mmr07: swiss unsigned bands site mx3

Mx9 mx3 was set up by five Swiss public service radio stations. It allows unsigned bands in Switzerland to post their content online. In the first few days following the launch in September over 1000 bands signed up and started uploading content – which is ALOT of music for Switzerland. They’re up to (28/03/07) 4700 bands and 12,500 songs.

They put their success down to three things:

  • good design – fast page loads and ease of use for bands; allows bands to link to online shops where they sell their music
  • “surf with music” – makes it easy for people to “surf music” by browsing, with powerful search and categorisation features, share with friends, etc
  • radios – bands know they can get their content on air (5 different stations) by uploading to the site
  • Samuel Vuillermoz and Dominik Born, who are giving the presentation on behalf of two of the 5 radio stations involved in the project, say that based on the number of bands uploading to their service, if it were rolled out across all of the EU it would have something like 250,000 bands contributing.

    Why not just use myspace? They wanted to create something that was based in Switzerland for Swiss bands and audiences.

    Interestingly, there is no Digital Rights Management and they’re streaming 128k mp3.

    PS. Looks like Hilary, who gave the earlier BBC in Second Life presentation, is blogging it. I found her on Twitter too.