Deezer
Encyclopedia
Deezer is a free music streaming service based in Paris
, France
. Deezer was launched on August 24, 2007. Deezer has negotiated rights to make 165,000 songs available for streaming legally via an agreement with Sony, as well as some of Universal's catalog. After its launch, there were legal issues relating to the uploading and sharing of music on Deezer, but this was resolved when Deezer updated its site on 9 February 2009.
Deezer was the first music site based in France to sign an agreement with a publisher rights' organisation to reimburse artists through advertising revenue.
There are four million registered Deezer users according to the home page of the website. In September 2011, Deezer stated that there were 13 million songs available on their service.
Deezer is the first French site to find a legal agreement with a copyright management company, in this case with SACEM. Advertising revenues pay the artists and all beneficiaries.
In May 2008, Universal Records
agreed to release a large portion of its catalog through the site.
On Thursday 23 October 2008, Deezer launched a free application for the iPhone
and iPod Touch
. It allows the user to listen to Deezer Webradios and Smartradios, but requires an internet connection.
Until 10 December 2008, any members could upload their own mp3s to the site and make them available to everyone through their playlists. This feature was restricted so that any "personal MP3s uploaded to the site can only be accessed by the member who uploaded it".
On 9 February 2009, the site was updated with changes to the interface and availability of the content on the site. The update restricted access to the catalogue and listening to the music to registered users and restricted content based on the location of the user.
On Thursday 19 February 2009, Deezer announced that it would launch an application, similar to that for the iPhone, to access the site via a Blackberry. It was scheduled to be released on 30 March 2009 and will only allow access to the webradios and smartradios, whereas a regular fee paying application is available to access playlists.
On August 2009, Deezer restricted access to all content.
On 15 September 2009, Deezer launched an app for the new Archos 5 Android Tablet.
Deezer have released their third version of the site, which is now compulsory for all members.
December 2009, Deezer added monthly fees to its service.
In June 2011 Deezer started to limit free users to 5 hours of music streaming per month. This change occurred a few weeks after Spotify
limited its users to 10 hours per month. Moreover, Deezer doesn't allow a unique song to be played more than 5 times. Pascal Nègre, CEO of Universal Music France had criticized lack of such limitation. Users also complained after these changes.
In September 2011, it was announced that Deezer has partnered with communications provider Orange in the UK in order to strengthen its competitiveness against Spotify.
After a brief country block from the UK, Deezer re-opened the site to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in September 2011, but unless premium subscriptions were made, free listeners could only hear 30 second previews. Deezer introduces Premium and Premium+ accounts to their subscriptions.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Deezer was launched on August 24, 2007. Deezer has negotiated rights to make 165,000 songs available for streaming legally via an agreement with Sony, as well as some of Universal's catalog. After its launch, there were legal issues relating to the uploading and sharing of music on Deezer, but this was resolved when Deezer updated its site on 9 February 2009.
Deezer was the first music site based in France to sign an agreement with a publisher rights' organisation to reimburse artists through advertising revenue.
There are four million registered Deezer users according to the home page of the website. In September 2011, Deezer stated that there were 13 million songs available on their service.
History
The site, owned by the company Blogmusik, led by Daniel Marhely and Jonathan Benassaya, was formerly called BlogMusik, but was closed voluntarily in February 2007 by its creators, under increasing pressure from the SACEM on grounds of violation of author's rights. When the site reopened it changed its name to Deezer.Deezer is the first French site to find a legal agreement with a copyright management company, in this case with SACEM. Advertising revenues pay the artists and all beneficiaries.
In May 2008, Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
agreed to release a large portion of its catalog through the site.
On Thursday 23 October 2008, Deezer launched a free application for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
. It allows the user to listen to Deezer Webradios and Smartradios, but requires an internet connection.
Until 10 December 2008, any members could upload their own mp3s to the site and make them available to everyone through their playlists. This feature was restricted so that any "personal MP3s uploaded to the site can only be accessed by the member who uploaded it".
On 9 February 2009, the site was updated with changes to the interface and availability of the content on the site. The update restricted access to the catalogue and listening to the music to registered users and restricted content based on the location of the user.
On Thursday 19 February 2009, Deezer announced that it would launch an application, similar to that for the iPhone, to access the site via a Blackberry. It was scheduled to be released on 30 March 2009 and will only allow access to the webradios and smartradios, whereas a regular fee paying application is available to access playlists.
On August 2009, Deezer restricted access to all content.
On 15 September 2009, Deezer launched an app for the new Archos 5 Android Tablet.
Deezer have released their third version of the site, which is now compulsory for all members.
December 2009, Deezer added monthly fees to its service.
In June 2011 Deezer started to limit free users to 5 hours of music streaming per month. This change occurred a few weeks after Spotify
Spotify
Spotify is a Swedish-founded, UK-headquartered DRM-based music streaming service offering streaming of selected music from a range of major and independent record labels, including Sony, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal. Launched in October 2008 by Swedish startup Spotify AB, the service had...
limited its users to 10 hours per month. Moreover, Deezer doesn't allow a unique song to be played more than 5 times. Pascal Nègre, CEO of Universal Music France had criticized lack of such limitation. Users also complained after these changes.
In September 2011, it was announced that Deezer has partnered with communications provider Orange in the UK in order to strengthen its competitiveness against Spotify.
After a brief country block from the UK, Deezer re-opened the site to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in September 2011, but unless premium subscriptions were made, free listeners could only hear 30 second previews. Deezer introduces Premium and Premium+ accounts to their subscriptions.