iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, MySpace and More Unite to Combat Illegal Music Sharing Sites

Aiming to “remind listeners of the significance and value of music”, major players from across the music and technology industry have united to launch a site called Why Music Matters.

The site appears to be not much more than a brochure site with illustrative videos designed to share and compel users from across the globe to value the music they listen to and above all else, ensure they are obtaining it legally…but there’s more.

The site has launched what it calls a Trustmark, a symbol that gives both readers and artists the knowledge that the site they are using has the artist’s interests to mind and that the music available on the site is legal.

Services like Spotify, We7, iTunes, mFlow and MySpace have all signed up to the scheme.

A trustmark is open to those involved in the legal physical and digital sale or supply of music direct to consumers including those who sell CDs and those who make music available legally through downloads and streams.

Sites that allows all users the opportunity to upload and make available user generated content are not able to join, making YouTube, Tumblr and frankly any uploading service, exempt.

Influencers within the industry joining forces is a positive move and Why Music Matters will at least give artists faith that something is being done. That said, call me a cynic but if we see teenagers (and other illegal music sharing fiends) stop and look for the ‘trustmark’ before using a site, I’ll eat my hat. I hope I’m wrong.