly enough, IMRO seemed to be pretty decent about it all, and willing to listen to people at least. there’s talk of them doing something for free blogs, which would be good of them, as its mad that you’d have to pay to host something you never intended to make any cash out of. I guess IMRO knew the world was watching, as its being covered in the irish times and the guardian. will see if they follow through with actions, or just charge everyone regardless. who knows!
details here anyway…
http://www.nialler9.com/2010/05/06/result-imro-music-blogger-meeting/