More on the RIAA

I have recently become aware of a number of sites which are addressing the new copyright fees being imposed by the CRB and the RIAA. The Internet radio stations I listen to (Pandora, Radio Paradise, Legato Cafe and Creamy Radio are all up in arms about the new rates, and have started to organize to fight them. Make no mistake, this is a direct assault upon one of the true gems of the Internet...independent music programmers. These stations perform a true service both for the performers and for listeners. However, the big businesses which control the music industry (music, to them, is simply a product to sell to make money...those businesses have no concern about any possible higher value intrinsic in music...) have managed to buy off the CRB (and, by "buy off" I do not necessarily mean that there has been some sort of payoff--what I mean is that the the RIAA convinced the CRB that, economically, this was in the best interest of the music industry. What they didn't tell the CRB is that they, and not the creators of the music, comprise the music industry.). As most of the Internet streaming radio programmers will tell you, the Royalty structure being set by the CRB amounts to a death sentence for 99% of the Internet broadcasters.

The more I dig into the music industry, the more I am ashamed that I have had anything to do with perpetrating this vast immoral conspiracy on the part of the "suits" against both the performers and the listening public. There was a time when record labels were necessary, but that time has, for the most part, passed. There is no reason why the creators of music cannot use the Internet to by-pass the major labels entirely and deal directly with the music consuming public. Seven years ago Courtney Love addressed the Digital Hollywood conference and said things that are still true today. The problem with her speech then was that our lives went on pretty much unchanged at that time. The RIAA was still chasing Napster and not going after pretty much the public at large. Well, that has changed. The royalty grab is going to effect every last one of us. Plus, the abomination that is DRM also effects us all.

So, follow this link to Gizmodo's RIAA Manifesto, read it and follow the links it contains to begin to learn more about the evil perpetrated by the RIAA. Then, take up the cause and spread the word. Email your friends with these links, write your local newspapers and your elected officials to protest the CRB's proposed royalty structure. If you are an aspiring artist, stay the hell away from the big labels out there. Record your music either yourself of in an independent studio, and then distribute it on the 'Net. The numbers don't lie: sell 1 track for $0.25US to 500,000 people (that's less than 1% of the number of people in only the US who have access to the Internet) and you earn $125,000US. Record and sell 1 song per month at that rate, and you will earn $1,500,000US per year. Even if it costs you $500,000 to do that, you still end up with a million dollars. According to Courtney Love (see above) that's about a million more than you would end up with if you went with a big label.

I will no longer puchase CDs put out by RIAA members nor will I engage in any other activity that could potentially put money in their coffers. I will endeavor to support musicians and composers out of those channels (i.e. directly), but, if this proves to be impossible, I will live with what music I have and only purchase music from sources I am positive do not contribute to either the Big Four major labels or the RIAA. I know, my personal boycott won't bring down the establishment as it stands and it won't really have an effect upon music, but it will make me feel better.