A Question About iTunes and Alonetone and 'Other' places...

[64Guitars]

When you join Alonetone there is a tick option box for your songs to automatically be loaded onto iTunes in the form of a podcast (Vaisvil does it). They don't sell the songs, they are free to listen to. I didn't tick mine.

You're right, Hilary. I just had a look at my profile page on alonetone. You have to click the Edit button in the top-right (just below the search box) to see all of your settings. The last setting on the page (lower right) is "Remove / block your iTunes podcast?". The choices are "no" and "yes, block my podcast url from iTunes". Mine was on "no" but I've changed it to yes.

[AndyR]

Yeah, it's interesting where your stuff turns up, or who is listening to it.

I haven't noticed (on alonetone, this is) anyone listening to my stuff via itunes - and I'm fairly certain that I would NOT have ticked any box related to it! . But I have noticed, since the updates there, that alonetone is capable of giving more info... I can tell whether a listen was via songcrafters, for example - that didn't used to show up like that.

One of the reasons I joined alonetone was because of their stance on creativity and distribution (embodied in that message when you upload, the one that orh quoted above). It took me a week or so to decide to join, but it changed my whole outlook on what I'm doing. When I joined, I was agreeing to and committing to freely giving away the right to listen to those songs anytime, anywhere... but, at the same time, RETAINING my copyright in the material.

Of course, defending that copyright might be hard work if a particular item makes a sack full of dosh for the wrong person (ie someone other than me). But, honestly, I don't think that's going to happen.

For me, the essay about it on alonetone somewhere (I read this before deciding to join) turns out to be very relevant and true - I just want people to hear my stuff, mebbe respond, but mainly I want them to hear it... and the best way, for me, is to give anyone/everyone the right to listen to it for free anytime they want, however they want.

It will be different for different people and what they're trying to achieve - it has to be a personal choice about what you do with your own stuff. In fact, it was very different for me just a few years ago - my stuff was on Soundclick and religiously marked as stream only. Didn't get too much attention, though! Couple of plays a month across all songs.

Nowadays, even when I'm "low profile" and not contributing, I get approx 10 plays a week - usually roughly half actually attributable. And that's not counting how often my "downloaded" stuff might be getting played. There's some folks listening, sometimes, and that's all that matter to me at the moment.

(By the way, can someone let me know if I have a big hit and I don't notice it? - I don't really follow "current" popular music culture, and haven't done for 30-odd years, so I'd probably be the last to know!...)

EDIT:

When you join Alonetone there is a tick option box for your songs to automatically be loaded onto iTunes in the form of a podcast (Vaisvil does it). They don't sell the songs, they are free to listen to. I didn't tick mine.

You're right, Hilary. I just had a look at my profile page on alonetone. You have to click the Edit button in the top-right (just below the search box) to see all of your settings. The last setting on the page (lower right) is "Remove / block your iTunes podcast?". The choices are "no" and "yes, block my podcast url from iTunes". Mine was on "no" but I've changed it to yes.

I think you have to set up an "alonetone itunes podcast" (on the right hand side) before that has any effect - or, at least that's how it used to work!!

[Hilary]

(By the way, can someone let me know if I have a big hit and I don't notice it? - I don't really follow "current" popular music culture, and haven't done for 30-odd years, so I'd probably be the last to know!...)

As an artist we should be in control of our music. If we choose to give it away freely, wherever, that's our right but for a 3rd party to do it, without our knowledge - how can that be acceptable?

[henwrench]

As an artist we should be in control of our music. If we choose to give it away freely, wherever, that's our right but for a 3rd party to do it, without our knowledge - how can that be acceptable?

         Absolutely, an 'artist' should be in control of their own music, but in reality that's unfortunately just not the case, certainly when the 'artist' is signed to any kind of deal or record label. It doesn't matter who you are, all 'control' is relinquished. Just think back to the Prince episode with the 'SLAVE' slogan.

         But, yeah, if you give your stuff away then you should be in full control, simply 'cos no one else would be interested because no money is being made.

         To reiterate, I'm not bothered about where my shit ends up, whether on iTunes or whatever, or how it got there, the original point was more about the fact that I can't find my shit on iTunes and yet people are listening to it there. So as 64 pointed out, Greeny is probably correct in the fact that people are using some kind of iTunes player. And that's the bit that I don't understand, as I said also, I don't get any of this. I don't own an iPod or any kind of mp3 player, I don't own a mobile phone or tablet or anything like that... So my understanding is, wel, er, none existent.

                                                                         henwrench

[AndyR]

(By the way, can someone let me know if I have a big hit and I don't notice it? - I don't really follow "current" popular music culture, and haven't done for 30-odd years, so I'd probably be the last to know!...)

As an artist we should be in control of our music. If we choose to give it away freely, wherever, that's our right but for a 3rd party to do it, without our knowledge - how can that be acceptable?

For me, if a 3rd party gives it away freely (preferably attributed to me, obviously), I'm extremely happy with that.

Claiming it's their own work - not very happy with at all!

Charging for the right to listen to it, after I've given that right away - equally not happy with it. But, unless it's a sizable income, probably not worth the cost of chasing it, from my point of view. I'll just make sure Mrs R doesn't put them on the Christmas Card List...

But, it'll be different for different folks... If I was worried about protecting possible income or trying to start a career based on what I was creating, I'd be thinking somewhat differently.

And on the "As an artist we should be in control of our music" - for me personally, yes I should be, it's just I can't be bothered to try to track it because I don't expect there to be any income! I decided to dump it on a place that said it might dump it somewhere else (attributed to me) - I'm cool with that

And what henny said...

[Greeny]

This world tires me out. It's just one big hustle and hassle. Sometimes it's better not to think about it, 'cause it'll only do your head in.