Last.fm Partners With Sony: Should Have Been Apple

Recent announcement of Last.fm partnering with Sony:

[from Last.fm Partners With Sony: WebProNews]

Online social music network, Last.fm has partnered with Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

As part of the partnership Sony BMG will offer its catalogue of recordings to the 20 million users of Last.fm’s radio streaming service. Users will be able to find new artists from the Sony catalogue using Last.fm’s recommendation system.

I had suggested in past posts, prior to CBS’ purchase of Last.fm, that Apple should acquire the product and build into a socialized version of iTunes (which is still desperately needed, btw).

Looks like Last.fm is destined for a strange collection of deals, rather than a strategic role in a contender to the iTunes/iPod/iPhone triumvirate. Although I am not sure who can mount a credible attack on that. Even Microsoft hasn’t got a chance. Nokia?

Well, its moot, since Last.fm is part of CBS. It has to make it or break it based on its own merits, and maybe some better economics for users acquiring music, not on some integration with other major software partners.

CBS Buys Last.fm

I am slightly out of touch here in Copenhagen — my hotel does not have Internet in the rooms — so I learned that CBS has acquired Last.fm via Twitter today (thanks, Paulo).

[from from Reuters]

Media group CBS Corp said on Wednesday it had paid $280 million in cash for the popular music social network service Last.fm.

CBS said in a statement the online service had more than 15 million active users in more than 200 countries. The Last.fm team will continue to run the online network under the terms of the deal.

I met with Felix Miller and Stefan Glänzer of Last.fm in London a month ago, and I suggested that Apple should but Last.fm as the basis of a social iTunes. They looked at each other. I asked if something was in the works, and they politely wiggled away from that line of inquiry. It’s clear now, of course, that they were in talks with CBS… and maybe others.

[Also reported by the BBC and Los Angeles Times]