Qtrax announces deal with Universal for free music downloads

It's taken a few months for Qtrax to actually score a contract with one of the major labels after announcing in January that it would offer free, legal downloads of over 25 million tracks, but it looks like the company has finally succeeded in spearing itself a whale. Universal is the first major on board, joining bankrupt indie TVT, and Qtrax says the deal is for "all" of Universal's music. Of course, in true Qtrax form, there might not actually be a contract yet -- Universal spokespeople would only confirm an "agreement," but "declined to elaborate or to say whether a contract has been signed." Sigh. Well, the first one's always the hardest, right?

[Thanks, Steve Z.]

[Mile @ May 7th 2008 2:08PM]

How do I change my profile pic?

[Ridgecity @ May 7th 2008 3:08PM]

click on your picture and enter your profile.

[markmox @ May 7th 2008 2:10PM]

we will wait and see, this could be huge if it were true. burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me.

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 2:12PM]

burn me thrice, shame on.... Steve?

[Anonymoose @ May 7th 2008 2:21PM]

uhh, i thought this was what bittorrent was for?

[Zak @ May 7th 2008 2:23PM]

So you think stealing music is the same thing as music being legally offered for free?

[r3loaded @ May 7th 2008 2:33PM]

Yes, except Qtrax comes with free DRM. Enjoy!

[Anonymoose @ May 7th 2008 2:51PM]

whooooaa, what are these still doing in my pockets?

*takes out \sarcasm from pockets*

[fanman @ May 7th 2008 3:08PM]

I suppose you could make a point of torrenting and Qtraxing the same songs simultaneously, so you get add, DRM and cost free music with the artist still getting paid.

[Papa G @ May 7th 2008 5:49PM]

Wait wait, so wait...these will have DRM? If so...SCREW DAT! KEEP THE TORRENTS LIVING!

[fanman @ May 7th 2008 2:22PM]

Meh, I've lost interest in Qtrax

[Mile @ May 7th 2008 2:32PM]

Never mind.

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 2:37PM]

look! the robot jumped out of its thread!

[Backwards People @ May 7th 2008 2:33PM]

These media companies are ridiculous.

Track record so far: Killed Napster. Killed HD-DVD. Now attempting to kill QTRAX.

Well, if NBC is comfortable with Zunes Marketplace, perhaps we'll have two big services in 10 years: iTunes and Zunes MP

[Papa G @ May 7th 2008 5:54PM]

Umm, don't forget Rhapsody.

[Socioguy @ May 7th 2008 8:26PM]

Keep a' fightin' Amazon. No DRM = awesome!

[Marshal Willenholly @ May 7th 2008 2:37PM]

Now if they can just kill iTunes...

[Gav @ May 7th 2008 2:46PM]

http://new.umusic.com/News.aspx?NewsId=624

For the full story.

[roger newman @ May 7th 2008 2:58PM]

QTrax - chrome://performancing/content/editor/engadget.com/tag/qtrax wtf?

[Ridgecity @ May 7th 2008 3:06PM]

well, the Universal president wants Steve Jobs out of the music business, so he will do whatever it takes to beat itunes, but can he do it?

[Zak @ May 7th 2008 3:42PM]

No. The head of Universal is an idiot. That should have been made clear by now.

[Sam Zebian @ May 7th 2008 3:19PM]

Is it going to be DRMed?? Doomed Rights that are Mismanaged? (I couldn't come up with anything better)

[Eliot Van Buskirk @ May 7th 2008 4:53PM]

When I asked Universal Music "Can you confirm that Universal Music Group signed a deal with Qtrax?" they responded, "Yes, Eliot, we did."

Read more here:
http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/05/qtrax-inks-deal.html

Cheers,
Eliot Van Buskirk
Listening Post
Wired.com

[Nilay Patel @ May 7th 2008 4:56PM]

Same guy you asked declined to confirm with the AP, weird. Totally in character for Qtrax, though.

[madgamer @ May 7th 2008 5:57PM]

Iif you are a college student or someone with a .edu email address you can already get music from pretty much all the major labels for free from ruckus.com . I guess this could bring that to the masses though.

[Cliffe @ May 23rd 2008 3:21AM]

Last month I released Politics Apocalypse, a full length album using the creative commons licence attribution 3.0. This allows you to use the music however you please (including in commercial projects) so long as you give credit. Since last month we have had over 3000 album downloads.

We accept donations, and we have a name-your-own-price CD; which is a unique concept where you can name your own price (starting at cost price) for a CD. We have had some orders and heaps of positive feedback.

The album is political post-industrial rock with an interesting mix of classical instruments, guitars, electronic beats, and a dash of aussie hip-hop.

You can download the whole 11 track album for free at our website.
http://www.politicsapocalypse.com