URGE
Encyclopedia
The URGE digital music store was an online music distribution service run by MTV Networks
. URGE was integrated into Windows Media Player 11.
URGE was opened on May 17, 2006. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Windows Media DRM, Microsoft's digital rights management
. URGE features the music programming of MTV, CMT, and VH1 and provides editorial content for the online music service. URGE currently charges 99¢ a track, or $9.95/month for a subscription. An optional $14.95/month to-go subscription is available for those with PlaysForSure devices. As of May 2008, URGE is not compatible with Microsoft's Zune
or Apple's iPod
, although the first-generation Zune Marketplace was based on URGE, and had many similarities.
In the spring of 2007, MTV Networks launched the digital audio radio service URGE Radio, available through cable operators.
URGE Radio offered cable systems digital audio channels with continuous music commercial-free, 24 hours a day. Similar to Music Choice
, song and artist info is displayed on screen.
In August 2007, MTV Networks announced plans to end its partnership with Microsoft and close URGE, and join RealNetworks on its Rhapsody digital music store.
In early September 2010, Verizon
and Frontier informed their customers that they would be dropping the URGE channels due to the provider's decision to discontinue the service. At present, www.urge.com redirects users to the Website for Viacom
, Inc., the parent company of MTV Networks.
music service run by RealNetworks
. On Friday October 26, 2007, the integration between Windows Media Player
and URGE was removed. Current subscribers to the URGE subscription services (URGE All Access & URGE All Access To Go) were automatically transferred to Rhapsody, thus requiring the subscriber to download the Rhapsody software to access and use their account.
Any subscription tracks downloaded with the URGE music service in Windows Media Player (as with any subscription based track) require that the media usage rights be updated every month for the track to be operable. As a result, subscription tracks downloaded to Windows Media Player using URGE will expire and the media usage rights will no longer be updated. A subscription based user will have to install the Rhapsody software, re-download their tracks and maintain their usage rights in the Rhapsody software as well as use Rhapsody to search for new music. It is possible to change the preferences in Rhapsody to download tracks in .WMA format thus making those tracks playable in Windows Media Player.
URGE users that paid by the track own the media rights and will not have problems using Windows Media Player to play those songs.
MTV Networks, Rhapsody, and Verizon Wireless
are partnering to integrate the VCAST Music service into Rhapsody as well, thus enabling users to take advantage of their Rhapsody account on their mobile device.
There were several differences between songs downloaded through the subscription program and songs purchased though URGE. Purchased songs can be played forever, regardless of whether the purchaser is an URGE subscriber. Subscription music, on the other hand, becomes unplayable if the subscription lapses. Subscription music also cannot be burned to a CD while purchased music can. Additionally, purchased music can be copied to any WMA-enabled portable media player, not just those that are compatible with subscription services.
All music downloads have Windows Media DRM
11, which limits playback to authorized devices. For subscription users, the Windows Media DRM also requires music licenses to be renewed monthly. As a result, portable devices must be synched at least once a month, to retrieve the new licenses. Outdated licenses on a PlaysForSure device will lock all music until the device is synched.
Users can not restore their music library, including both purchased and subscription songs, in case their library is deleted or they change computers. URGE did not transfer the DRM licenses to Rhapsody. Once DRM needs to be renewed even on purchased songs or albums you will lose that song.
Rhapsody downloads can not be played on the Windows Media Player and therefore can not be shared with the Xbox 360.
.
There are also playlists based on music genres, celebrities, television shows on MTV, VH1 and CMT and popularity.
In addition, URGE has 20 Informer blogs, which highlight music from the three major networks (MTV, VH1 and CMT) as well as music from every genre in between from afro-beat to zydeco.
MTV Networks
MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operations of many television channels and Internet brands, including the original MTV channel in the United States...
. URGE was integrated into Windows Media Player 11.
