Popular playlist sharing site Muxtape is down and says that it’s because of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It might have been inevitable but the news will run chills down the spines of countless music sharers. It’s a tragedy, really, and one we hope to see reversed quickly.
Cynics will say they got what they deserved, others will ask why they didn’t monetize as quickly as possible and pay internet radio licensing fees. The company says only that “Muxtape will be unavailable for a brief period while we sort out a problem with the RIAA.”
Earlier today we wrote about the what the ideal music streaming service might look like. Muxtape may not be the strongest contender but it is widely loved for its simplicity.
We’ve written about Muxtape a number of times. By allowing users to upload MP3 files and build simple playlists that anyone could listen to through the austere, oversized interface, the site provided a model user experience through simplicity.
We hope that Muxtape will return, we hope that Pandora will survive, but most of all we hope that the music business can find a way to move forward with its fans so that everyone’s interests can be served in this crazy new era of post-scarcity digital distribution.
