.MUSIC Mission Statement & Core Values

"To enhance the universal well-being and quality of life of all music stakeholders, and increase innovation, participation and collaboration"

.MUSIC Initiatives for Music Community & Industry

The .MUSIC Domain Initiative’s mission is concentrated on:

• Music education and the study of music in school curriculum;
• Fighting piracy and protecting trademarks & music intellectual capital;
• Musicians' welfare, rights & fair compensation;
• Enriching society with artistic & cultural diversity by promoting global music;
• Innovation in both the music and Internet space

.MUSIC will contribute proceeds from its domain name registrations to select trusted not-for-profit organizations that support its music community mission, core values and 5 initiatives.

.MUSIC Benefits for Music Community & Industry

The .MUSIC top-level domain (TLD) is:

• Safe
• Trusted
• Organized
• Consistent
• Branded
• Recognizable
• Differentiated

While .COM is considered the most popular domain in regards to domain registrations, it fails to effectively address the key online usage issues of safety, trust, consistency, brand recognition as well as communicate a website's content subject-matter.

An example of an extension that transcends .COM is the .EDU top-level domain. The .EDU clearly communicates the content subject-matter and symbolizes a trusted, industry standard for official educational institution websites that Internet users can rely on.

The .MUSIC extension will follow the footsteps of .EDU and launch a safe, trusted, organized, consistent, branded and easily recognizable top-level domain that will be the industry standard for official music websites. All music constituents will be able to claim their .MUSIC domain during the Sunrise Trademark Period or be able to register their .MUSIC domain through traditional registrars or an accredited music Community Member Organization (mCMO™).

.MUSIC Community Member Organizations (CMO)

Music Community Member Organizations (CMOs) will serve as trusted leaders of .MUSIC domain registrations, ensuring the safe and responsible launch of .MUSIC, preventing gaming, piracy and malicious conduct as well as protecting their members' .MUSIC brand trademarks from being cybersquatted or abused. Accredited CMOs for .MUSIC include:

• Music Trade Organizations
• Digital Aggregators
• Government Arts Councils & Music Export Offices
• Accredited Music Communities

CMOs are invite-only and only reserved for trusted organizations that have a history of activities that serve the music community and their members. To be considered for CMO accreditation, please email us at community @ music.us

.MUSIC Registration Policies to Prevent Malicious Behavior

The .MUSIC TLD will incorporate protective policies that surpass ICANN standard registry requirements. Policies are focused on outlawing piracy and preventing trademark infringement and other malicious conduct. By creating a safe haven and a trusted Internet zone for the music community, .MUSIC will assure music consumers that their monies, or any personal information they elect to provide, end up in the hands of the artist and the music community, not a pirate or an unlicensed website.

The .MUSIC objective is creating value for the music community. By making a difference that matters, .MUSIC will serve the music community and help create a legitimate ecosystem that benefits both artists and consumers.

.MUSIC Symbolizes Transparency, Participation & Trust

The .MUSIC (dotMusic) Initiative has been public since the announcement of ICANN to introduce new top-level domains. The .MUSIC Domain Initiative has been the most active new TLD prospect in terms of communication outreach and at-large support. We have been active participants and contributors at ICANN meetings in regards to new TLD policy-making and community establishment. This development is focused on a transparent multi-stakeholder governance model that is based on fair representation of both commercial and non-commercial constituents.

Trust, accountability and transparency are central to our mission statement and consistent with .MUSIC's Initiative to launch a true, community-based top-level domain for music that symbolizes:

• Trust
• Transparency
• Openness
• Accountability
• International Participation
• Inclusion
• Collaboration
• Commitment
• Social Responsibility