FaceBook may sell music online

Facebook may sell music, according to Yahoo News.

If reports are true, Facebook would have a large audience of youth and others to target. They would also have to directly compete with online music stores like iTunes and Amazon’s. Facebook is apparently in talks with major music labels and websites.

Some analysts predict that the music sold would be supported by advertising. It would appeal to the audience (or so hopes Zuckerberg and Co.). The real doubts would be whether Facebook can monetize a space that has been traditionally of low value to advertisers – users just do not pay attention to any ads.

If Facebook sells at a flat rate per track, their chances are pretty much folded by it. Most, if not all, Facebook users are likely to grab the tracks for free from their next-door BitTorrent network. If there is one thing that could get interesting, it is that success of Facebook (especially ad-supported success) would open a new world to artists, and perhaps they will move away from the shackles of RIAA/labels (so that they keep more money, and the price is also lower). Interesting times are ahead.