This FIRST Image shows a portion of the front page of Cnet with the statement "Check out the best 5 MP3 Sites ( and yes, They're Legal!) AudioGalaxy is one of the five choices. A site that was particularly battered by RIAA lawsuits.
(Source Wikipedia) Audiogalaxy was a file sharing system that indexed MP3 files. The system was created in 1998 by Michael Merhej as an FTP site index called The Borg Search, and evolved into a robust peer-to-peer system with client software (the Audiogalaxy "Satellite"), a web-based search engine, always-on searching for requested files, auto-resume and low system impact. It quickly gained ground among file sharers abandoning Napster in 2001. In May 2001, Audiogalaxy implemented "groups" which allowed group members to send songs to everyone in the group. Hackers used this backdoor to circumvent the "blocked songs" restriction, where Audiogalaxy could deny transfer of specific copyrighted songs. Some observing the previous downfall of Napster via lawsuit were shocked at the design of Audiogalaxy, which was in some ways more centralized than Napster. In June 2002, Audiogalaxy ended its peer-to-peer operations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiogalaxy © WikipediaClick Image to Enlarge Screen Caps of ZDnet April 13 2001
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Quote From Wikipedia "AudioGalaxy"
Even though Audiogalaxy claimed that they were trying to cooperate with the music industry and block copyrighted songs from their network, many of the network's users continued to share unauthorized copyrighted music files, causing Audiogalaxy to face a lawsuit by the RIAA on May 24, 2002. On this day, Audiogalaxy blocked sending of all blocked songs. A month later on June 17, 2002, Audiogalaxy reached an out-of-court settlement with the RIAA. The settlement reached would allow Audiogalaxy to operate a "filter-in" system, which required that for any music available, the songwriter, music publisher, and/or recording company must first consent to the use and sharing of the work. Finally, on September 8, 2002, Audiogalaxy licensed and re-branded a for-pay streaming service called Rhapsody from Listen.com and discontinued its famous web-based P2P service.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audiogalaxy#cite_note-2
Rhapsody exists to this day, with MTV holding a substantial financial Interest.
Prior to March 31, 2010, the Company owned 51% of the outstanding equity interests of Rhapsody and MTVN [MTV Networks] owned the remaining 49%. On March 31, 2010, restructuring transactions involving Rhapsody were completed, and Rhapsody was converted from a limited liability company to a corporation. Following the completion of the restructuring transactions. RealNetworks owns slightly less than 47.5%, MTVN owns 47.5%, and the two minority stockholders hold slightly more than 5% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Rhapsody.
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1046327/000095012310046502/v55756e10vq.htm
Click Image to Enlarge Screen Caps of ZDnet April 13 2001
Click Image to Enlarge Screen Caps of ZDnet April 13 2001
Click Image to Enlarge Screen Caps of ZDnet April 13 2001
Click Image to Enlarge Screen Caps of ZDnet April 13 2001
