8tracks brings back the mixtape, but makes it easier to create and share than the painstaking process people in the 80’s and 90’s took. Though it’s become simpler, it’s still a labor of love and even more so because you know your blend has the potential to reach thousands or maybe even 10’s of thousands.
Something has been lost along the way to where we sit now. The ease with which we can share a song, a picture or a story has opened up the world, but it’s also enclosed us and locked us in the proverbial internet closet. 8tracks brings a little bit of the nostalgic past back. Those who create the mixes, for the most part, are really sitting down and putting a little piece of heart into the work. Every time you listen to a mix you’re getting a small private glimpse into the mix’s creator.
What continues to intrigue me with 8tracks is the business model. Most of the music in the mixes is likely created from pirated mp3’s, but 8tracks pays royalty to record companies. So we have here a case where stolen music is actually making money for the record companies and artists. It’s an interesting model and makes me wonder about other potential avenues for pirated content to make money for producers and creators. Perhaps the Big Boys should consider the problem and come up with creative ways to make money in this not-so-brave new world, than suing downloaders for ridiculous sums.
Gizbeat heartily suggests you take a look and listen. Better yet, join in and share a piece of you with the world.
Plain and simple, 8tracks has brought music back into the limelight of my life. While Spotify, Pandora and last.fm battle it out for first, 8tracks is the little engine that could – trudgin’ along and making everybody who takes a ride, happy.
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