illusionofjoy | The fate of Division, etc.

As many of you are aware, I've been planning to release a new album entitled Division sometime early next year (January, preferably). As with my previous two releases, Crystalline and Bitter, I had planned on releasing Division through MP3.com's on-demand CD-pressing services. This will not be possible, however, as I received an email from MP3.com yesterday; excerpts of said email follow:

CNET Networks, Inc announced today that it has acquired certain assets of MP3.com, Inc.

Please be advised that on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at 12:00 PM PST the MP3.com website will no longer be accessible in its current form.

Following a transition period, CNET Networks, Inc. plans to introduce new and enhanced artist services.

[...]

Your personal information, music, images, related content or other information will not be transferred to CNET Networks, Inc. or any other third party.

MP3.com's content administration tools will remain available until the site is redirected on December 2, 2003. Please note, however, that promptly following the removal of the MP3.com website, all content will be deleted from our servers and all previously submitted tapes, CD-ROMs and other media in our possession will be destroyed. We recommend that you make alternative content hosting arrangements as soon as practicable.

Please remember to update or remove all links and references to the URL www.mp3.com. Additionally if you would like a historical record of your page, we recommend that you capture screen shots of the page as well as your artist statistics pages since they will no longer be available once the site goes offline.

MP3.com stopped collecting monthly fees for Gold and Platinum Artist Service subscriptions as of November 3, 2003. For any monthly Gold or Platinum Artist Service subscription fees MP3.com received during the period beginning October 13, 2003 and ending November 2, 2003, MP3.com will be issuing a refund that will be prorated to reflect a termination of the subscription as of November 2, 2003. For any previously paid annual Gold and Platinum subscription fees MP3.com has received during 2003, MP3.com will be issuing a refund that will be prorated to reflect a termination of the subscription as of November 2, 2003. Any artists who subscribed to the Platinum or Gold Artist Service after November 2, 2003 will receive a full refund of any fees paid.

If you subscribe to any other MP3.com services, you will receive separate email messages with specific information about refunds and service availability.

Participants in the truSONIC Business Music Service program will be receiving an email update about the process for their continued participation in that program.

All content uploads will cease immediately. Approvals of previously uploaded content will continue through Friday, November 14, 2003.

CDs will be available for purchase through Monday, November 17, 2003 at 12:00 PM PST.

MP3.com will perform a final artist accounting and check distribution on or around December 1, 2003. Any artist account with a balance of at least $25.00 will qualify to receive a payment in the final artist accounting (reduced from the usual requirement of $50.00). Payment of CD royalties will be included in the final artist accounting. If you anticipate a payment, please verify and update your artist account and contact information no later than November 20, 2003. Click here for help updating your contact information.

[...]

On behalf of all of us at MP3.com we thank you for your patronage and continued support. It has been a privilege to host one of the largest and most diverse collections of music in the world. MP3.com wishes to express its sincere thanks to each of you for making our website an important part of your musical journey. We wish you continued success.

Sincerely,
MP3.com

I believe that the message speaks for itself. Division will not be released via MP3.com. Furthermore, my other two discs will be officially "out of print" in less than two days. I would suggest that if you were ever planning on buying Crystalline or Bitter, now would be the time to do it. I have no plans of re-releasing either disc in the near future.

I am, however, looking into alternate means of releasing Division. Frankly, I find the suddenness of this announcement as vexing as the announcement itself. MP3.com's on-demand CD manufacturing service was invaluable to artists such as myself who are generally confined to studio projects, and who do not make a great amount of revenue from their music (my following isn't even big enough to classify as a cult - it's more akin to "a group of wackos," if we're to use references to adherence to dogmatic principles). If I can find a service similar to the one I was using, I will most likely go with it. Else, I will find another way to release this album.

Stay tuned.