The Australian independent labels association AIR responded in anger yesterday as US media giants Myspace launched their Music services prior to having finalised a license with Australia’s leading independent labels and artists.
The AIR claim that “Myspace’s disregard for the value of independent music has been exposed…..” as several of Australia’s best known artists such as Nick Cave, The Temper and Sia are currently not featured on Myspace Music.
When Myspace Music launched in the US last year a vast majority of the world’s indie labels, represented by Merlin, were not on board and signed up.
CEO Charles Caldas of Merlin says, “MySpace Music’s ongoing disregard for the value of independent repertoire is underlined again with this Australian MySpace Music launch. For MySpace, which has build its brand on the breadth and diversity of its music, to launch a service without the valuable global independent repertoire Merlin represents is disappointing enough, but to launch without offering the repertoire of any of the major Australian independents shows an enormous arrogance towards the Australian independent community.
“As a result, Australian consumers are being presented with a significantly inferior offering via this launch, with a gaping hole left by the local and international companies that have been excluded. For MySpace Music Australia to be successful, the artists we and our Australian members represent must be onboard, and their absence will be instrumental in turning the most active music fans away from the service.”