Digital Audio Insider -- the economics of music and other digital content

home

about/contact
Digital Audio Insider is David Harrell's blog about the economics of music and other digital content. I write from the perspective of a musican who has self-released four albums with the indie rock band the Layaways.

My personal website has links to my LinkedIn and Google+ pages and you can send e-mail to david [at] thelayaways [dot] com.

Support
If you enjoy this site, please consider downloading a Layaways track or album from iTunes, Amazon MP3, Bandcamp, or eMusic. CDs are available from CD Baby and Amazon.

links

music/media/tech:
Analog Industries
Ars Technica
AppleInsider
Brad Sucks Blog
Broken Record
Digital Music News
Duke Listens
Future of Music Coalition Blog
Hypebot
LA Times Technology Blog
The ListeNerd
Medialoper
Mediashift
MP3 Insider
Music Ally
Music Machinery
Music Think Tank
MusicTank
The Music Void
New Music Strategies
Online Fandom
Pakman's Blog
RAIN
Rough Type
RoughlyDrafted
Swindleeeee
TuneTuzer
Virtual Economics

economics/markets:
The Big Picture
Core Economics
Freakonomics
The Long Tail
Marginal Revolution
The Undercover Economist

mp3/music:
17 Dots
3hive
Fingertips
Shake Your Fist
Sounds Like the 80s
Unleash the Love

archives
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
July 2011
August 2011
September 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011
January 2012
February 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
August 2012
October 2012
November 2012
December 2012
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
June 2013
August 2013
February 2014
March 2014
September 2014
December 2014
March 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
October 2016
May 2017

October 18, 2011

Two Quick Thoughts About ReDigi
by David Harrell

A couple things that surprised me about the launch of ReDigi, the platform for buying and selling "used" digital music tracks:

1. No Lawsuits
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that someone is making a strong stand for establishing a "first sale" right for digital goods. (ReDigi's FAQ section makes it clear that the firm believes the first sale doctrine gives it legal cover.) And I've long believed that digital albums are overpriced relative to CDs, given the lack of resale value. But I'm amazed that ReDigi has made it this far without being sued by the major labels or music publishers. As I noted earlier in the year, the user agreements for Amazon MP3 and eMusic prohibit the transfer of purchased music files to other parties. (I couldn't find explicit language in the iTunes user agreement forbidding the transfer of files to another party, but I assume it's in there somewhere.) It seems extremely unlikely that the labels and publishers won't soon file lawsuits. Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe contacted the RIAA, Sony Music, and Warner Music but couldn't get anyone to comment on ReDigi.

2. The Prices
If you're selling a used car with zero miles on the odometer, you'd probably ask for something close to the price of a new one, and there's obviously no wear and tear on a digital file. Yet while the "starting at 59 cents" prices at ReDigi are a healthy discount from a $1.29 or 99-cent download, in many cases you could buy the same tracks "new" for less at eMusic, which has tens of thousands of digital tracks available for 49 cents. I suppose, however, there's only so low ReDigi can go with prices, as it has to charge enough to make selling your digital tracks an attractive option.

Labels: digital music pricing, first sale doctrine, ReDigi, used digital content

link 5 comments e-mail listen to the Layaways on Spotify

Follow @digitalaudio

More Digital Audio Insider: Newer Posts Older Posts

Subscribe:

RSS Feed

Add this blog to Del.icio.us, Digg, or Furl. Follow David Harrell on Google+.

The Digital Audio Insider Twitter feed:

Apple stock analysis

Digital music jobs: Looking to hire? Looking for a job? Check out the digital audio insider job board.

THE LAYAWAYS

Out Now -- "Maybe Next Year" -- The New Holiday Album:

"This is a sweet treat, deliciously musical without being overbaked for mass media consumption." -- Hyperbolium

"Perfect listening to accompany whatever holiday preparations you may be making today." -- Bag of Songs

O Christmas Tree - free mp3 lyrics and song details
Away In A Manger - free mp3

Download from eMusic, iTunes, Amazon MP3, or Bandcamp. Listen to free streams at Last.fm.

"...about as melodic and hooky as indie pop can get." -- Absolute Powerpop

"Their laid-back, '60s era sounds are absolutely delightening." -- 3hive

"...melodic, garage-influenced shoegaze." -- RCRD LBL

Where The Conversation Ends - free mp3
January - free mp3
Keep It To Yourself - free mp3

Download from eMusic, iTunes, Amazon MP3, or CD Baby, stream it at Last.fm or Napster.

"The Layaways make fine indie pop. Hushed vocals interweave with understated buzzing guitars. The whole LP is a revelation from the start." -- Lost Music

"Catchy Guided by Voices-like rockers who lay it on sweetly and sincerely, just like Lionel Richie." -- WRUV Radio

Silence - free mp3 lyrics and song details
The Long Night - free mp3

Download from eMusic, Amazon MP3, or iTunes, stream it at Last.fm, Napster, or Rhapsody.

"These are songs that you want to take home with you, curl up with, hold them close -- and pray that they are still with you when you wake up." -- The Big Takeover

Let Me In - free mp3
Ocean Blue - free mp3

Download from eMusic, Amazon MP3, or iTunes, stream it at Last.fm, Napster, or Rhapsody.

More Layaways downloads:

the layaways website