Probably around the time when the internet became a thing. I’ve always lived a rather private life. Not a lot of fanfare, I just need the basics. Then I started a fully licensed internet radio station, promoting indie music. At the time I probably had 4k - 5k listeners a day. This was back in the pre-Napster era and Napster was just starting to get popular. So, I self hosted and automated the entire set up. When I was at work, everything operated like a terra-radio station would, with announcer drop ins, promo drop ins, multiple playlists that would randomly select maybe 5 songs from the top 50 list, 5 or 6 songs from the ‘b’ side and deep cuts, etc. I honestly had a blast and I was doing it all out of my own pocket. I personally feel enriched by the experience. I got to work with a lot of companies like the now defunct MP3.com, and others.
Then the RIAA got involved and deemed internet radio the same as illegal downloads off of Napster, even tho we paid ASCAP, BMI, SESAC et al, licenses. and fees A bunch of us went to Washington to plead our case for internet radio in front of a special panel, but in the end, the RIAA made it so difficult, with fees that didn’t even apply to terra-radio. A big swath of us just went dark. We just couldn’t cough up the additional required fees and such. That was by design tho from the RIAA itself. I will say tho, that if Shawn Fanning had not have scripted Napster, I think the music industry on the internet would look quite different than it does today. He pushed the envelope.
Probably around the time when the internet became a thing. I’ve always lived a rather private life. Not a lot of fanfare, I just need the basics. Then I started a fully licensed internet radio station, promoting indie music. At the time I probably had 4k - 5k listeners a day. This was back in the pre-Napster era and Napster was just starting to get popular. So, I self hosted and automated the entire set up. When I was at work, everything operated like a terra-radio station would, with announcer drop ins, promo drop ins, multiple playlists that would randomly select maybe 5 songs from the top 50 list, 5 or 6 songs from the ‘b’ side and deep cuts, etc. I honestly had a blast and I was doing it all out of my own pocket. I personally feel enriched by the experience. I got to work with a lot of companies like the now defunct MP3.com, and others.
Then the RIAA got involved and deemed internet radio the same as illegal downloads off of Napster, even tho we paid ASCAP, BMI, SESAC et al, licenses. and fees A bunch of us went to Washington to plead our case for internet radio in front of a special panel, but in the end, the RIAA made it so difficult, with fees that didn’t even apply to terra-radio. A big swath of us just went dark. We just couldn’t cough up the additional required fees and such. That was by design tho from the RIAA itself. I will say tho, that if Shawn Fanning had not have scripted Napster, I think the music industry on the internet would look quite different than it does today. He pushed the envelope.