Nicole Gonder, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ruckus Gone, Internet Music Problems Only To Grow

By: Nicole Gonder

Posted: 2/18/09

"Unfortunately the Ruckus Service will no longer be provided. Thanks." The only thing left of the free CD downloading Web site is a blank white page with a few simple graphics slapped on. No longer can college students sign up and download an unlimited number of CDs - guess it's back to illegally downloading music or using Pandora.

According to PC World, the Ruckus Web site was launched in 2004 and provided their service to over 80 campuses, including Longwood. Ruckus was an attempt by the music industry to limit pirated music downloads. Since colleges are usually the worst offenders, the project started by offering free subscriptions to students.

The Ruckus program worked well for me while I lived on campus. It was legal, free and I didn't run the risk of being slapped on the wrist by LU. That happened to one of my friends freshmen year, actually. He downloaded some song through Kazaa and a few days later got a call from the campus police. He walked away with a warning, but it could have been worse. I immediately stopped downloading music from the dorms, but this quickly led to me not listening to music at all. There are only so many times I can listen to the same songs before I start to consider eye gouging as an alternative.

Of course, Ruckus wasn't perfect. Each song contained a DRM, which usually didn't gel with Mac computers or iPods. Since it wasn't possible for subscribers to transfer music from their computer to their music player, the program seemed pointless. Why bother downloading free CDs when you can just get the music for free through something like Limewire?

That is, why bother unless you discover DRM-ripping software online. Now, before the proper authorities rappel from the ceiling and arrest me, I would like to point out that the software is technically legal. It only removes DRMs from songs that you already own. Technically, once I download any song from Ruckus, it's mine. Or at least, was. At this point, why bother fighting about it anyway? Ruckus is dead, and I swear to never download music illegally, winkwink nudgenudge.

Jason Herskowitz, TotalMusic's vice president of product management, commented on his blog, "I only hope that someone else figures out how to crack this music-on-the-web nut in a way that is a win for everyone in the value chain. The problem is that to make a music service a win for everyone, then they all of the famished participants have to sit at the table - and be content to let all the others have a little bit to eat, even though they are still hungry themselves."

Herskowitz had only been there for three months before the company went under, and he blames Ruckus' collapse on the poor economy. Ruckus' fall is already starting to raise questions about the longevity of other ad-supported free music software. Pandora, while a nice way to discover new music, also shares some of Ruckus' issues. Not only can you not add MP3s to your iPod, but you also can't download any songs in the first place.

This issue will probably grow in the next few years to come as the music industry continues to battle against music piracy. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is still performing witch hunts and "making examples" of illegal downloaders, so watch out. According to the RIAA Web site, global music piracy causes $12.5 billion in economic losses every year, including 71,060 U.S. jobs lost, a loss of $2.7 billion in workers' earnings, and a loss of $422 million in tax revenues, $291 million in personal income tax and $131 million in lost corporate income and production taxes. Hopefully another Web site or music provider will step up to help relieve the stress caused by music piracy.