There is a continued battle between the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and music listeners, as yet another interesting music downloading app has appeared. The new Mulve music downloader program isn't a peer-to-peer program, and users download music files straight from servers in undisclosed locations.
It's unknown where these servers are hosted, but users are supposedly shielded from RIAA crackdowns that typically lead to monetary fines and possible Internet bans. Not only has Mulve passed necessary security and virus scanning, but it has been applauded since it doesn’t require P2P for use.
The download includes an installer and a text document that instructs users how to donate to the Mulve project. The 1.9MB .exe file runs the entire program, and using the program is extremely simple: just type in the name of an artist or song, and then press search.
Mulve doesn't allow users to play, preview, or handle any downloaded content from within the program. Instead, users are able to search and download files, with no other functions included in the app. It's possible to find up to 320kbs high-quality MP3s copies of many popular songs through the service.
TorrentFreak discovered the program has become so popular that site admins had to temporarily take Mulve down due to traffic spikes. The official Mulve website has been down for most of Monday, as demand for the program has reached an even higher level.
There have been few viable alternatives to peer to peer networks, as putting the content in the hands of a centralized location generally leads to take-down requests, raids and lawsuits from the RIAA and other copyright groups. Some people remain skeptical of Mulve, but it appears to be a legitimate service that offers music listeners the opportunity to easily download copyrighted music.
Mulve will eventually meet its demise, but it's simplicity and ease of use will no doubt make it a popular music discovery program for many interested consumers.
