TuneTribe

Infobox Online music service
service_name = TuneTribe
service_
service_

opened = July, 2005
pricing = variable
platforms = MP3s downloadable in any platform; WMAs downloadable for Microsoft Windows only
format = MP3, WMA
restrictions = DRM restrictions on WMA files
catalogue = 600,000+
preview = 30 seconds
protocol = Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http://)
availability = MP3: Worldwide
WMA: UK only
features = Editorial, artist playlists, recommendations powered by Last.FM
support =
homepage = [http://www.tunetribe.com www.tunetribe.com]

TuneTribe.com is an online music download store [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,11711,1383291,00.html] which offers downloads from independent and major record labels from around the world, both current releases and back-catalogue albums and singles. In addition to being based in the UK, the company is active in the Benelux region.

Catalogue

TuneTribe currently hosts around 600,000 tracks from independent and major labels.

The major labels selling music on TuneTribe are Sony BMG, Warner Brothers and EMI. This includes famous labels such as Blue Note, Atlantic, 679 and Ryko. At present, TuneTribe does not carry content from the Universal Music Group.

Independent labels which sell their music through the store include: Domino, Rough Trade, Beggars Banquet, XL, 4AD, Cherry Red, Trojan, Ninja Tune, FatCat, Peacefrog and Playhouse.

TuneTribe’s catalogue is divided up into a number of main genre pages, namely: Rock/Pop, Dance/Electronic, Hip-hop/R&B/Soul, Country/Alt/Folk, Latin/Jazz/Blues, Reggae/World, Classical, Unsigned and Audio Books/Comedy.

Each of these pages allows users to browse a number of further genre-specific styles such as indie, punk, metal, house, drum & bass, jazz, funk or dub.

TuneTribe also offers users the opportunity to download exclusive live sets from a number of artists.

Pricing

The pricing of tracks, being set by the record labels [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,11711,1383291,00.html] , can vary.

Format and sound quality

Nearly all of the independent label content on TuneTribe is in MP3 format. All major label tracks are offered in the restricted WMA format.

All tracks are available in higher sound quality files at either 192 kbit/s or 320 kbit/s.

Users are able to listen to 30-second samples of tracks before they decide to purchase.

Recommendations

Music recommendations are given through editorial written by music journalists in the form of music news, artist interviews, artist retrospectives and blogs. TuneTribe also uses a personalised recommendation engine powered by Last.FM which suggests similar artists.

Unsigned artists

TuneTribe allows such musicians and singers to sell their music without a record deal. Unsigned bands can join for free, upload their music themselves and have their music sold on the site [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,11711,1383291,00.html] . TuneTribe currently hosts music from hundreds of unsigned bands. They also nurture new talent through development deals with TuneTribe's sister record label TT Recordings.

TT Recordings

In summer 2006 TuneTribe set up the sister label TT Recordings. The label was set up to help develop unsigned talent from the store’s unsigned page. The label has already released material by dance act Sugardaddy and indie band The Romance.

Ownership

Launched in 2005, TuneTribe was founded by Tom Findlay of Groove Armada and John Strickland of Interesource.

External links

* [http://www.tunetribe.com/ Official website]

* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,11711,1383291,00.html Guardian report on launch]

* [http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,1425334,00.html Guardian article]