1. This partnership has the potential to steal market share from Apple, I mean MTV can advertise this service all day everyday... but they'll need to partner with a digital music player maker AND provide a seamless store/player experience (maybe with the CREATIVE cry babies) to do any REAL (pun intended) damage to Apple.

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Musica360.com

2. This is almost guaranteed to change the music download landscape. MTV has the opportunity to not only promote the service on MTV, VH1 and CMT, they also have leverage to require artists to carry URGE compatible players. The MTV concert tours will be sponsored by URGE, with the potential for exclusive live tracks. And it won't be long before we see 50 Cent with URGE compatible players in every new video.

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Jake Ludington

3. i don't think it will be as dramatic as "almost guaranteed to change the music download landscape". Sure they can advertise it all day long, but the market their targeting, the "MTV Generation" is also the "iPod Generation", least we forget. I've been on the bus and seen a group of friends taunting one of their members who had an mp3 player that wasn't an iPod like the rest of them had. If you don't get this fact, then you're not really in touch with what's going on. The iPod is not just a music player but it has become a "status" symbol as well.

This is not going to be something easily changed just because MTV advertises it night and day and sponsors tours. The fact that the MTV service won't work with the iPod Generation's choice of digital music players will hinder any rapid adpoption of the service by those who own iPods (75% of the market).

As far as REQUIRING aritst to carry URGE compatible players. Will Never Happen! I'd like to see MTV telling 50 Cent that "he's required to carry an URGE player". Those who think that will happen, obviously, you don't understand 50 Cent or artists in general. Artists don't like to be TOLD WHAT TO DO.

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Musica360.com

4. First of all 50 Cent is not an "artist". And secondly, I couldn't help but laugh at the last post, saying that he saw someone being taunted by their friends for having a non-eye-plod player. How horrible it must be, to feel so insecure about yourself, and to care so much about what others think about you, that you have to "get what they've got" - even if it costs more and has poorer sound quality and fewer features than other players. I'm sure if some of the better-looking eye-plod fashionistas started jumping off cliffs and committing suicide with their eye-plods, the trend would no-doubt take hold, and the sad armies of insecure, confused lemmings would follow. What a hollow existence......

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by esskay

5. Obviously you were never a teenager. Remember Guess? jeans? Or Swatch watches? iPods are like that. It will pass, but not for a while.

This is bad news for Real/Rhapsody. Their stock took a dive today.

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Sharky Laguana

6.

DAmn, someone must have forgotten what it is to be a teenager. Not saying that everyone bows to peer pressure, but it's a very real factor at that age in most things. So laugh if you will, hopefully you're not one of the people trying to market to this age range because your statements show just how out of touch you are....

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by cartel

7. Yes, I was a teenager, and on the contrary I'm quite in touch. The original post from Musica360.com never said these "friends" who were taunting the non-eye-plod person were teenagers, first of all. Hell, they probably were. I fully understand teenage peer pressure and the they-have-it-so-I-have-to-have-it-too phase that teenagers go through. The problem is that most adults behave this way too, and my comment is that it's just plain sad. Most adults are as insecure about themselves as teenagers are and feel the need to be fulfilled by having what others have. Case in point, a few years ago someone decided it was hip and cool to wear bowling shoes around town. So immediately others bought bowling shoes. Be yourself already!! WHO CARES what others think about you. If most folks were comfortable in their own shoes (bowling or not) and confident about who they are, they wouldn't feel the need to buy bowling shoes, or whatever else the "mob" buys. The eye-plod phenomenon is a style phenomenon (style is more important than music), and most style is fad/trend based - where the followers thereof just feel empty and insecure. Yes, including most adults.

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by esskay

8. Yes, I was a teenager, and on the contrary I'm quite in touch. The original post from Musica360.com never said these "friends" who were taunting the non-eye-plod person were teenagers, first of all. Hell, they probably were. I fully understand teenage peer pressure and the they-have-it-so-I-have-to-have-it-too phase that teenagers go through. The problem is that most adults behave this way too, and my comment is that it's just plain sad. Most adults are as insecure about themselves as teenagers are and feel the need to be fulfilled by having what others have. Case in point, a few years ago someone decided it was hip and cool to wear bowling shoes around town. So immediately others bought bowling shoes. Be yourself already!! WHO CARES what others think about you. If most folks were comfortable in their own shoes (bowling or not) and confident about who they are, they wouldn't feel the need to buy bowling shoes, or whatever else the "mob" buys. The eye-plod phenomenon is a style phenomenon (style is more important than music), and most style is fad/trend based - where the followers thereof just feel empty and insecure. Yes, including most adults.

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by esskay

9. I agree with esskay, the IPod, although an attractive device, is inferior in sound quality and features to other players, and cost more. But MTV has made music a visual thing, which has changed the way we look at everything. I love rock bands who go onstage dressed in wrinkly jeans and t-shirts. They're usually the best live bands and the most talented musicians because they could care less what they look like, it's about how they sound. Music is for the ears. Most Apple fans in general care more about being "in" or hip and trendy, and about how their computer or device looks rather than how good it is or if was the best deal. It is kinda sad, but followers will always be followers...

Posted at 6:00AM on Dec 19th 2005 by earson_eyesoff