Domain names ending in ".music" (instead of ".com") are coming. The news is fresh and from the 8 applicants from 2012, one remains:
Constantinos Roussos, from
Music.us, is the final winner of this 7 years fight between multiple applicants.
Announced yesterday in a Tweet, Constantinos pointed mad new gTLD evangelists (like me) to a link proving the change:
- Application Status: Evaluation Complete
- Contention Resolution Status: Resolved
A "community" application
The application states that
.MUSIC is a community application. It means that these domain names will be restricted to being registered by members of the music community. Let's hope that restrictions to future registrants (those who will register such domain names) won't block them from registering one. It is what happened to the applications of multiple registry
Dominion Registry (and a few others), who finally decided to remove restrictions from some of their extensions.
Note that this TLD is
already available in the monthly new gTLD reports from
Jovenet Consulting.
What the application says
Question 18A from the application "Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD" is a rather long one so I extracted what I believe is of my personal and selfish interest. I'd suggest to read the full application for those who want full details:
The .MUSIC Mission / Purpose is:
- Creating a trusted, safe online haven for music consumption & licensing
- Establishing a safe home on the Internet for Music Community (ʺCommunityʺ) members regardless of locale or size
- Protecting intellectual property & fighting piracy
- Supporting Musiciansʹ welfare, rights & fair compensation
- Promoting music and the arts, cultural diversity & music education
- Following a multi-stakeholder approach of fair representation of all types of global music constituents, including a rotating regional Advisory Committee Board working in the Community’s best interest
.MUSIC will effectively differentiate itself by addressing the key online usage issues of safety, trust, consistency, brand recognition as well as communicate site subject-matter: music-related content.
The TLD will be exclusive to the Community and will incorporate enhanced safeguards and Use policies to protect creators, intellectual property and rights holders.
DotMusic will also provide non-registry services and activities which have been established through ongoing outreach efforts.
Community members need to be able to distinguish themselves from illegal or unlicensed sites. Ensuring monies flow to rightful owners and the Music Community is critical to the .MUSIC Mission. Purpose-driven services and activities are:
- Development of Music Community Social Network Premium Domain Channels (Channels) sorted by category types, e.g. genres. It will leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices to improve .MUSIC website search result rankings. The objective is for .MUSIC domains to signal a badge of trust that enables search engines to provide music consumers more relevant and safer search results while reducing infringing and unlicensed rogue sites. Premium Channel development will also include a global Song Registry;
- Promoting arts and music through sponsorships, events and Music Community activities; Enriching society with artistic and cultural diversity;
- Advancing music education and the study of music in school curriculum by donating proceeds of domain registrations to relevant causes;
- Re-inventing music discovery and search innovation by leading the way to establish the Industry standard for official music sites to benefit the at-large global Music Community and the Internet;
- Enabling legal music licensing via a global Song Registry akin to the International Music Registry (IMR - www.wipo.int⁄imr) & Global Repertoire Database (GRD - www.globalrepertoiredatabase.com ⁄ International Copyright Enterprise) initiatives.
DotMusic serves the Community without conflicts of interest and is accountable to the Community by establishing an Advisory Committee & Policy Board with representation from each constituency in the Community. The Committee will advise and provide perspective on .MUSIC issues such as broad policy matters and introductions of new services to meet Community needs.
The Premium Channels will maximize the competitive landscape and innovation in both the music and domain space.
A Global Protected Marks Lists (GPML) will reserve all major music brands and established artists, such as RIAA-certified platinum-selling bands.
Phased launches provides rights holders a first-come in the .MUSIC Sunrise,
auction of multiple initial landrush domain inquiries, and eventually allows all stakeholders of the Community to register. All registrants must adhere to restricted Use, Name and Anti-Abuse policies that will be monitored to prevent bad practices harming the Music Community.
The full application can be downloaded
here.
Note that what the applications says is now "dated" so anything can happen. Oh, and by the way, I can't wait for Madonna.music
