We've been looking into other ways to allow users to share music without having to upload actual files. One site that I've been looking at is Mercora. This is a free streaming music service that allows users to share their music legally. Instead of sharing files, users allow songs in their music library to be streamed. Essentially, you can listen to any song currently being "broadcast" by a Mercora user.
How would an integration with Multiply work? In addition to the current option of uploading files, we'd give Multiply users the option to create playlists by just entering artist/track names. The resulting playlist would include links to play each song that was currently being broadcast by a Mercora user. We could also just do a list of artists without tracks, in which case the top tracks from each artist currently being broadcast would be listed.
Check out the right rail of my home page for an example of a playlist. In this case, I just specified two artists; Death Cab For Cutie and Depeche Mode. When you click on the icon to play a song, you will be prompted to install Mercora's IMRadio player first. Although I'm sure Mercora would love for everyone to actively use their service to share their music libraries, neither the playlist author or any users wanting to listen to the songs in the playlist really need to do that. The listeners just need it install the IMRadio app.
I put this playlist in my right rail because its javascript and that was the easiest place to put it for now. If we were to actually implement something like this, the playlists would appear just like the current ones do.
One downside is that there's no way to play an entire playlist. You have to listen to each song individually. This has something to do with their radio broadcast license.
Let me know what you guys think of this. We've also talked about allowing users to share playlists from the major subscription services (e.g., Rhapsody). The obvious drawback there is that only users who are also members of the same service would be able to listen to the songs.
mcpierce wrote on Feb 16, '06, edited on Feb 16, '06
As a Linux user, this would limit my ability to listen to songs. Unless Mercora has a Linux (or Java-based) client, alot of us are going to be left out. Can't they provide an MP3 or Ogg Vorbis stream rather than a proprietary one?
I would imagine that they want to keep things proprietary so that people have to use their app. Otherwise, they don't really get much out of it. But, I will ask them about it, and also find out if they have plans for Linux and Mac.
Well you know me Dave... I'm still extremely satisfied with Last.fm and I've yet to find a worthy SUBSTITUTE for checking out peoples' playlists online.
I too am rather in love with Last.fm, though only recently have I started checking out their streaming option. My "Neighbor Radio" station now makes up approximately 100% of my music consumption at work. :)
I'd definitely encourage going with, or waiting for Mercora to provide, a cross-platform solution, Dave. One of Multiply's selling points for me has been that it works with just about everything (my dear aunt who's still on Netscape 4.x says she can't sign up, but I have so little sympathy for anyone who insists on using a 4.x browser). I wouldn't want to see things introduced that weren't cross-platform.
Well you know me Dave... I'm still extremely satisfied with Last.fm and I've yet to find a worthy SUBSTITUTE for checking out peoples' playlists online.
I signed up there a while ago, but didn't really play around too much. I'll definitely spend some more time there to see how it works.
Can you actually create a playlist of specific songs there? I was under the impression that you just created radio stations. If you can create a playlist, is there currently a way to export it or blog it?
Can you actually create a playlist of specific songs there?
No, you can't create such a playlist.
What you do is download a plugin for your media player of choice (many are available), which sends artist and track info back to the mothership as you listen. Once you build up enough of a play history, you can listen to various streams that are pretty well catered to your tastes. A few streams are available per user, the most interesting to me being the Neighbor stream, which plays songs that their "musical neighbors" (people with tastes most similar to their own) play often.
Edit: And then there's Similar Artists streams, where you enter an artist and get a stream of tracks from similar artists.
In short, it's a better way to find new music than listen to what you already like.
Is there a possibility that you don't have to install anything to listen to Mercora's music? At work, we're not allowed to install programs, but I still want to be able to access this feature.
I feel rather strongly that this (or something similar) is the way multiply should go. I love being able to share what I'm listening to with my friends and I love hearing what they're listening to as well. But I've got to believe there's a way to do it legally.
Its taking a while, but I think we'll see something happen with music in the first half of '08. We won't be going with Mercora, but the focus will definitely be on allowing users to easily share what they're listening to.
this kind of method can be hear...but cannot be owned and bring to whereever they go..........i like finetune.com but there is certain limitation of song choice........i dont fully support online music data but maybe trend would go that way to be legal for multiply.....lets wait and see
My suggestion is to have a pandora.com player module available for Multipliers to use. It's a free customizable internet radio station. I have an account there, and I also downloaded their add-on player for Opera. This wouldn't necessarily have the flexibility of other options, but replacing the music module with one of their players might be the best way to go. It could even be set up to replace the "Play Music in Welcome Message" capabilities.
