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ONE OF THE first free music streaming services launched is shutting down after losing its long battle with the music industry.
Grooveshark, which allowed users to play any song they wanted without restrictions, has been forced to shut down after losing a long legal battle with the major record companies.
“We started out nearly ten years ago with the goal of helping fans share and discover music,” said the statement. “But despite the best of intentions, we made very serious mistakes. We failed to secure licences from rights holders for the vast amount of music on the service.”
That was wrong. We apologize. Without reservation.
As part of the settlement, Grooveshark has agreed to shut down the service, remove all content from the site, and hand over ownership of its website, apps and intellectual property.
When it was founded in 2006, Grooveshark was one of the first sites to allow people to listen to music on demand for free and had 35 million users at its peak.
Unlike other streaming services, it was users that uploaded music, not the company itself and while that kept it safe from most legal challenges in the beginning – it argued that it was similar to YouTube and was protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act – that didn’t stop numerous record labels from suing the company.
However, while it managed to settle in some cases, the company’s strategy to knowingly upload music first without permission came back to bite them as recent cases ruled in favour of the record labels.
The most recent copyright case found that Escape Media, the company that owned Grooveshark, was liable for up to $736 million (€653 million) in damages.
In its statement, the company encouraged users to “use a licensed service that compensates artists and other rights holders” and help artists and songwriters.
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Pity, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
I just ate a free lunch, the best lunch ive had in a long time!
Ehm, are you new to the internet? Prettry much everything is free if you know where to look.
I bought my lunch. It was also good. Looking forward to my dinner. mmmmm.
what did you have matthew?
Where did who have Matthew?
Yup Spotify Premium (unlimited skips, unlimited playlists etc) & Pandora One is all free if you know where to look. (of course you need to use hola to listen to Pandora as it’s currently blocked here)
TMWNN, they’re watching you.
Where are you using Spotify Premium for free?
Download a modded Apk file and you are good to go…
You have a free internet connection and computer?
Bummer. Grooveshark was browser based so it was handy in an office if you weren’t allowed to install software like Spotify. C’est le vie.
Download it through Firefox and it should work. Did for me anyway.
I’ll say it again. Piracy is destroying the music industry. You trying playing the guitar with a hook..
Nearly ten years building playlists, and all wiped out in one foul swoop!!
@Trevor beale It was a damp squid anyway.
Yes and it can’t be put on “a pedal stool” either….
Do you youngsters realise you can make your own music?
How to get down with the kids Neal.
have your say