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.MUSIC is a domain name extension (like .COM, .NET, .ORG, .GOV, .EDU — i.e. http://www.YourName.MUSIC) exclusive for the global music community and industry. The .MUSIC Initiative by DotMusic is a truly global .MUSIC community-led effort and the only initiative with enhanced music tailored policies that ensure that music artists, bands, industry professionals and organizations register a trusted, secure and verified .MUSIC domain — a safe, authenticated domain identity similar to that of a domain ending in .EDU or .GOV — and own their exclusive www.name.music web address.

The .MUSIC Initiative is supported by thousands of music-related entities and organizations with members representing over 95% of music globally, including the international bodies representing musicians and featured artists globally, the independent music community, the major labels, the major publishers, major collection societies (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC), the Recording Academy/Grammys, major distributors and many other music communities (See Supporters).

.MUSIC differentiates itself from .COM, .NET, .ORG and other domain extensions because:

1. .MUSIC is exclusive only to legitimate members of the global music community.
2. .MUSIC is governed and controlled by the global music community. Each music constituent community type* has a governance seat on the multi-stakeholder .MUSIC policy advisory board. *Constituent types include artists/bands, major labels, independent labels, publishers, songwriters, performance rights organizations, music collection societies, music unions, music managers, music agents, music promoters, government ministries of culture, music/arts councils, music export offices, music associations, music radio and many other constituent types.
3. .MUSIC’s community application is supported by a majority of the global music community in terms of headcount, and growing. (See https://music.us/supporters).
4. .MUSIC has enhanced safeguards to protect intellectual property, prevent cybersquatting and eliminate copyright infringement.
5. .MUSIC has incorporated all IFPI/RIAA intellectual property protection provisions that include policies to stop domain hopping, takedown policies in the case of piracy, authorization provisions, permanent blocks, privacy and proxy provisions, true name/address mandates and trusted sender complaint policies amongst others.
6. .MUSIC requires registrant validation through a mandatory two-step phone and email authentication process.
7. .MUSIC protects names of famous music artists and brands by giving registration priority to those entities during a priority-based launch phase. .MUSIC also gives registration priority to community members belonging to legitimate music community member organizations to spur adoption, trust and safety.
8. .MUSIC has domain naming conditions that eliminate cybersquatting and famous music brand trademark infringement. Registrants are only allowed to register their own name, acronym or “Doing Business As.”
9. .MUSIC only allows legal music content and legal music usage.
10. .MUSIC will take down any domain infringing on any of its enhanced safeguard policies.

 

The DotMusic Mission for .MUSIC is focused on furthering the common interest shared by its global music community it serves: the legal promotion and distribution of music. Its purpose is:

1. Creating a trusted, safe online haven for music consumption and licensing
2. Establishing a safe home on the Internet for Music Community members
3. Protecting intellectual property and fighting piracy
4. Supporting musiciansʹ welfare, rights and fair compensation
5. Promoting music and the arts, cultural diversity and music education
6. Following a multi-stakeholder approach of fair representation of all types of global music constituents, without discrimination, including both commercial and non-commercial entities