URGE was opened on May 17, 2006. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Windows Media DRM, Microsoft's digital rights management
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
. URGE features the music programming of MTV, CMT, and VH1 and provides editorial content for the online music service. URGE currently charges 99¢ a track, or $9.95/month for a subscription. An optional $14.95/month to-go subscription is available for those with PlaysForSure devices. As of May 2008, URGE is not compatible with Microsoft's Zune
Zune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
or Apple's iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
, although the first-generation Zune Marketplace was based on URGE, and had many similarities.
In the spring of 2007, MTV Networks launched the digital audio radio service URGE Radio, available through cable operators.
URGE Radio offered cable systems digital audio channels with continuous music commercial-free, 24 hours a day. Similar to Music Choice
Music Choice
Music Choice is a United States company that programs music and produces music-related content for digital cable, cell phones, and cable modem subscribers in the US. Music Choice programs dozens of audio music channels for digital cable subscribers, as well as programs and produces music-related...
, song and artist info is displayed on screen.
In August 2007, MTV Networks announced plans to end its partnership with Microsoft and close URGE, and join RealNetworks on its Rhapsody digital music store.
In early September 2010, Verizon
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
and Frontier informed their customers that they would be dropping the URGE channels due to the provider's decision to discontinue the service. At present, www.urge.com redirects users to the Website for Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
, Inc., the parent company of MTV Networks.
URGE & Rhapsody Merger
In August 2007, URGE informed its user base that the service would soon merge with the RhapsodyRhapsody (online music service)
Rhapsody is an online music store subscription service, launched in December 2001, and available in the United States only. On April 6, 2010, Rhapsody officially declared its independence from RealNetworks. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Helix, Rhapsody's version...
music service run by RealNetworks
RealNetworks
RealNetworks, Inc. is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. The company is the creator of RealAudio, a compressed audio format; RealVideo, a compressed video format; RealPlayer, a media player; RealDownloader, a download...
. On Friday October 26, 2007, the integration between Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices...
and URGE was removed. Current subscribers to the URGE subscription services (URGE All Access & URGE All Access To Go) were automatically transferred to Rhapsody, thus requiring the subscriber to download the Rhapsody software to access and use their account.
Any subscription tracks downloaded with the URGE music service in Windows Media Player (as with any subscription based track) require that the media usage rights be updated every month for the track to be operable. As a result, subscription tracks downloaded to Windows Media Player using URGE will expire and the media usage rights will no longer be updated. A subscription based user will have to install the Rhapsody software, re-download their tracks and maintain their usage rights in the Rhapsody software as well as use Rhapsody to search for new music. It is possible to change the preferences in Rhapsody to download tracks in .WMA format thus making those tracks playable in Windows Media Player.
URGE users that paid by the track own the media rights and will not have problems using Windows Media Player to play those songs.
MTV Networks, Rhapsody, and Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
are partnering to integrate the VCAST Music service into Rhapsody as well, thus enabling users to take advantage of their Rhapsody account on their mobile device.
Music Downloads
At close, URGE had about 2.4 million songs available for download. Fans could download music for 99¢ a song or via one of the two subscription tiers. Subscription downloads allowed playback on three computers (also two PlaysForSure devices with the premium URGE To Go subscription). Devices and computers could be de-authorized through the account settings in Windows Media Player, allowing subscribers to change devices or computers. Subscribers may only de-authorize one PC and one device every 30 days.There were several differences between songs downloaded through the subscription program and songs purchased though URGE. Purchased songs can be played forever, regardless of whether the purchaser is an URGE subscriber. Subscription music, on the other hand, becomes unplayable if the subscription lapses. Subscription music also cannot be burned to a CD while purchased music can. Additionally, purchased music can be copied to any WMA-enabled portable media player, not just those that are compatible with subscription services.
All music downloads have Windows Media DRM
Windows Media DRM
Windows Media DRM is a Digital Rights Management service for the Windows Media platform. It is designed to provide delivery of audio and/or video content over an IP network to a PC or other playback device in such a way that the distributor can control how that content is used.WMDRM includes the...
