DMCA Reform Resources Report
Thursday, October 9, 2003
The recording artist Moby, on his Web site, offered a similar opinion, suggesting the music companies treat users of file-sharing services like music fans instead of criminals.
“How can a 14-year-old who has an allowance of $5 a week feel bad about downloading music produced by multimillionaire musicians and greedy record companies,” he wrote. “The record companies should approach that 14-year-old and say: ‘Hey, it’s great that you love music. Instead of downloading music for free, why don’t you try this very inexpensive service that will enable you to listen to a lot of music and also have access to unreleased tracks and ticket discounts and free merchandise?’ ”
“I see both sides,” said Rodney Crowell, a country-music singer and songwriter. “In some ways, I think the record companies have it coming, but at the same time, being a writer and therefore in the business of copyright, they’re saying it’s impacting our business by 30 percent or more, so we have to do something.”
They say?
The Recording Industry Association says sales of recorded music have dropped 31 percent since file sharing became popular more than three years ago. But statistics from Forrester Research show the sales decline since 2000 has been half that, or 15 percent, and that 35 percent of that amount is because of unauthorized downloading.
ROBERT MORA / GETTY IMAGES
James Hetfield is a member of Metallica, which has strongly favored the record industry’s crackdown on file sharing.
In interviews, some musicians and their representatives said their labels had asked them not to talk. And in a dozen cases, record labels did not grant interviews with musicians on the subject.
Sounds like the fans aren’t the only ones being pressured.
Much of the stated concern over file sharing has centered on the revenue that record companies and musicians are losing. But few musicians ever actually receive royalties from their record sales on major labels, which managers say have accounting practices that are badly in need of review. (Artists do not receive royalties for a CD until the record company has earned back the money it has spent on them.)
Ween, which recently left a major record label, Elektra, to release its records independently, has found a way to coexist with file sharing, which the band actually supports by encouraging fans to record and trade shows.
See, it can be done.
Copyright — laura
