Why Sony sells music videos on Xbox 360, not PS3

by Andrew Yoon { Nov 3rd 2008 at 11:00AM }

Many of you should know that Sony makes far more than electronics. They're one of the largest distributors of media in the world, with their hand in Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony BMG. While the company has been trying to use its incredible library of assets across multiple divisions, the decisions of a few stubborn-headed executives have prevented such corporate synergy.

One of the most ridiculous examples, presented by The Associated Press, is about Sony's music division, Sony BMG. The Sony BMG label is the second largest in the world, including artists from AC/DC to Will Smith. However, why is it that music videos from Sony BMG are available on Xbox 360 and not PS3? Because Sony BMG demanded it. Bertelsmann, the "BMG" part of the Sony BMG partnership, insisted that music videos are available on Xbox 360 instead of PS3 "to make sure it's a fair deal" for Bertelsmann, said a Sony executive. We're not sure how many heads have been face-palmed by that kind of ideology.

Thankfully, things will start changing, now that Sony has bought full control over the music division. Sony BMG will now be called Sony Music Entertainment. With more and more of Sony's media empire coming under one house, we're hoping it won't be too long before some not-so-stupid decisions are made at Sony HQ.

[Thanks, and1!]

Tags: bmg, sony-bmg

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

koehler83 @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:04AM

Facepalm indeed.

Such imbiciles should be promptly removed from their position and kicked to the curb without restitution.

Ayman @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:57AM

Unless they are planning on giving it free for us, and make the 360 pay for their mistake of siding with the wrong console....lol

no seriously they must kicked out... "to be fair"...with Microsoft

ScottishPrik @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:06AM

The title of this thread doesn't make sense.
"Who Sony sells music videos on Xbox 360, not PS3"
What does that mean?

heypaul @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:10AM

This is the first time I've seen them make a typo in the title, though it happens in the actual articles pretty frequently, especially over at PSP Fanboy. I think these guys are really overextended, writing for all of these sites. Let's cut them some slack.

Andrew Yoon @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:14AM

Fixed. There was a different headline that got swapped. And then the two crashed into each other and created this ugly, ugly baby.

Andrew Yoon @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:16AM

Also to heypaul:

If you see a typo in an article, please point it out to us in the comments!

Thomas @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:20AM

Sony needs to pull every video they got off the 360; Here's the PS3, and video game area of Sony struggling to compete with the 360, and Sony BMG is shooting themselves in the foot. I'd love to have some videos on my PS3; I'd love to see a PS3 music Video Store!!!! Sony needs to get their coportation together. This would be the equivalent of giving the 360 Blu Ray and leaving the PS3 with only DVD

The Aggie CEO @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:27AM

2 things........

First.....Sony undoubtedly has CONTRACTS with Microsoft for the content and cant just SIMPLY pull out like that......just as they have their music on iTunes, Wal-mart , Amazon, and Zune......they cant JUST make money from their device sales and expect to stay afloat......

Second.....why do people keep thinking Sony OWNS Blu-ray?? Just because they are competitors with M$ in gaming and few other things doesnt mean the 2 companies cant work together.......if that was the case as SOON as M$ had got into gaming, Sony would have Pulled Windows from their computers and went to straight LINUX......in turn KILLING their sales on PCs.....

4thcage @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:30AM

Agree with Aggie 100%.

The Aggie CEO @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:21AM

I was wondering this myself.......that explains why I guess........

now what I am wondering is HOW long will it take for Sony to put up a DRM FREE Music store.........one that will work with ALL Devices and allow for us to download music on the PSP as well as the PS3.......its an opportunity for them to make a little more money.......and if they pull it off right it should work out nicely......

erico316 @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:09PM

first and foremost sony is the owner with control over blu ray they made it plan and simple.
second sony need t bring their company together so they can use it to crush their competition.

Peter @ Nov 3rd 2008 3:41PM

Um, no.

You can get non-Sony blu-ray players, and anyone can incorporate the technology for a price. It could even be the XBox720's drive. I don't think Microsoft would like that though.

abe @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:16PM

first of all sony does own blu ray they filed the pattent and and are the spear head of blu ray accosiation no one gets blu ray without sony conscent and second removing windows from viaos would be huge loss for both sony and microsoft microsoft would stop reciving payment from sony and both company would be faced with big competitores for softwear industry, and thinking that sony would go to linux would be dumb they use linux on ps3 because taking either windows or apple would mean none sony related games on there consel sony openly says that they dont want that to happen oh and because getiing right to linux is cheaper than apple or microsoft, if sony broke from windows on there laptops it would without doubt be apple they would go to.

abe @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:16PM

Peter @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:55PM

One of the blu-ray patents, surely, Sony does not own all of them, no one company does.

The Aggie CEO @ Nov 4th 2008 1:34AM

@eric316

this comment had NOTHING to do with what you are saying......

but since your head is in your ass how about you take a look @ http://www.blu-raydisc.com/index.htm

Sony AND Philips both Created Blu-ray.....and even MORE companies have contributed to it.....

next......Sony has TRIED to FORCE their things on people this way b4......i.e. being the ONLY one to Make Betamax......which they learned from with Blu-ray(and shockingly enough Toshiba didnt with HD-DVD) and dont even GET me started on ATRAC......this is why people like you are not in charge of companies......If they listened to you Sony's computer Division would do NOTHING in sales because Linux isnt mainstream enough(they CANT use Windows because if from the competition).......the PS3 would NOT play ANY WMA/WMV files because its made by the COMPETITION.........ALL Sony Digital Movie/Video files would ONLY work on SONY Devices and could ONLY be purchased thru the PlayStation Store and all of their digital music would ONLY be in ATRAC format meaning it would ONLY work on Sony Devices........your logic ends in company failure...showing just how much of a complete IMBECILE you truly are......

