MySpace close to offering legal music downloads

MySpace is apparently close to a deal with Sony BMG, Warner Music and EMI to offer legal music downloads. The service could be operational later this year if all goes well.

MySpace users could soon have legal music downloads — and with the millions of MySpacer around the world, this could be huge business. Universal isn’t likely to get on board because of a copyright dispute it has with MySpace.

Deals with the other three labels could be inked by the end of this month with the music download service to follow shortly.

Record labels will receive a percentage from ads and users will and the songs will be uploaded to the website by users of imeem. Facebook is yet to make a move into legal music downloads, but one feels that it’s only a matter of time now. Social networking is big business and with millions of users already signed up and keen to get free music downloads, it’s a surprise that this hasn’t been done sooner.

Posted on 13 March 2008 by mike in Music downloads