Magnatune

Did You Know?

• Magnatune has an XML API that enabled integration with media players such as Amarok, Rhythmbox, and Clementine.
• A Slim Devices plugin for Logitech Media Server and a plugin for Songbird are available for Magnatune.
• Clementine added support for Magnatune in version 0.4.

Overview

Magnatune operates under non-exclusive agreements with artists, granting them 50% of proceeds from online sales or licensing—a policy that was unusual for a record label in 2003–2004. Users can stream or download music in MP3 format without digital rights management before deciding whether to purchase. Some free MP3 downloads include Magnatune advertisements. Originally, buyers could purchase individual albums at a price they chose, ranging from US$5 to $18 per album. In March 2010, the label shifted to a subscriptions-only model, requiring a monthly subscription with a three-month minimum, under which subscribers can download unlimited music. Customers may download purchased music in WAV, FLAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, and AAC formats. Magnatune does not use digital rights management and encourages buyers to share up to three copies with friends. All free-of-charge tracks are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. Although liberal licensing was not a new idea, Magnatune was among the first companies to build a music business around it. In August 2006, he launched BookMooch, a for-profit used-book exchange, linking him to the Free Culture movement. Buckman was elected to the Board of Directors of the Electronic Frontier Foundation in September 2007 and became its chairman in February 2010. In April 2015, he started Decent Espresso, a company designing a home espresso machine. Buckman co-authored an article in SysAdmin Magazine and authored one in Linux Journal about Magnatune.