I think it is all ridiculous. The whole "download" Music with the FCC whining o people are stealing music. This is why I wont buy anything for a while until they stop. The people that actually steal for resale are few and they will never be caught anyway so it is just dumb. I am so sick of their whining about stolen music and wrecking every site.
Selena, that's the catch... I have, I think, three songs in my music module. I am not providing that music for people to pirate (like uploading an album) and I'm not selling it. I'm sharing three songs for my friends to listen to to better understand my tastes. I'm sure I'd get a dirty look from the FCC, but they need to be going back to the people who steal and share en masse and for profit, not people like you and me. But we're not debating morals and law here, this is a suggestion...
Well, I have an account with www.imeem.com where we can share song to listen to. We can post songs and create playlist of any collection songs we love to hear. But there is no way to download the song to our own iPod..lol..
i like multiply because we can share a music and easy searching it. i think all member multiply choise this blog because that. i dont know, if this feature disable. what can we do more. :(
no people should use low-quality mp3 for internet, and high quality WAV for their CDs. if i buy new CD, do you think i play disc-jockey: open CD drive, insert CD, close CD drive, start special player, eject CD (using software), insert software CDROM to install etc.
NO. i can copy WAV to my harddrive, for personal usage. in case of doubt, use very low quality, or even 11khz, 8bit mp3. people don't want to hear this permanently, and will buy some CDs as well.
also most of my music is not mainstream "DJ/RECORD LABEL/CHARTS stuff", some of it only available as mp3 i have recorded myself.
one time i have purchased UTADA CD because of YOUTUBE video. i also own maybe 50 DVDs, full price from shops, and love to see remix, fan artwork (slide show with music tracks) on YOUTUBE. for movies i have already paid for, and can see them at home anytime.
if they argue, people won't buy music because of internet mp3, this is weird fantasy of marketing guys. OK there are people who won't buy much, because they do not want to, or because they do not have the money. normal people will buy some CDs time by time, maybe if they shop for DVDs.
OK if the media market is full of insane lyrics, bad language, drugs, death, obscure rock music, don't wonder if sales are dropping.
i do not think DRM would be of any help. take a look http://remix.kwed.org they allow to rehost all their files! and they also accept donations. i think that would be a helping for some music bands. at least offer some downloadable samples.
Is there a possibility that you don't have to install anything to listen to Mercora's music? At work, we're not allowed to install programs, but I still want to be able to access this feature.
I second emotion on this one. Installing software on a locked down pc is not a good thing to the IT Administrator here in our office. How can we listen to Mercora without doing such?
Losing the download option is a real bummer! I have not downloaded even one song from this site. But I have downloaded many Old Time Radio shows (OTR) . 99% of OTR is in the public domain and I have met some very nice people on this site and we have shared shows. This is a wonderful site for sharing an interest with family and friends and for meeting others with the same interest. Without the download option i'm afraid Multiply is done for!
I signed up there a while ago, but didn't really play around too much. I'll definitely spend some more time there to see how it works.
Can you actually create a playlist of specific songs there? I was under the impression that you just created radio stations. If you can create a playlist, is there currently a way to export it or blog it?
Please explain how any service is going to stream older music, nostalgic music, dance bands, swing etc. Not all of us wish to listen to modern day crap and much of the music you have now deprived us of is not available on Last Fm or any new fangled rado player sidebar widgetty thing! I do not wish to become a music zombie listening to Ministry Of The Dumb or Leona Loobrush but great music from years ago that our community were enjoying until recent developments.
but i still like listening music here in multiply,it sucks when they even wont allow play music on their music playlist? so what's the use of the Music site here if you can't even listen to it? i know lots of Multiply members are sad about it,i've been an avid Multiply blogger b'cuz of their music...
"Please explain how any service is going to stream older music, nostalgic music, dance bands, swing etc. Not all of us wish to listen to modern day crap and much of the music you have now deprived us of is not available on Last Fm or any new fangled rado player sidebar widgetty thing! I do not wish to become a music zombie listening to Ministry Of The Dumb or Leona Loobrush but great music from years ago that our community were enjoying until recent developments."
