Some old, fat, white industry exec must have realized that mp3s aren't really a fad after all, and it might be a good idea to shift marketing over to the New format. So the floodgates are open, and businesses are clamoring over themselves to get mp3s into your ears, and some $$ out of your account.

The revelation came too late for Sony, though. According to the latest garageband.com newsletter, Sony Connect has folded, and good riddance. Sony can take their proprietary-my-way-or-the-highway crap and, well, hit the highway with it. Take your fucking 'memory stick' technology with you.

MTV's Urge service is merging with Real Networks Rhapsody. While I wish they would both die a quick death with Sony's Connect, it turns out they are working on a merger with Verizon Wireless, which sounds like a really great way to fuck up my phone service. "Can you hear me now?" No. I can't fucking hear you now, because all the satellite bandwidth is used up by people downloading the latest Jagged Spiral release.

I'd like to this was all my fault for posting things like this, but industry execs don't read my blog. That probably also explains why I haven't been offered a job by them (or been assassinated by their smokin' hot female ninja hit squad).

But the best news hit me from the most unlikely of allies. Wal Mart's online store is offering non-DRM infected mp3s, and undercutting the prices on itunes...

...you read that right. Wal Mart, (whom I've been less than kind to in the past) turns it's Consumerism-Tractor-Beam-Of-DOOM on the customers of I Tunes.

HA! It's like watching two people I hate get into a fist fight. Either way, I win!

Even better news (I know, it's hard to believe it could get better) is that Amazon.com has been threatening to get in on the non-DRM frenzy since Feb 2007, but the rumor is that they may start having non-DRM mp3s available online as soon as mid September, probably in an attempt to

(Um, hello Amazon? Mid-September would be Right Now, Ahem.)

HEY I-TUNES! I DOUBLE-DOG-DARE YOU TO CONTINUE RELEASING YOUR MUSIC WITH DRM! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAaaaaa.....

Art Is Resistance
-Zero

Labels: Business Phenomena, DRM Sucks, Music Industry