4thcage @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:23AM

I guess money is the mother of all.

Jay. @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:31AM

That is one of the stupidest things I've heard. Maybe now that they own their music company we can start seeing some exclusive songs for rockband and such as well as music videos...

Dan Rabot @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:34AM

This is a bloody farce. Sony comes out with the superior hardware, a decent digital media supply and a new far better than DVD format (Blu-Ray) all Microshaft has done is throw money every which way to hinder Sony's progress, capitalism works by the best products being bought, not by the producers of the worse product using their funds to stop their competitors keeping up.

This is not "fair capitalism" this is industrial espionage and commercial sabotage.

Microshaft has an appauling sence of competition and to spend all this extra cash hindering Sony they must realise that their hardware is no where near the level of the PS3.

Microshaft is a disgusting, underhanded, cheat of a company, I will never pay for a Microshaft anything.

I'm glad all of my Windows versions have been copies.

strike @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:46AM

Yes, lets call it miroshaft, instead of microsoft and then use the word, as many times as possible. (Sarcasm)

Apart from that, you make an excellent point. (No sarcasm)

adolson @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:58PM

Why use Windows AT ALL? You're still helping them by using Windows, even if you pirate it. There are alternatives. Try looking on Google.

seedaripper1973 @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:54AM

@ Dan Rabot...
hear, hear!!! if thats not the most concise, relevant and honest (truthful) comment ive ever read ..thats it!

unfortunately a couple of million 'other' owners would disagree...for the love of god why??

im with you on the operating systems too ;)

kg89 @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:56AM

They need to keep the music videos on the xbox so they can make xbox lose money and help sony gain. but sony need to put everything they have given xbox + more to the ps3. if u ask me, the sony music division should join forces with the game department and create a media store! join forces with sony pictures! put films and music under one store.

i really think sony has let them selfs down this generation, they seem to be behind on whats going on! these days i feel like the fans are the innovators for sony instead of them.

i hardly ever see ps3 or blu-ray adverts, its a joke, people still ain't sure what blu-ray is. when dvd came out that had a ton of adverts, and people knew what it was and wanted it!

Will G @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:07PM

All your Windows installations are stolen? I'm not impressed. If you tell us all the cars you drive are stolen then maybe I'll take note. As for me I'll stick with that whole "rule of law" thing, exchanging "money" for "goods and services" and generally doing the things that allow others to earn their living so they have the money to keep me earning mine.

Riley Freeman @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:15PM

one of the many reasons i never agreed with having separate divisions that u cant control. if i ran a company id never have these division where u only own a stake. its all or nothing. This logic doesnt even make sense and i hope they pull them from xbox and only make it available on the ps3

DeathroW @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:27PM

@erico316

Sony does not own blu-ray and they didn't make it, they were in with a few other companys in the development, the only reason why sony seem to be pushing it the most is because they have the largest share in it and have the facilities to push it.

kentawilson @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:15PM

Idiotic brand loyalty in todays market will get you nowhere but broke. Should Sony have it on the PS3? Yeah but keeping it console specific don't help the masses at all. Since majority of the world use Windows and PCs it would be idiotic if MS decided to pull their OS off ALL Sony computers. See how that's a lose lose situation for both companies? It's all about the money because fanboyism and brand loyalty don't keep food on the table, gas in your car and your lights on.

baby sea tuna @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:47PM

I think the real question is, who in the hell wants to *pay for* music videos?! They're just commercials anyway.

HenryH @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:04PM

Exactly. It's not even necessary on the PS3 since you have access to youtube and the record labels themselves upload the music videos. As you said, music videos are just a way to sell the song.

Evi1d33d @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:42PM

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Nick @ Nov 3rd 2008 3:00PM

Hopefully Sony makes their music available on 360 as well as PS3.

Fraser JK @ Nov 3rd 2008 3:01PM

LOL, these guys are crazy... that's all I have to say!

Wareye @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:35PM

umm... dont most people download music and videos illegally from the internett anyway?

cartman58 @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:53PM

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking "who the hell would buy music videos?" Maybe I'm not as far out of the target market as I think.

chums @ Nov 3rd 2008 10:16PM

anti trust thoughts anyone?

seriously is everyone here 13?

Brian @ Nov 4th 2008 1:17AM

Sony BMG are also the ones who made parent company Sony look bad by installing rootkits on their customer's computers.

Another problem I have is Sony Pictures owns the Ghostbusters movie yet the game is being developed for the 360 and PS3. Someone at Sony should have forced all of their divisions to do what's best for Sony from the start. You don't work against your own parent company. That should be enough to get someone fired.

rd2000 @ Nov 4th 2008 3:21AM

Wow, most of you really ned to gogle the Sony Corp a little.

Once upon a time Sony's divisions wasn't cooperating at all!

Recently Sony Corp. got a new CEO :

Sir Howard Stringer
http://www.sony.com/SCA/bios/stringer.shtml

Last year Stringer had a vision that would strengthen Sony globaly so he held a few meetings with the heads of all the major Sony divisions, in an attempt to get them to actually work together across the line.

Bying back Sony Music is a part of this vision.

In fact The PS3 is becoming the first product from Sony that actually takes advantage of this new unity within Sony.

http://www.sonyinsider.com/2006/01/07/from-push-to-pull-sonys-digital-vision-sir-howards-quest-for-champion-products-will-focus-on-freedom-to-choose-entertainment/

So relax guys, Sony is going in the right direction, it's just not something that is done over night.

This is not something that can be done in a few months.