The next upswing for the music business may come from Australian company Guvera.
Guvera is a unique model for music distribution. It matches the audience with the advertiser and the music so that the consumer has non-confrontational access to music paid for by brands.The major record labels like the model as well. This week, Guvera signed off with Universal Music for the United States.
Founder Claes Loberg describes the model as “a tool that matches advertisers with the consumers”. "One of our missions is to make music free for people worldwide, while still paying the artists and the labels that create and distribute it. With Guvera, every brand can offer engaging content to their target consumers without disrupting them with ads and can use their channel to represent music that relates to the brands' personality," he said in a statement. "I am excited to announce our content deal with Universal Music Group, which has been a pioneer in championing new digital business models, as well as a steadfast advocate for artists in seeking fair compensation for the use of their music online."
In the LA Times this week writer Jon Healey wrote that Guvera “is different enough to make me think it might actually work”.
Healey said that Guvera “has at least one thing going for it that SpiralFrog didn’t ... a model that’s friendly not just to consumers, but also to advertisers”.
Guvera is not targeted at the sales driven download sites like iTunes. Instead, it aims to grab its slice of the market from people who frequent bit torrent sites and sometimes don’t even realise they are doing something illegal.
David Ring, EVP of Business Development & Business Affairs for Universal Music Group told the LA Times that Guvera “found an innovative and new way of connecting brands with consumers”. "We are delighted to partner with Guvera, whose service will only strengthen the connection between artists and fans," he said. "Universal Music is committed to cultivating legitimate online entertainment by offering our consumers even more ways to enjoy the musical experience where they want, how they want and in the manner of their choosing."
Guvera will have a beta launch in Australia on December 15 and early in the New Year in the Unites States.
You can pre-register now for the service at Guvera.com