?Well you know me Dave... I'm still extremely satisfied with Last.fm and I've yet to find a worthy SUBSTITUTE for checking out peoples' playlists online."
That may very well work great for you, sidney, but not for all, and not for me.
For example, one of my blog entries is tied to a few songs from Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons. I went to last.fm, searched for same, and got some hokey pretend group singing "Rag Doll". Please - it's either the real stuff or I can't be bothered.
all I want is my multiply player to play songs at random automatically...I don't want to leech songs from others or have mine leeched...multiply can disable the download feature as far as I'm concerned...just let me upload songs to my site so they can be played on my site...
all I want is my multiply player to play songs at random automatically...I don't want to leech songs from others or have mine leeched...multiply can disable the download feature as far as I'm concerned...just let me upload songs to my site so they can be played on my site...
I pretty much agree. I can do without the download option that's there now just fine. I'd also like to be able to restrict the player to my network or contacts if I wanted to - so my music isn't open to people searching sites to leech music files.
These "services" don't work for me - too many of the songs I have are not available. Modern "music" is all they mostly have. Ugh.
I pretty much agree. I can do without the download option that's there now just fine. I'd also like to be able to restrict the player to my network or contacts if I wanted to - so my music isn't open to people searching sites to leech music files.
These "services" don't work for me - too many of the songs I have are not available. Modern "music" is all they mostly have. Ugh.
I agree to. I have music and would like only my CONTACTS to hear it to. Is this not copy-right also, by letting the public download music from my playlist ? Why is multiply not worried about this.
I agree Multiply will loose members ,, many people like to share no to steal music., there are other big huge problems to take care, and not to be considered. People who really likes music will buy it anyways cd dvd are the best media and the best quailty.
what is the meaning of uploading musica, video,.. ? please reupload the download button. or someting that prevent olny for MEMBERS to download, restricted to a password or something.. thanks,
Multiply is where i upload my favorite song for share and change to my friend not specially song it involve wallpaper any information their want to share same music why you don't prohibit them too (ToT) by the way i know for this problem but it useful than useless i think. please bring it back....thank you
I USE MULTIPLY TO BACKUP MY MUSIC, PICS AND VIDEO... HOWEVER THEY DELETED MY MUSIC... YOU CANT SHARE IT... BUT THERES AN UPLOAD... BUT NO DOWNLOAD... SO WHATS THE SENSE OF HAVING MUSIC PAGE FOR IF THEY WILL DELETE IT...
I just have a question.. Multiply just deleted one song in my playlist because they said it was copyrighted material. (I made it available for everyone.) Now i dont want to make another violation anymore coz they might just delete my entire account. They asked me to delete my other stuff that may be copyrighted too. I dont know which ones are strictly copyrighted and which ones are okay. Would it still be a violation if i just make the rest of my playlists available Only to my Network or maybe even Contacts, and NOT delete them?? Just like what bobsietabs said, I just want to have a BACKUP for my music files, so i can listen to them whenever and wherever i want. OR, Would they still be able to find it and delete it if i make it "private" and only available to ME? tsk... this just sux.
I just have a question.. Multiply just deleted one song in my playlist because they said it was copyrighted material. (I made it available for everyone.) Now i dont want to make another violation anymore coz they might just delete my entire account. They asked me to delete my other stuff that may be copyrighted too. I dont know which ones are strictly copyrighted and which ones are okay.
I'm wondering about the same thing... how do we know what are the copyrighted ones???
I agree, this whole issue sucks big time. We just like having music on our pages to listen to and to show other people what music we enjoy. It is always "the little people" us who are penalised NOT those that really Steal music and sell it on.
Do not post anymore music on Multiply using the Multiply music player. Get yourselves an independent player like Imeem. This is ok.
I would like to add that, I deleted all my playlists off my multiply site two weeks ago and yet they are still whingeing about playlist 10 which I do not have now.
Just how do I deal with music coming at my site (home page) without me having anything to do with it ?? Its Bethoven playing in the background, and I have no way of finding out where it comes from ....... Have anything that strange happened to others here ??? Noone else hear this - only me - I just dont understand.
I'm still extremely satisfied with Last.fm 
