In a bid to make peace with the indie community, Microsoft’s Zune division issued significant checks to The Orchard, IODA and possibly other indie label and artist representatives. When Microsoft announced that it was going to pay Universal Music Group and other major labels $1 for each Zune sold, presumably to make up for the device encouraging people to pirate music (we’re still not sure how that logic works), some onlookers responded that the company was unfairly leaving indies out of the equation, like a rich uncle with a favorite nephew. These bonus checks should alleviate some of that concern, as Hypebot , which posted a copy of The Orchard’s letter to its members, points out. Music Label iPod Tax Behind Universal-iTunes Standoff? I doubt the sincerity of Zune/Microsoft in this matter more then I doubt the pressure towards Myspace. Read more

[Tags]music, checks, doubt, indie, label, labels, microsoft zune[/Tags]

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