11, which limits playback to authorized devices. For subscription users, the Windows Media DRM also requires music licenses to be renewed monthly. As a result, portable devices must be synched at least once a month, to retrieve the new licenses. Outdated licenses on a PlaysForSure device will lock all music until the device is synched.
Users can not restore their music library, including both purchased and subscription songs, in case their library is deleted or they change computers. URGE did not transfer the DRM licenses to Rhapsody. Once DRM needs to be renewed even on purchased songs or albums you will lose that song.
Rhapsody downloads can not be played on the Windows Media Player and therefore can not be shared with the Xbox 360.
URGE To Go
URGE To Go is URGE's premium subscription service. With URGE To Go fans can sync all music downloaded from URGE to two PlaysForSure compatible devices. This is not compatible with Microsoft's ZuneZune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
.
Internet Radio
There were 36 free radio stations that can be accessed by anyone with URGE configured in Windows Media Player 11. With a subscription to URGE, 102 additional radio stations are available, providing a total of 138 radio stations as of July 2007.Music Videos
Streaming music videos are provided for the URGE service by MTV, VH1 and CMT. Songs which have corresponding videos are indicated by an icon to the left of the song title in URGE.Auto-Mix, Playlists and Informer Blogs
URGE provides several features to assist in discovering new music. The My Auto-Mix feature dynamically creates a playlist based on music each visitor plays or adds to their library. Alternatively, playlists can be created based on mood, style or artist. Users can fine tune the results using three sliders for "popularity", "freshness" and "familiarity".There are also playlists based on music genres, celebrities, television shows on MTV, VH1 and CMT and popularity.
In addition, URGE has 20 Informer blogs, which highlight music from the three major networks (MTV, VH1 and CMT) as well as music from every genre in between from afro-beat to zydeco.
Response
The music service has been reviewed in several places. A CNET review gave the service an 7.0 on a ten point scale. However, URGE has been criticized because it installs new "features" without the user's consent.List of URGE channels
- Acoustic Chill
- Adult Rock
- Arena Rock
- Axis
- Blast
- Blue Room
- Bluegrass Radio
- Blues Part 2
- CMT Radio
- Cinema
- Classic Country
- Classic Rock (uncensored)
- Celebration
- Comedy (Uncensored)
- Cover to Cover
- Crescendo
- Crunch
- Dance Club
- Discotech
- Dope
- Dream Sequence
- Easy Listening
- Grind (Rhythmic Top 40)
- Hip-nod-ics
- I Love the 70's
- I Love the 80's
- I Love the 90's
- Jazzup Broadway
- Jet Set
- Lounge Beats
- Latin Jazz
- Latin Hip-Hop
- MTV2 (Rock)
- MTV2 Headbanger's Ball
- MTV Tr3's
- Manteca
- Meditation
- Neon
- Nick Kids
- Noggin
- NuGroove
- Pegao
- Plush
- Praise
- Oasis
- Opera Babylon
- Radio Alterna
- Ragga
- Reunion
- Rock Legends
- Rocks
- Say it Loud
- Showcase
- Smoke
- Solid Gold Oldies
- Soul City
- Swing
- TRL
- Tejano
- Ultrasound
- Unforgettable
- VH1 Soul
- Vinyl
- Voice Box
- Wide Open Country
- Zen
External links
- Feeling the “URGE,” MTV Networks Announces a New Digital Music Service in Collaboration With Microsoft a press release from Microsoft (December 13, 2005)
- MTV to Start Music Service with Microsoft, from the New York Times (December 13, 2005)
- MTV Urge review by CNETCNETCNET is a tech media website that publishes news articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Originally founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition...
(May 14, 2006) - I don’t want my MTV from Ed Bott's blog at ZDNetZDNetZDNet is a business technology news website published by CBS Interactive, along with TechRepublic and SmartPlanet. The brand was founded on April 1, 1991 as a general interest technology portal from Ziff Davis and evolved into an enterprise IT-focused online publication owned by CNET...
(May 16, 2006) - Magazine Review (November 15, 2006)
- URGE to Merge with RealNetworks' Rhapsody (August 21, 2007)