Monday, June 07, 2004

I've mentioned Creative Commons before, but today I'm pleased to mention them in an official capacity. My company, GarageBand, now offers the Creative Commons license as an option for songs hosted on our site. So far the response has been positive. 

At GarageBand, nearly 100 thousand bands can choose from 5 different levels of download permissions, now including the option to offer their songs for *sharing* in a legally clear manner. A few of our members (presumably proponents of "free" music) have even suggested that we force all uploaded songs under this license. However, we have opted for the more grassroots process of voluntary action on the part of the people creating the music.Still, just because of the size of our catalog, GarageBand may now be the largest source of P2P safe music in the world.

As a side note: allow me to comment of members of the free content movement who call for the legal dismatling of tyrannical media corporations. This "I want my MTV for free" attitude amounts to tyranny of a different sort. If people really want free music, and free music is a morally valid thing, then they should have no problem convincing independent musicians to offer thier creations freely. Most of the music being created right now, in fact most of the music ever created, is not in the hands of the media corporations. So the challenge is to convince these currently independent music makers that CC is better. GarageBand and Creative Commons have given them the choice, but it is up to individual listeners to convince them it is a good thing.

ADDED: Some links to the other blogs on the subject

Joi Ito
thedigitalmusicweblog