MP3tunes has filed for bankruptcy protection after years of withering legal attacks. Sixteen years ago as the founder of MP3.com I championed the concept that personal music collections would move from stacks of CDs to the PC. A decade later I launched MP3tunes with the vision that digital music libraries would move from the PC to the cloud.
One and a half years into that mission, EMI Records sued MP3tunes alleging we were massive infringers. Nearly four years later a judge found the exact opposite — that MP3tunes did not promote infringement. EMI spent an estimated $10 million dollars with multiple law firms to arm their attack.
It's disappointing anytime a company doesn't succeed. But today iTunes DRM is dead, music lockers are solidly legal, and people can upload their music to Google, Amazon and others and listen anywhere. Alas MP3tunes will not benefit from this new world but consumers will. Onward.
--MR
