Opsound calls itself a "record label using an open source, copyleft model". Opsound aggregates links to music hosted on other websites. It has published one CD entitled "Opsound 001 Catalpa Catalpa Hardoncity".

Critics claim that as the number of links proliferate and with no quality control and minimal browsing facilities it is difficult to know what will happen to the site as it becomes increasingly overgrown and difficult to use and find music. The site provides an online stream of randomized material from the pool, giving listeners a chance to hear the scope of the project for themselves.

Their website tries to facilitate open content music by indexing songs and aiding a community. They are similar to MP3.com, but they do not have advertisements. Opsound is more inclusive than Magnatune, and has no facilities for money transfers.

Opsound does not host works, leaving that to others such as the Internet Archive's Netlabel collection. Metadata includes descriptions of songs and artists, track numbers, and indexed keywords associated with songs. All new songs must be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license, but a few songs are licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 1.0. Popularity charts were added around the end of 2003 and the beginning of 2004. Popular artists include _aa_, Binary Beats , and the Evolution Control Committee. There are plans to add software for so-called "microlabels" to allow people to create their own albums from the sound pool.

Other Open Source Record Labels

• LOCA Records
• Magnatunes
• Roots Records
• Krayola Records

External links

• Opsound