maplemusic (13. 345)

As the world looks to disengage and untangle itself from the increasingly unreliable and lamentable American hegemony over the rentier economy, the most tenacious gain of purchase for US tech and fintech conglomerates, we appreciated learning about this pioneering experiment from the Toronto creative scene that predates iTunes and Apple music and the pervasiveness of YouTube for music on demand that sought to promote local artists for free with the gratuity of creating a portion of paying subscribers through the nascent vehicle of e-commerce and digital content, first germinating in the late 1990s. Whilst not originally a record label or distributor per se in this new environment, MapleMusic—with its spinoff MapleSolutions, a website design service and domain-registry—was an innovator very much ahead of its time. Surviving the Dot-Com bubble by maturing and splitting into different subsidiaries that still exist today as champions and promoters of different artists through Puretracks and Moontaxi. Whilst subordinate to the current ecosystems striving to retain their dominance at all costs, this early success story demonstrates that the current algorithmic regime was not inevitable and cannot be toppled. Represented artists include Alabama Shakes, Gogol Bordello, Minus the Bear, the Old Crow Medicine Show and Radiohead. More from the Walrus at the link up top.