I wouldn’t go so far as to say “free doesn’t work anymore”. It’s just not that simple.

Free won’t ever work for music streaming that requires royalty payments, because that music is not inherently free to begin with.

Artists who treat their recorded works as an advertising tool rather than an income stream are poised to succeed in the new music marketplace. By allowing their songs to be streamed for free to fans and new listeners, they create connections with new fans who otherwise would not hear their music, and ultimately give those fans a reason to buy real goods like CDs, t-shirts, and concert tickets. Unrestricted streaming doesn’t have to involve giving the music away for free. For example, on Uvumi.com, artists and bands can make their music available for streaming but not for free downloading. By using free streaming services like Uvumi, and offering CDs for sale at shows and by mail order, and by working with existing platforms like iTunes or Amazon, artists have a real business model that can generate real revenue in spite of old-school record labels and outdated royalty payment systems.

The royalty model is dead, or at least rapidly dying, as is illustrated by MySpace’s rumored $20 million loss per month. Indeed, that model is just not sustainable, but, realistically, artists do not need to play the royalty game to make a living off their creative works anymore.

To clarify: Free doesn’t work for MySpace.

What the fuck is an Uvumi?