EasyGroup, the company better known for being the parent of easyJet, has announced that it too will be getting into the online music store business. The difference is that the music will be free.
Imaginatively called easyMusic, the service will feature tracks from unknown artists who need a bit of publicity. Customers who want to download tracks form better known acts will pay a fee.
As always, Stelios was out with a statement:
“Music is another example of a market which will grow if the price is lowered. Only this week we have seen that independent labels and artists, accounting for 20% of the UK market, do not wish to join the iTunes penny jukebox for fear of the commercial terms. easyMusic will allow them to advertise their music for free to get a bigger fan base and if they think they have become popular enough they can switch to the pay-for-download side of easyMusic.com. Market forces will decide on the value of their work and the result to consumers is that the price of music will come down, something which will increase the number of musicians and fans in this market place.”
Ah, Stelios, the penny jukebox thing is OD2, but otherwise we broadly agree with you.
Did you know there’s actually an easyPizza? I take it they arrive in orange boxes.
Is that the sound of a bandwagon’s axles about to snap? Well, yes it must be because here comes the Sun, the Guardian, the Times, the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror with plans for their own online music download stores!
First up is the Guardian in a deal with EMI, planning a service at the end of June, with the Daily Mirror considering a music service as part of the relaunch of their website later in the year.
Scorching!
