Is BurnLounge Going Up In Flames?
If you don’t know what BurnLounge is, be glad.
I just came across an article here that claims that BurnLounge is about to go down, and in much less than a Blaze of Glory (thank you, Jon Bon Jovi). Apparently, the FTC is out to shut BurnLounge down permanently. You can find BurnLounge’s response here.
Essentially, BurnLounge is a business that is trying to steal some of the iTunes market share, only they are using a pyramid scheme to do it. They’re trying to sell people on the idea that they can get rich by selling music downloads. That ain’t happening, folks. Especially when you consider that they don’t even sell in a format that is compatible with the iPod, which is the portable music player of choice for pretty much everybody.
For the last couple of years, people on forums and blogs all over the ‘net having been debating whether or not BurnLounge was on the up and up or whether it was just another scam. (Check out some of the discussions here and here.)
There are some pretty reputable people in the business that are really into BurnLounge, but I don’t understand it. In the Christian music world, Shaun Groves has written some things about it. He has an article on his blog discussing it. I know that people from Rick Dees to Shaq own a BurnLounge store. And while that might add some weight to it for some people, here’s the bottom line: Shaq plays basketball and Rick Dees is a DJ. Neither of them are business men.
Make whatever decision you would like about it (and I hope you succeed), but as for me and my house (which includes Boochie Shepherd), we will stick with iTunes.
Indie Christian Music 
Woah, Woah. Correction. Thanks for the linkage but, no, I’m not a promoter of Burnlounge. I’ve written about it a couple times but never endorsed it. In fact, I have major reservations about it’s likeness to Amway, its incompatibility with all operating systems and major browsers, the sameness of every store, the pushiness of its store owners etc.
I like that it allows fans to make money when they spread music they like. But Apple rewards folks in the same way. Apple has an affiliate program through linkshare.com that allows me to get paid when I link to iTunes’ music. Pretty cool. And I don’t have join a pyramid to do it.
Very cool blog. Glad I found it. And thanks again for the link…and the chance to clarify.
-Shaun
I enjoyed your post about BurnLounge. I was actually an event where they were promoting BurnLounge. Not something I’m interested in but I passed it on to my brother who is in a gospel music group. I thought it might be a way for them to promote their music.
At any rate, congratulations on what you are doing. You sound like a true “faithpreneur.” http://www.thefaithpreneur.com
Paula