Nearly two years ago, on the occasion of Apple’s iTunes Music Store’s launch in the UK, France and Germany, MyCokeMusic.com sent out press releases boasting of being Europe’s biggest online music store. We hadn’t heard from them since, until today.
Twenty-four months later, MyCokeMusic.com is dead. Until July 31, 2006, MyCokeMusic.com will serve Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Great Britain, and Austria and then, unceremoniously (and, we assume, without a press release), the plug will be mercifully pulled. No new sales will be allowed between now and July 31, 2006.
This morning, MyCokeMusic.com customers received emails stating, “We want to tell you that MyCokeMusic, operated by OD2 (On Demand Distribution), is closing on 31st July 2006. Thank you for using mycokemusic.”
MyCokeMusic explains on their website:
In 2004, the digital music scene was just developing and the only way for Coke to offer access to music downloads was to open our own store. That’s not true today and there is no need for Coke to continue to run a store. The site will close on 31st July 2006. Your credits will expire on 31st July 2006. We recommend that you continue to download your favourite tracks available on mycokemusic.com and use up your existing credit before 31st July 2006.
MyCokeMusic is operated by a company called OD2. Should you wish to move any unused credits to another OD2 service that uses the same file formats we would be happy to do this for you at no additional cost.
All transfer requests must be made by 31st August 2006. After this time any unused credit will be lost.
If you are happy for your account to close on 31st July 2006 we will ensure that your personal data is securely removed from the database and destroyed.
More info: http://www.mycokemusic.com/close_email/faq.html
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Karl” for the heads up.]
Do not taunt Apple iTunes Music Store.
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Everybody wants to be the largest music store but there is only one ITMS.
Drink enough Coke and you will also end up dead.
Re: MyCokeMusic.com
“It’s dead, Jim”
heh, heh, heh….
I don’t think this even constitutes blood on the click wheel.
Bug guts, maybe.
Fiddy Cent say “where my coke music at?”
“If you are happy for your account to close on 31st July 2006 “
If your happy and you know it say “Developers”
“In 2004, the digital music scene was just developing…”. Yeah, except that iTMS had already figured it out and was doing quite well by the time that this contraption was set up.
They’re still around??!!
Alas poor MyCokeMusic.com,
I knew him………….
What ridiculous format is their music in, and how up s__t creek are their users now?
BUY BUY BUY!!
Here’s the form letter, for the convenience of other services going forward.
==========
Dear Customer,
In ____, the digital __________ scene was just developing and the only way for __________ to offer access to __________ downloads was to open our own store. That’s not true today and there is no need for __________ to continue to run a store. The site will close on ____________. Your credits will expire on ____________. We recommend that you continue to download your favourite tracks available on ____________________ and use up your existing credit before ____________.
____________ is operated by a company called ____________. Should you wish to move any unused credits to another ____________ service that uses the same file formats we would be happy to do this for you at no additional cost.
All transfer requests must be made by ____________. After this time any unused credit will be lost.
If you are happy for your account to close on ____________ we will ensure that your personal data is securely removed from the database and destroyed.
==========
The fizz in MyCokeMusic went flat? They’ve been canned? How refreshing! Drink it up, Apple. Grab their liquid assets too when they are off to the pour house.
“In 2004, the digital music scene was just developing and the only way for Coke to offer access to music downloads was to open our own store.” Straw Man?
They’ll probably get more traffic than ever today…
Bit like if there’s a car crash!
Site disclaimer:
“You can no longer purchase credit from mycokemusic. You must be registered at mycokemusic to download. You must be 12 years or over to use mycokemusic. Mac users and some other users are unable to download from mycokemusic. ‘Coca-Cola’ and ‘Coke’ are registered trade marks of The Coca-Cola Company.
Idiots. Stick to sugar water.
From OD2’s site:
“Examples of our blue-chip customers include MSN, KPN-Planet, Coca-Cola, and Wanadoo.”
Oops. Who’s next? MSN?
All their base are belong to us.
I thought MDN was just talling it the iTunes store or iTunes Media Store?
The files were protected WMA.
” . . . the only way for Coke to offer access to music downloads was to open our own store.”
Really? How sad. Pepsi found another way.
So now what happens to download music if some Euro countries force Apple out??
“So now what happens to download music if some Euro countries force Apple out??”
It’ll continue to be available elsewhere; I’ve been using Wippit.com for a few years now and with their prices ranging from 29p – 99p per download plus loads of freebies, I’m suprised Coke lasted as long as they did.
And besides, as far as I can see, Apple still have glaring ommissions when it comes to back catalogue. Aliitle bit of shopping around turns up some great bargains.
iPod + iTunes
Competitors want to be them
Governments think they can change them
“So now what happens to download music if some Euro countries force Apple out??”
That won’t happen. An IP lawyer has said that to force the issue is premature because people define the market in different ways. Do you include piracy or don’t you? If you include piracy, then Apple does not have a dominant position for downloads. You can skew figures to suit your cause.
The competition minister for the European Union also states that Apple earned its market position fairly and in open competition with other services and that this is still a nascent market, so to force the hand of a player that hasn’t abused its position isn’t a wise move at this stage.
The deadline extension given to Apple by Norway seems to be working in Apple’s favour. Now that people have stopped frothing at the mouth are able to think things through a little more calmly, it doesn’t make sense at this time to force interoperability on people. But when they do, I have an Xbox game standing by, so I’ll finally be able to play it in my PS2. Hey, it only seems fair.
MyCokeMusic? Who cares? Another ten-a-penny OD2 storefront. The bigger issue here is that people will ask themselves “What happens when iTunes is no more? Will I be able to transfer my stuff to another service the way I could with [insert dead service name here]?”
My guess is that there is a right time for Apple to open up FairPlay, but we aren’t there yet. Apple might have an overwhelming majority of legal downloads at the moment, but the market is still growing. When the market is big enough and they have firmly established the iPod as a platform (home, cars, commute, workout, possibly even gaming) that others can build on so that it is the first thing people think of, then it can safely be opened up and people willbe able to move their content around to more devices.
Moof!
mw: one as in there can only be one, number 1
In other news, Kate Moss has acquired the URL for MyCokeMusic.com and will be changing it to MyCoke.com, a MySpace-like site for fashion models.
Ampar: Thanks for the yucks. Good jokes!
With Coke.Music gone it’s no longer easy
to rot your ears and your teeth at the same time!