MUMBAI: For musicians the world over – both independent and managed - this should come as a breath of fresh air. The .music registry yesterday announced the global launch of the community-based .music top-level domain extension and its verified musicID.

Members involved in any form of music can now register their .music URLs on a first-come, first-serve basis. Designed to provide verified digital identities for music artists, creators, songwriters, industry professionals, organizations and brands, .music will provide a trusted, vetted and secure digital space and safe haven for legal music consumption.

The registration and use of .music is exclusive to verified members of the global music community, enabling them to protect, control and oversee their music identities across the internet. In a time of increasing concern about non-consensual AI deepfakes, voice cloning, and the unauthorised use of the music community's intellectual property, .music offers a credible solution to these challenging problems.

The .music domain fosters a more trustworthy and transparent global music ecosystem by helping fans and platforms easily identify music (or content) created by real, authenticated humans and music (or content) entirely generated by unaccountable AI or bots, says a press release issued by the registry.

“For the first time in music history, the global music industry will be able to register their unique .music name and verified digital music identity. The .music domain and its connected MusicID will provide a trusted, secure, and authentic music-centric Internet where the global music community can safely connect, engage, transact and thrive,” says the founder & CEO of .music Constantine Roussos, a Greek-Cypriot by birth. .

“The .music launch marks a pivotal moment for the music industry to reclaim control of their digital footprint. By offering verified musicIDs, we are giving the global music community the ability to secure their digital identity, protect their creative works, and ensure that their presence online is authentic and safeguarded from impersonation, fraud, and AI misuse,” says id.music executive director Marina Roussou, the exclusive music identity provider for .music.

The introduction of .music has got the entire music world excited and supportive of the initiative. A host of global association heads has come out in praise of its launch.

“As a domain for the global music community, available only to verified artists, companies and organisations active in the music ecosystem, .music will be a valuable tool, strengthening trust and assuring authenticity. IFPI have been longstanding supporters of this initiative,” says International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) CEO Victoria Oakley.

“The launch of .music verified digital identities is an important step forward in the effort to deliver a safe, trustworthy space for artists, fans, and the global music community. Congratulations to the entire .music team!” says Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier, who represents labels that collectively create 90 per cent of recorded music sold in the US.

“We are pleased to see the launch of .music, a project that we believe will strengthen the global music community by creating a new level of trust, connection and reliability between all the players involved and, most importantly, with music consumers. Cisac has been a longstanding supporter of the .music initiative and we are delighted to see this ambitious project reaching the finishing line and coming to fruition,” says director general of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (Cisac) Gadi Oron, the world's largest network in the creative sector with 227 societies in 116 countries.

“On behalf of the International Music Council, I extend our warmest congratulations on the occasion of .music going live on 8 October. We celebrate this monumental achievement aimed at offering dependable and secure digital domains for music globally. This is perfectly in line with the five music rights and we are delighted to be part of it,” says International Music Council (IMC) president Sheila C. Woodward, the world's largest network of music organisations and institutions in 150 countries with direct access to over 1,000 organizations and 600 million through its members.

“Today’s music industry is global and digitised. ICMP is pleased to partner .music. The newly launched .music online domain name provides a global gateway for music creators and businesses around the world,” says the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP) director general John Phelan.

“The .music domain is launching at a vital time for the music industry. The NMPA applauds this ambitious initiative and the protections it offers creators who face evolving threats to authenticity from AI,” says National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) president & CEO David Israelite.

“With the music industry currently at a pivotal moment in time when it comes to protecting human creation in the face of AI and other disruptive technologies, the launch of the .music domain is another welcome tool that will help ensure authenticity and trust between artists, businesses and consumers alike. IMPF has been an active supporter of the community-based .music top-level domain for over a decade, so we're incredibly aware of and grateful for the hard work that has got us to this point,” says counsel to the board of directors of the Independent Music Publishers International Forum (IMPF) Ger Hatton.

“.music places security, respect for rights, and innovation at the heart of its approach. The FIM is proud to have contributed to the success of this project through its continuous support. Beyond a mere domain name, .music offers a high value-added service to professional musicians,” says the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) general secretary Benoît Machuel, representing musicians’ trade unions, guilds and associations worldwide.

“The Recording Academy is thrilled to continue our support of the .MUSIC initiative, especially during a time of such immense evolution of our industry where it has never been more important to protect human creativity. From its inception, the project has sought to provide a safe and reliable digital domain for music creators, and it will foster more trust and security for our entire music ecosystem,” says Recording Academy/Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

“A2IM has supported the .MUSIC initiative from the outset, and we’re thrilled to see it become a reality. This domain fosters trust, connection, and reliability within the global music community. It will create a safe, innovative ecosystem that benefits artists, labels, and music consumers alike, fulfilling our shared vision for a stronger, more unified industry,” says American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) president & CEO Richard James Burgess, representing the collective voice of independent music.

“Impala’s aims include effectively tackling infringement and giving music consumers the best digital infrastructure based on trust and security. A community-run .music system with commitments prevailed with support from Impala and others in the sector. It’s great that the .music domains are now available and will be administered in a way that achieves our mutual objectives and creates a safe and innovative ecosystem. This is part of our mission of growing the independent music sector in Europe,” says Independent Music Companies Association (Impala) executive chair Helen Smith), representing prominent independent music companies and national trade associations in Europe.

“The International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) and Music Managers Forum – US (MMF-US) congratulate .music on their launch. This development offers artists and their teams access to a new top-level domain name extension and opportunities to verify digital identities as AI and deep fakes escalate the long-standing issues of trust and veracity online. Representing artists and managers worldwide, IMMF and MMF-US are always interested in connecting our communities with innovation and tools to build a more trustworthy online ecosystem for artists and fans,” says International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) and Music Managers Forum - US (MMF-US) president Neeta Ragoowansi, representing national and regional associations of self-managed artists and managers from over 50 countries.