Rupert Murdoch-owned MySpace began a music service yesterday which allows users access to thousands of songs from four major labels. In an effort to compete with sites such as 8tracks and the soon to be relaunched Muxtape, MySpace is offering free plays of the songs, with an option to download from Amazon. This was how Muxtape worked before it was shut down, but one assumes Murdoch actually went through the appropriate channels to develop the deal.

Smaller, independant labels with a presence on MySpace are throwing a ginormous hissy fit that they weren't invited to MySpace music, despite the fact that the site has done more to cultivate an original, user-generated music scene online than any other website. Say what you will about the vapid nature of MySpace, but it's become an industry tool in pushing out DIY content of its users for a worldwide audience.

Of course, it's not the bands, per say, that are upset about MySpace Music:

It certainly makes Chris DeWolfe’s public statements, that the ‘indie bands are really the heart of MySpace,’ ring extremely hollow,” said Charles Caldas, the chief executive of Merlin, a music licensing agency, in a statement.

STFU, label companies. Indie bands are the heart of MySpace, but no one promised that indie labels would be cut in on a piece of that sweet pie, since the site is basically doing your job for you and making your middle-man position unnecessary.