Looks like music subscription service eMusic is the victim of classic bad timing. Or are they? Once the exclusive indie outpost for cheap, reputable tunes, eMusic recently decided to hike up its price-per-download just as Sony (a major label) was added to its roster. Appearing to misunderstand the cause for download price inflation, eMusic's fans are none-too-pleased about the rise in cost. In an effort to appease music fans and major label haters, eMusic CEO Danny Stein told Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk that: "Our existing labels, for the most part, have been asking us to raise prices for a long time. What I told the New York Times is that we were looking for a 'catalyzing event' to do it. And really, the catalyzing event is adding catalog, adding more content." So, it was all just a big miscommunication. But what's this? According to "indie entrepreneurs," eMusic actually failed to notify their label partners about possible price increases or Sony's new presence. And the plot thickens...

[HypeBot]