Filed under: Audio, Multimedia, Internet
MTV & Microsoft team up to build online music service
MTV announced Tuesday that it is joining with Microsoft to build a new online music service that will be integrated into Microsoft's Windows Media Player. The new service, URGE, will not be compatible with iPods or Macs, according to Michael Gartenberg of Jupiter Research. The Associated Press reports that URGE will offer more than two million tracks for individual download or by subscription. Pricing has not been disclosed. There are also plans for the service to offer online radio. MTV Networks will own and operate URGE, with Microsoft building the technology.
Although this sounds like a couple of the big boys teaming up to challenge Apple, MTV's chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn says URGE will not target iPod users.
"We think the iPod has done a great job. Our aim is not to switch people from iTunes and the iPod. We need to concentrate on where there's going to be a bigger market."
If URGE concentrates on attracting subscription users, it won't pose a direct challenge to Apple's music services. A subscription service is like renting music. A listener pays a monthly fee to download music to a computer or a music player, but can't play the music when the subscription runs out. Apple has avoided a subscription scheme in favor of popular individual downloads.
MTV has been promising to launch URGE for a while now, but the service hasn't yet materialized. Launch is now targeted for early next year, with more details expected at CES in January.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
leojsoap said 7:10AM on 12-14-2005
who on earth goes for renting music? probably the same people who rent furniture
nah, I understand the benifits of the buy it before you try it model, which is the only way this service would work for me, If I solely used rental music, I'd feel like I'd have to download more and more every month to get my money's worth, and not really enjoying 'my' music.
but I suppose there will be at least some worthwhile market for it. Furniture rental places are still around.
Reply
leojsoap said 7:12AM on 12-14-2005
whoops, I meant to say 'try it before you buy it' not the other way around.
silly me.
Reply
JT said 7:36AM on 12-14-2005
Bring on the YAMS (Yet Another Music Service)! As long as they don't bring anything new to the table, there won't be market-shattering consequences here.
Reply
Tony said 9:22AM on 12-14-2005
Is it me, or does that logo look straight out of 1987 to the rest of you too?
Reply
David said 11:00AM on 12-14-2005
Yes, that logo is straight out of the 80s, but more importantly, it's the name of a gay porn movie "The Urge" with a VERY similar logo...
Reply
Ron Martinez said 11:10AM on 12-14-2005
If it doesn't work on an iPod it's DOA, like every other Windows-based music service before it. Let's not get confused...this is almost certainly a marketing agreement. MSFT has likely paid scores of millions of dollars (disguised as joint venture funding) to Viacom to co-opt the MTV brand, and to promote MSFT's unappealing tune rental technology. Going for this short money will backfire on MTV and get MSFT nowhere. In this industry, best to start with a simple two-word assumption: Apple won.
Reply
Brady J. Frey said 12:33PM on 12-14-2005
The name's lame, the logo's tired, the marketing is out of date. Microsoft has never been cool -- MTV has lost it's cool... when was the last time MTV was associated with music? For those of us who grew up in the 80's and early 90's, sure -- but the next generation associates MTV with reality TV shows, spring break, and pop tart style videos (britney spears, etc.)... I don't see them making a huge dent, so long as Apple pushes their marketing of the iPod as usual.
The only thing I could see an effict is if Microsoft bundled this service tight, similar to their browser effectively snuffing out Netscape. But that still won't turn heads in the end, there's never been a better player than the ipod, and very little software has been able to compete with itunes. I just never is polished.
Reply
Wheels said 1:01PM on 12-14-2005
"We think the iPod has done a great job. Our aim is not to switch people from iTunes and the iPod. We need to concentrate on where there's going to be a bigger market."
iTunes owns well over 70% over the legitimate download music market - the WHOLE market. WTF is the bigger market? Music rentals? Ask Yahoo! how that's working out for them. And if their goal isn't to switch people from ITMS and the iPod, then their business model is already doomed.
This is going to be as popular as MSNBC! Somebody's smoking way too much wacky weed and playing way too much Xbox.
Reply
Noel said 1:29PM on 12-14-2005
Wow. I'm floored. This is just not going to work.
-N
Reply
ceejay said 2:54PM on 12-14-2005
80s gay pr0n aside, is it just me who thinks there's a Quicktime Q in there?
Reply
sauro said 6:10PM on 12-14-2005
Hey look at the logo, look at the G!!! It's the QuickTime logo!??!?!?
ROTLF...
Reply