The unfortunate thing about life is that good music is
either free or legal, but never both. At least, that’s the assumption of the
general public, an assumption which LBCC’s Open Source Club is trying to change
with the debut of their new website, listenvotedownload.org.
Listenvotedownload.org exists as a way for the Open Source
Club to share the bounty of free music with other LBCC students. As the URL
suggests, students can listen to the songs on the website, upvote the ones they
want to promote, and download their favorites.
“We’ll bring your dead music collection back to life,” said Open Source Club faculty adviser Chris Riseley.
The idea for the website began when Riseley discovered
Jamendo.com, a website full of free and legal music. “Everyone who uploads a
file there—artists across the world—signs the appropriate release forms,” said Riseley. “There are over 300,000 separate songs.”
Riseley loved Jamendo, but found that there were a bunch of
terrible songs along with the good ones. He wanted a way to find the good songs
and make it local.
Riseley approached club president Micah DeVyldere with the
idea of making a CD of the best Jamendo songs to distribute on campus.
DeVyldere didn’t like the idea. “CD’s are dated,” he said, “and there were
logistical issues. Like, how many songs do you put on the CD? Chris wanted a
whole bunch.”
DeVyldere suggested making a website instead. Riseley loved
the idea.
DeVyldere spent fall term writing the website, which is now
up and running. The website, listenvotedownload.org, only plays songs from
Jamendo.com. Students can listen to the small selection of good songs already
on listenvotedownload.org, or they can click on the large plus sign in the
corner of the webpage and add their own favorite songs from Jamendo.
“Overall, it’s really easy to use,” said LBCC student Jenny
Ramerez, trying out the website for the first time. She had fun scouring the
thousands of songs on Jamendo to find something to add to
listenvotedownload.org.
“I like indie type music,” she said. “I was tired of
listening to the same bands over and over.”
Riseley hopes that eventually, local musicians will upload
their songs to listenvotedownload.org, through Jamendo. Using Creative Commons licensing,
musicians allow Jamendo to distribute their song for free, but they still own
the rights. “It’s a way for students to support local songs,” said Riseley.
Riseley, who knows two DJ’s at KBVR, hopes to get some of
the top voted song songs onto the radio. “We hope to use this as a way to help
local artists meet local radio stations,” he said.
Whether listenvotedownload.org songs end up on the
radio, the Open Source Club plans to leave the site up indefinitely. Students
will be able to keep adding to and refining the music selection.
Currently the top song on the website is called "How To Make The Worst Song Ever," perhaps rising in the ranks due to its interesting title. Most of the rest of the music consists of indie songs, including the second and third ranked songs, "Boats Swept Away" and "Elevators."
Currently the top song on the website is called "How To Make The Worst Song Ever," perhaps rising in the ranks due to its interesting title. Most of the rest of the music consists of indie songs, including the second and third ranked songs, "Boats Swept Away" and "Elevators."
According to DeVyldere, the ultimate goal for the website is
to promote free and open content on the internet, and to, in his own words,
“shove free music down people’s throats.”
Further Information:
What: A new music website
Where: Listenvotedownload.org
Who: Created by LBCC's Open Source Club
Why: Discover new music that is free and legal to download
Contact Chris Riseley:
Email: riselec@linnbenton.edu
Office: NSH 211
Website: http://cf.linnbenton.edu/artcom/english/riselec/web.cfm?pgID=5664
Contact Chris Riseley:
Email: riselec@linnbenton.edu
Office: NSH 211
Website: http://cf.linnbenton.edu/artcom/english/riselec/web.cfm?pgID=5664
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