Playlouder was an online music magazine based in London.[1][2] It provided news, reviews, gig-listings, features, and other music-related content. The publisher later moved into providing music access, and claimed to be the world's first music service provider[3] — an Internet service provider bundling access to music content along with broadband Internet access.
 | |
| Editor | Jeremy Allen |
|---|---|
| Categories | Music |
| Founded | 2000 |
| First issue | 22 March 2000 |
| Final issue | 2007 |
| Company | PlayLouder Ltd |
| Based in | United Kingdom |
| Website | www.playlouder.com (defunct) |
The magazine's publishing company presented the world's first virtual music festival in partnership with Glastonbury Festival in 2001, and was the online partner for Glastonbury Festival from 2000, webcasting full performances from bands including Gorillaz, Blur, Basement Jaxx, The White Stripes, Orbital, Coldplay, The Flaming Lips, Sigur Rós, Franz Ferdinand, Muse, and Bloc Party.
History
editPlaylouder was founded in the UK in 2000 by Paul Hitchman and Jim Gottlieb, who ran the record labels Sugar and Candy in the 1990s.[4] It started publication in March 2000.[5] The site included music news, reviews, features and gig-listings.
In 2003 the publisher of Playlouder and the music company Thestate51Conspiracy formed an internet service provider, named Playlouder MSP. It offered broadband internet access combined with unlimited legal music downloading and other music applications for a monthly subscription fee. The service, touted as an alternative to unauthorized file-sharing services, licensed the right for its subscribers to legally share music and in return paid royalties to music rights owners. Dizzee Rascal, The White Stripes, and Stereophonics were early adopters, as well as labels such as Ninja Tune and Beggars Group.[6]
Playlouder MSP was awarded the Popkomm IMEA award for innovation in 2004, later announcing deals with EMI and Sony BMG, as well as the UK indie label association AIM and the UK's leading collection society PRS for Music. Commercial launch of the service was scheduled for the summer of 2007.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ Andrews, Robert (13 August 2008). "ISP's New Music Service Will Pay Labels for 'Illegal' Downloads". The Guardian. London: Guardian News & Media.
- ^ Bisla, Sat (7 January 2005). "Music Without Borders: The Trend Toward Developing Talent Abroad" (PDF). Radio & Records. Los Angeles: R&R, Inc. p. 21. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 May 2023.
- ^ Koranteng, Juliana (8 January 2005). "Newsline". Billboard. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "Beggars: About". Beggars. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ Scott, Ajax, ed. (18 March 2000). "Ex-East West A&R Duo to Launch Alternative Music Internet Portal" (PDF). Music Week. Miller Freeman Entertainment. p. 4.
- ^ Johnson, Bobbie (10 November 2003). "Listening goes legit". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
External links
edit- Official site at archive.today (archived 4 January 2013)
- PlayLouder MSP at archive.today (archived 16 December 2003)