back to article Pandora shuts box on users outside US

Pandora.com, the popular net radio station that helps users discover new music and build custom playlists, will block most people outside the US from accessing its service because of legal pressure being exerted by record labels. Launched in 2005, Pandora has always billed itself as a service for US listeners only, but until …

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  1. James Cleveland

    The DMCA

    Is the worst sodding law ever.

    Really, where the hell does this get the RIAA? Nowhere. It saves noone money and helps noone.

    Grow up you greedy little children.

  2. Graham O'Brien

    Pigopolists' goose to be killed for golden egg - surprise, surprise

    I've been a Pandora listener for a while now and as a result of introducing me to new groups that I had not heard before I have bought several CDs that I would not otherwise have considered. And from someone who buys only a few CDs per year, that represents a large increase in my music purchases, new money coming into the industry. Multiply that by the number who have done the same, it's an industry gain, not loss.

    Typical of the unimaginative, uncreative approach beloved of a supposedly creative industry who are unable to distinguish between piracy and legitimate listening.

    Or perhaps they are worried that if we listened to moreof the music instead of watching the videos and absorbing the hype we'd never buy anything?

  3. Torben Mogensen

    Hear, hear

    I agree. All such stuff as region codes, bans on parallel import and "only for sale inside <country>" really have no place in a global economy.

  4. Rich Harding

    RI Asses

    What a dreadful shame. In the couple of months since I discovered Pandora I've only had it streaming a handful of days but I've bought over 100 quid's worth of music on the back of it that I would never have bought without hearing the stuff on Pandora. With at least one of those bands (Placebo), I think I'm likely to buy the back catalogue and I have a list still sitting here on my jotter of other artists to check out.

    So it's back to sharing recommendations (and no doubt the odd MP3 or CD) with mates. RIAA, Music Industry, Pigopolists, Tossers.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmmmmm

    So - I have a squeezebox and I had a three month free trial of Pandora, and just a week ago I paid to continue usage. Didn't tell me I couldn't because I'm outside the US. Am I going to get my money back, I wonder?

  6. Dan

    Free advertising for the music industry

    Don't they realise that's what these services provide? I've bought (yes, purchased with money) countless albums by artists I wouldn't even have heard of if it wasn't for Pandora. Wake up RIAA!!!!!!

    Never mind, back to borrowing mate's albums and 'home taping'

  7. James White

    Surprised its not been shut down altogether....

    There are plenty of bits of software out there that save the unprotected 128kbps mp3 files that the pandora streams to you, leave it on for a few days and you have a sizeable number of free mp3s. Too low quality for my use tho ;)

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Poxy Proxy

    Of course, if you're in the UAE or any other country that routinely blocks content, any proxy sites are blocked. So all you get it is this:

    We apologize the site you are attempting to visit has been blocked due to its content being inconsistent with the religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab Emirates.

    Great, eh?

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