Simuze: a creative commons music exchange platform

I saw Simuze for the first time at the MKT department of the HKU college in Hilversum last year. I must admit I did look at it with scepsis. My background is from publishing and in publishing copyright is holy and these days it is very strict. So a music service with a distribution on the basis of a creative commons license, looked to me a recipe for bankruptcy.

Simuze is a online music platform for musicians and music lovers. The objective is to distribute the music of musicians through internet. Simuze is distributing music with in mind that present day music lovers are used to free interchange of music on the internet. In this way music lovers can discover, exchange, honour and stimulate the music.

The music of the Simuze service is published under creative commons license; musicians indicate in this way that their music is available under certain conditions and may be copied and distributed. In the meantime Simuze has more than 1.000 pieces of music from 210 artists online per Febr. 2, 2007. Musicians can participate in Simuze easily as there is no ballotage; the music is free and should not be slected on quality. Regardless Simuze has already become an archive of the modern Dutch music.

The site vists have increased dramatically. In 2006 the monthly stats rose from 15.000 visits to 53.000 visists and by 2007 no less than 75.000 visitors come by, listen to the music, download songs and send them on. The service is sponsored by the Open Media Foundation, ISP XS4ALL and Digital Pioneers, a Dutch stimulation fund. Simuze is an open content music community for the exchange of Music, but also for remixing and majoring on the Music.

Simuze is interesting for its licensing policy. The basic idea is that music will be a promotion tool in itself. By picking up the music for free, the artists will be able to earn money in live concerts. No longer will be valid the idea of selling audio CDs. But as music goes around as fast as news items do, this should not be the item to be paid for. It is for the expience of a live concert that people will have to pay for.

Blog Posting Number: 671

Tags: music, creative commons