For months, we've had a new, modern version of Name That Tune. It's, "Name Which Company's Getting Into Music Downloads Next." Right, that's a mouthful, but you get the point. The latest company to test the concept is Internet powerhouse eBay
eBay's six-month test is hardly surprising, given word from current musical powerhouse Apple
The number of corporate heavyweights from all walks of life that want a piece of music-download mania is staggering. It's not only musically inclined companies like Sony
eBay's previous caution in this area has been widely noted today, and it's not surprising given the possible snags regarding copyrighted material. It also warned users against fraudulent pop-ups or spam advertising its downloads.
Of course eBay is a force to be reckoned with. It has made it possible for customers from all walks of life to buy and sell items that run the gamut from run-of-the-mill to necessary to hard-to-find collectibles, all for a "deal" via virtual yard sale.
However, while eBay definitely has masses on its side, whether it's truly tuned into the musical audience may be another story. eBay's major rep is for hunting down obscure collectibles, like maybe "Spaced Out: The Very Best of Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner" on vinyl. Sure, it can peddle downloads, but I'm uncertain that it would be any more of a runaway success than any other big consumer name that gets into the ring.
The Internet retailer that truly has the music cred, of course, is Amazon.com
In fact -- let's face it -- Amazon knows what you want. If Amazon starts selling digital downloads -- and now it seems only a matter of time -- get ready for a possible major shift in musical muscle.
What other companies have jumped on the music-downloading bandwagon? Here's some Fool coverage on some of the other big names getting into the biz:
Motley Fool Stock Advisor marked eBay and Amazon as Internet winners when who would sink or swim was still anybody's guess. What other companies have Tom and David Gardner marked for success? Try a risk-free subscription for six months. Or, sound off about eBay's dip into digital downloads on the Fool's eBay discussion board.
Alyce Lomax does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned.