“This move is ultimately good for the internet music industry, because it puts the industry on healthier footing.”

Couldn’t disagree more.

The removal of an independent party, complementary to whatever it may be, means more centralized control somewhere. Human greed is infinite. I may already be 10,000 richer than you, but can still easily come up with very many very good reasons why out of the next dollar we make ‘together’, 90 cents go to me, and 10 to you. Minus some fees I will deduct ‘for you’ :-)

As a consumer, I couldn’t care less about distribution companies let alone device makers. Distribution companies are a complete anachronism, the promise and daily reality of the Internet is democratized and global distribution ability for everyone, at near zero cost. Device manufacturers should hold no power or control whatsoever over creators. A singer picks the microphone that suits her best, a dancer picks the camera that records her best, and so on.

As a consumer, I want my full attention, care and resources go towards creators. I want to enjoy what they created for the world, I want to be able to express my satisfaction back in monetary and non-monetary ways. For this relationship I only need myself and the creator. Single points of control, let alone the grossly over-sized ones we have today in the form of giant corporations, are an abnomaly that we all can do better without.

Bottom line: MOG loosing their independence is a symptom of a problem. Whether the net total somewhere is now more than before I don’t know, but surely it won’t be in the hands of creators.