The statement comes as UK backers are yet to gain access to the PonoMusic store.
Neil Young has issued a statement regarding his high-quality PonoMusic download service and player, admitting the company has struggled due to lack of resources and “no proven business leader,” despite raising $6.2 million dollars on Kickstarter.
“We have no proven business leader at the head of our company, but the search continues for one who could do it to our liking and understand what our goal is and how big it is. We are still looking. We have a big goal,” Young wrote on his Facebook page.
UK backers of the PonoPlayer have yet to gain access to the service’s promised high-quality downloads, with the PonoMusic store only accessible to those in the US, though Young stressed this was the next priority.
“Today we are trying to set up stores in multiple countries and are restricted by a lack of resources. This is our highest priority. As soon as we have the funds, those stores will open. We wish it could be faster than that.
“Canada, Great Britain and Germany are among our first targets. Our highest priority is to bring Ponomusic.com to those countries and operate within their business rules.”
The company also launched the “the PonoPromise”, which pledges free upgrades to music, if and when it becomes available in a higher quality at a later date.
If you’re wondering how this is possible given that PonoMusic deals exclusively in FLACs, then it’s the fault of the labels and artists for not releasing their music in a high enough quality.
“Most music available today is CD format ( 44.1/16 ). Record companies are sometimes capable of providing the same music at higher resolutions, making it sound superior to CD quality,” Pono wrote on Facebook.
“Pono, with your help, is encouraging artists and record companies to upgrade their music to the higher resolutions which the PonoPlayer can play, so that you can hear and feel all of the soul of the music, just as the artist created it.”
The PonoPlayer became the third most successful Kickstarter in history when it was launched last year.
