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January 01, 2007

Was Geht Ab Mit Rhapsody?

 

 

Music fans, something is amiss. Tonight we celebrated as the ball dropped, but where does one go to find some great music for the occasion into the wee hours of the morning? Not Rhapsody, apparently (thank goodness for dasding.de). I know this is a departure from my usual rants on foreign policy and saving the world, yadda, yadda, but this is big. Well, I should qualify that. "Big" if some of the music you enjoy happens to be electronic (i.e. dance, techno, etc.) and you happen to suffer a singular online addiction: a constant supply of new music.

 

For those unacquainted with electronic music, it is a generally accepted fact that some of the very best in this area comes out of Germany (as well as other points in Europe – much of American electronic music tends more often toward the nonsensical and can be aesthetically quite unpleasing). However, the popular music service Rhapsody has almost no German music available to customers whatsoever, outside of a few strays and crossovers such as Cascada, some folk music and holiday music, and of course the great baroque- and classical-era composers. The non-crossover European electronic music that Rhapsody does carry is often two- to three-years old; so much for blazing a trail, n’est ce pas? As for non-electronic German popular music, only one or two artists can be found (such as Fettes Brot and Wir Sind Helden), filed under no particular category and apparently only available to those who search for the artists by name. Rhapsody of course offers millions of titles often by less-known US indie artists like New Jersey-based One True Thing, or my Nashville friends in Trick Pony, Michelle Gold, or Elizabeth Jordan (though Jordan has written several top singles and in fairness I couldn’t find up-and-coming indie Lisa DeBenedictis).

 

What makes this even more glaring is that Rhapsody music created special sections for popular music from France, the Middle East, Latino artists, the Caribbean, East Asia, Africa, and nearly every other part of the globe. But curiously, nada for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, or Lichtenstein. So what gives?

 

This brings me back to the most serious infraction. This infraction is the naked absence of major German artists from the Rhapsody Electronic music section – a type of music as already mentioned that is virtually dominated by the pace-setting Teutonic artisans. How can anyone take Rhapsody seriously if the company hasn't figured this out?

 

So I’m publicly calling Rhapsody out on the carpet for its shameless omission. These guys must live in a cocoon or something, but we’ll see what they have to say for themselves when they respond to my e-mail, or if, given the pitiful state of customer service these days…

 

 

Posted by Martin at January 1, 2007 04:43 AM

Comments

I had an Italian blogger living in London introduce me to Techno music. I had always thought 'yuck' that would be terrible, but I was wrong. I really enjoyed it and have some albums on my ipod now. For the life of me I can't remember the artist right now. Not enough sleep, ha.

Happy New Year. May you be healthy, happy and most of all ... safe.

Posted by: Debbie at January 1, 2007 07:15 AM

OK I did hear of Trick Pony and have one of their CD's..LOL

HAPPY RAINY NEW YEARS FROM NEW YORK!..lol..:)

Posted by: Angel at January 1, 2007 10:26 AM