Cingular to help MySpace bands create, sell ringtones
By Evan Blass 
posted Apr 7th 2006 7:30PM
posted Apr 7th 2006 7:30PM
All those MySpace groups who don't end
up winning Verizon's "Calling All
Bands" contest will still have a wireless carrier-sponsored shot at stardom thanks to a new service called
Cingular Mobile Music Studio that will turn their songs into ringtones available for purchase from the band's MySpace
page. Any MySpace-accredited artist or band whose songs consist of original material may submit one track to project
manager InfoSpace for consideration, and if deemed appropriate, it will be transformed into a 30-second downloadable
ringtone. Artists will get 25% of the $2.50 that each 'tone will cost, and receive their cut as a check in the mail
every quarter as long as revenues for that period exceed $100. This is the second major partnership between Cingular
and MySpace, with the carrier's subscribers already able to receive text alerts when someone leaves a comment on their
page, and one of several pushes the social networking site has made into the mobile space.[Via Seattle Times]
What a freakin' rip-off! It's not bad enough that RIAA is ripping off musicians, now the cell phone companies are doing their best to do so! 25% !? Can you believe this crap? I mean, it's as if the artists put a quarter of the effort into CREATING the music, and Cingular puts 75% into MAKING A FREAKIN RINGTONE OUT OF IT!
This is the worst possible form of exploitation I've seen in a while. If I was a band on MySpace, I'd GLADLY turn down such "Generocity" from Cingular... Don't even get me started on the PRICE for a ringtone - a FULL Song can be had for a US Dollar on iTunes, and most new phones have mp3 playback capability (and at least enough storage memory for 1 song), so how on this world do the cell phone company get off wanting to charge $2.50 FOR A RINGTONE?!
I agree, it is a freakin rip off, but on the other hand, it is nice to see Cingular "helping" no-name bands get a presence...
eh, beats verizons 4 dollar ones. definatly still a ripoff but it will gradually get better year after year as cell phones are more capable of home-made ringtones. i just use my treo and a ringtone program that does mp3s that i purchase, and chop them down. so easy
www.mynumo.com does this for Cingular and T-Mobile with Sprint coming soon.
Not just for ringtones, but for wallpapers and videos too.
Check it out.
www.mynumo.com is already doing this on Cingular, T-Mobile, and (soon) Sprint ... not just for Ringtones ... but for wallpapers and videos too. Cool tools too.
Running NOW, check it out.
Good idea Cingular....
Keep up the good work Cingular, we always need people like you around.
Keep up the good work Cingular, we always need people like you around.Great stuff