Venture capital firm Sequoia Capital is adding music
download site MP3.com to its list of
investments which have included Yahoo! Inc. and 3Com Corp.
Sequoia plans to invest $11 million in the company, which allows users to
download music in the MP3 format. The site also features music news and
community features.
The MP3 format has often been at the center of controversy, with record
companies saying it’s near-CD quality makes it easy for pirates to
circulate copyrighted material, skirting royalties. Last fall, the Recording Industry Association of America
sued Diamond Multimedia over plans
to release its Rio MP3 player. The player was shipped after a federal judge
dismissed the group’s claims.
Michael Robertson, MP3.com’s chief executive officer, said Sequoia’s
investment with fund engineering and other corporate expenses.
Many predict the MP3 format will eventually prompt a shift in the way music
and the revenue it generates is distributed. As broadband connections
become a reality, MP3 stands a chance of lessening the grip of retail
giants, which currently get about a 10 percent cut from each CD sold. MP3
also makes independent distribution possible.