Myspace Music Social Site Gives Everyday Bands the Chance to Be Stars

If only my old man had this kind of opportunity: thirty years too late for my Dad to become a world-famous drummer, MySpace is giving garage bands around the world the chance to sell their music through its services.

The move allows millions of MySpace users the ability to become (relatively speaking) legitimate music retailers, something that should have both the music industry and media outlets like Best Buy pretty disgruntled.

As if avoiding labels and everyday retailers wasn't controversial enough, the MySpace music download system will also offer files in a format without the usual digital rights management (DRM) hangups. This means that the files will be playable on any Mp3 player or digital music device.

Los Angeles-based MySpace is launching the venture alongside San Francisco media developer Snocap, which has been working on the technology for some time now.

Although the cost is taken out of the hands of music labels and media retailers, MySpace and Snocap both intend on reaping those potential profits. The actual musicians will be able to set a price for their art, but the California companies responsible for the network have already announced plans to take a percentage cut from each sale.

Although Snocap is telling sources that the fee remains small and the company will fight to keep it low, an exact number has yet to be discussed. (Source: wired.com)

Regardless, the venture offers a great deal to both MySpace and its millions of fans. It remains to be seen whether the new system will discover the next Nickelback, but even the chance of such success should have basement Bon Jovis flooding the Internet with awkwardly recorded singles. (Source: arstechnica.com)

And to think I could have been a rockstar kid instead of accounting offspring. ;-)