Napster-Friendly Music Publishing Site Launched

Napster users just got a new ally: Atlanta-based music publishing startup ths-Music.com today announced its formation and launch, with the proclamation that the service will be Napster-friendly.

ths-Music encourages all users to download the songs published at the site, to share them with friends, and even to trade them on Napster. The new company says it plans to rely on the "honor system" to allow the distribution of copyrighted songs on a try-before-you-buybasis. Users may listen to ths-Music songs for up to 30 days, and if they like them enough to keep listening, they are trusted to honor the artist by sending in a small amount per song.

ths-Music has introduced this new business model to deal with thepervasive changes that the Internet is bringing to the world of intellectual property law. It envisions a music market based on community, trust, and viral marketing.

"We expect this business model to turn the Music Industry on its ear" said Jay Fenello, founder of ths-Music. "Instead of a handful of artists making millions while thousands of aspiring artists are starving, we envision a new renaissance of artistic expression. And instead of the artist receiving pennies on the dollar, ths-Music artists receive 60 percent to 90 percent of the fees collected."

ths-Music will publish the latest official version of its songs on itsWebsite. Users can also find ths-Music songs on Napster by searching for files with the "ths-" prefix.