Sony backs legal P2P service

The record industry has often been criticised for concentrating too hard on attacking P2P (e.g. by suing the P2P software companies or users of P2P), and not hard enough on coming up with legitimate alternatives.  In recent times, though, we are told that there have been dramatic increases in legal downloading, through iTunes and similar services.  Now, PlayLouder MSP is planning to launch a subscription service allowing users to download or share (using a P2P network) as much music as they like for £26.99 a month.  And, more notably, Sony is the first major to sign up a licensing deal with PLMSP.  The press release explains:

"By controlling the network on which the music flows, PLMSP is able to effectively and accurately track and monitor the distribution of digital music through a sophisticated method of audio fingerprinting and return the appropriate share of revenues back to the rights owners."

PLMSP says that it aims to gain 40,000 UK users over the course of the next year, and that the service will be launched next month.