
And so ends the life of another would-be iTunes competitor.
Spiral Frog, a Universal-backed subscription music catastrophe, has apparently called it quits. Though the service was “free” (using an ad-supported model), it still suffered from the five things that pretty much all subscription-based music models share:
- A requirement for recurring activity
- Limited content
- Risk of losing music
- Strict usage controls
- Does not work with iPods
Needless to say, even without a monthly fee I was not impressed with the service.
The only thing truly unique about this one is that it could be argued you get what you pay for. Even then I think it’s a bad deal.
I visited the venture a couple months later when reports began surfacing that they were losing money hand over fist, and seemed to think a pro blogging campaign might save them:
Hmm, yes, good idea. Pummeling your users with ads isn’t working, so let’s get some of those Zune astroturfers to get on the Spiral Frog bandwagon.
Well, now I can pay my final visit (and respects) to Spiral Frog. They shut down Thursday:
A source close to the company told CNET News that SpiralFrog has ceased operations and assets have been surrendered to the company’s senior secured note holders.
Apparently, they went quietly and peacefully. Sadly (for them), I’m sure very few noticed. May they rest in peace.
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