Listen to MP3s w/o ticking off the RIAA
 

Ok, so maybe this idea has been explored before, but I've never seen it so I decided to post it here. Since the RIAA has been going nuts over all the mp3 downloading that is going on, how about an alternative? Instead of something like Napster/Kazaa where you could browse artists and songs and DOWNLOAD them to your computer, what about a program that would STREAM them instead?

Rather than the shoutcast model where there is one server serving a constant stream to multiple clients, what about a single client you run on your computer that could stream an mp3 from multiple "servers" (other p2p clients). It would be like "find more sources" in Kazaa.

The way I see the app work is this. You download and install a single p2p app to your computer and tell it where your mp3s are to share them. Then, when you want to play a specific artist, album, or song you enter that in a search box. The program would then try to play it from your local mp3 library (if available), if not, it would find other people running the p2p client and stream it from as many of them it could find. Maybe you could enter a bunch of artists/songs/albums in a "playlist" and create your own "radio" station for yourself with just the songs you like.

I see how this program could be a great promotional source for artists. I know some people are pretty adamant about downloading mp3s and burning their own cd's. All I ever did with Kazaa (before they started suing us) is download the most popular tracks from an artist I had never heard to "preview" their stuff. If I liked it I bought the CD to support them. I don't like how all the websites that you can buy CDs from just let you hear like part of a song or a few songs off an album. I want the whole experience of an album like this software could provide (to see if I wanted to buy it of course).

One problem I wonder about is would this have the same legal problems as downloading even if you aren't "copying" the files (infringing on copy-right laws)? Any ideas/issues would be welcomed. Let me know if you think this is a good idea or why you think it sucks.

This app is kind of a step in the right direction: AjooBlast

RIAA will still hate it, there not making money from it.

However if they made the program one you would need to buy as a one off price... ..they might actualy like it.

Though they will insist on its costing either £500, or they will charge £20 a month.

But then there'd be people recording the broadcast, which would be just like having it dowloaded to the computer.

True, but if you keep it quite, they wont realise for a few years. :D

You'd also have to pay Internet Radio fees, if it wasn't totally illegal (which it still is).

i think the main prob is that you would need a radio liscense.

But its a nice idea, though it would only be worth while for high speed connection users.

nice idea though they could still be saily shared illegally