fair music weblog

Pop star Prince is demanding that video sharing website YouTube removes clips of his recent concerts in London. The singer says he is taking action against the site, and others like it, to “reclaim his art on the internet”.

More than 1,000 unauthorised clips have been taken down in the last few days, according to Web Sheriff, the UK firm he has hired to enforce the ban. The star is also targeting online shops which, he says, infringe his copyright by selling unauthorised merchandise. (more…)

Sony BMG looks set to win unconditional backing from the European Union’s top antitrust regulator for the merger that created the music group more than three years ago. The ruling, which could come as early as this month, would end more than a year of legal uncertainty following a controversial court ruling that annulled the European Commission’s original 2004 decision to clear the deal. (more…)

Rhapsody makes it easier to find DRM-free tracks with its new MP3 Directory. These tracks can be downloaded for 89 cents for subscribers and 99 cents for everyone else. That is less than DRM-free tracks on iTunes. The downloadservice is undoubtely reacting to the launching of the all MP3 store by Amazon later this month.
Rhapsody Launches Special MP3 Store - Hypebot

The MCPS-PRS Alliance, an alliance of two not-for-profit UK collecting societies, and the video-platform YouTube announced an agreement to license more than 10 million pieces of music to YouTube, that will recognise the contribution of the creators of that music to the service.
Chad Hurley, CEO and Co-Founder of YouTube said: “This agreement is another great example of how we are working with the music industry to explore new and creative ways to compensate music creators.”
Steve Porter, Chief Executive of the MCPS-PRS Alliance said: “Whether it is music videos, user uploads or other audio visual content, our agreement will allow our 50,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members to be paid when their creative talents are being enjoyed on YouTube’s service across the UK.”
MCPS-PRS Alliance & YouTube sign ground-breaking agreement - MCPS-PRS press release

YouTube zahlt für Musik - ORF Futurezone

eMusic is the second-largest digital music service behind iTunes and the world’s largest retailer of independent music. In mid-August, it announced that it has crossed the 150 million downloads milestone. The Hollywood Reporter’s business editor Georg Szalai recently talked to eMusic president and CEO David Pakman about eMusic’s strategy and audience. In the interview Pakman says “DRM in downloaded music will be gone. Its days are numbered.”

(more…)

In a report released today, RIAA v. The People: Four Years Later, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) provides a comprehensive look at the four-year litigation campaign waged by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) against music fans. The report traces the RIAA campaign from its beginnings in 2003 against a handful of students up to now.
The RIAA, writes EFF, continues to target college campuses for hundreds of new lawsuits each month. Under pressure from the recording industry, universities are establishing austere punishments for students suspected of sharing music files. In total, says the report, RIAA has already sued 20.000 file sharers.
“Despite the RIAA’s legal campaign, file-sharing is more popular than ever,” said EFF Senior Staff Attorney Fred von Lohmann. “History will treat this as a shameful chapter in the history of the music industry, when record companies singled out random music fans for disproportionate penalties. Artists must be compensated, but these lawsuits aren’t putting money in any creator’s pocket.”

Back to School for Reading, Writing, and RIAA Lawsuits? - EFF (the report can be downloaded from there)

“Schandfleck” in der Musikgeschichte - ORF Futurezone