Majors and independant music labels still not available in most EU countries

[Xavier Guillot]

Hello,

The Ubuntu One Music Store, integrated in Rhythmbox via 7Digital service, is launched since more than 2 years now, and it is a good offer for those who want to legally buy music, store it and synchronize between computer and smartphone.

I pay for the second year the Ubuntu One service, to have backup and music streaming.

It works fine, but there is a big problem. I live in France, and most of the majors / independant labels are NOT available for purchase in Rhythmbox Ubuntu One Music Store ! There are only for users in USA, United Kingdom and Germany :

https://one.ubuntu.com/help/faq/what-regions-of-the-world-are-able-to-purchase-songs/

This is completely stupid, in 2012, as there is no technical reason for that : music comes without DRM, it works fine in UK / USA / Germany. Also french website of 7Digital has all the music labels.

But why not Ubuntu One ? Sony Music, Universal and lots of independant labels are not in Ubuntu One Store. Warner is, but the most recent albums (2010-2012) do not appear for french people.

I made a complete explanation in this PDF document (12 Mo) : http://ur1.ca/a2yw9

It's in french but easily understandable as there are many screenshots.

To resume : if I connect with my normal french IP address, I have access to quasi-no artist. If I use a VPN with a UK IP, there it's perfect, all the majors / independant labels and artists are available for purchase.

So : there must be a problem of rights management and authorization for geographical zones between Canonical, 7Digital and music labels, but since 2 years nobody can answer my questions.

On 26th November 2011, on the "Capitole du Libre" party, MM. Rick Spencer (who made a conference) and Didier Roche from Canonical where there, I asked them who in Canonical was in charge of such negociations with 7Digital / music labels, they did not know.

Today Ubuntu is a mature, perfect operating system in order to work, play, chat, have a full multimedia experience : there is no reason that french or other european clients are excluded from legal music offer - and Canonical could earn more money if Ubuntu One Store was worldwide available.

Today, I have a discussion with a french music group, Tryo, to whom I reported the problem : I can not buy its last album (27th August 2012) from french Rhythmbox store. There are the first to answer me :

https://twitter.com/valeryan24/status/243620656372146176

I explained him the difference between website and Ubuntu One Music Store, he reported the problem to Sony Music, I hope to get an answer soon. But what contact should I give them at Canonical / 7Digital to help resolving this annoying bug ?

Thanks in advance.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Xavier Guillot (valeryan-24)]

An answer received from Sony Music France (via Tryo group and Twitter) tells that reason for unavailability is that : Ubuntu One Music Store did NOT ask the major for an agreement to sell Sony artists in France in the Rhythmbox store...

So what now ? Canonical said in April 2010 they would analyse the market and decide to extend the store in other countries.

Is it really Canonical who didn't ask ? Or problem with 7Digital ? Or majors which did not authorize ?

Ubuntu is "Linux for human being", right ? So why exclude all the people except USA, United Kingdom and Germany ???

Please is it possible to get an answer, I'm asking since 2 years !

[Tommy_CZ (t-kijas)]

Major of major artists are not avaliable too. Rolling stones? Queen? (!!!), Lady Gaga? (:D) etc.
Are you really sure sb will go to Ubuntu One music store when nothing except milions of revival artists are there?

[Tommy_CZ (t-kijas)]

Gotye&Kimbra - Somebody I used to know for example? No real version, 7 cover versions from someone else.
FUN. ? Nothing
Rihanna ? Nothing
Christina Aguilera ? Nothing
Black eyed peas ? Nothing
U2 ? Nothing
Florence + The machine? Nothing
...
and I can continue. I like the idea of Ubuntu Music store, but the lack of world's best music lower its value and ability to present Ubuntu as a multimedia OS.

[Xavier Guillot (valeryan-24)]

Yes, except if you live in United Kingdom, Germany or USA, other customers and Ubuntu users have only access to some songs (not all ) from Warner and EMI, but NOT to all independant labels and 2 main majors, Universal and Sony Music.

Majority of the artists can not be purchased with Ubuntu One Music Store, even if you pay the Music streaming fee.

That's a pity, especially as Ubuntu is now available on smartphones and tablets (Nexus), and users would like to have a full convergence between all the devices.

I'm waiting in the next days an answer to know with more precision where is the blocking, which is economic (amount Canonical is asked to provide the store through Ubuntu): majors, 7Digitals or others...

[JOAQUIN (joaguigon)]

This bug also affects to me since Spain is also included in the EU Store... :(