Paying artists directly?

May 15, 2002

Kazaa, Verizon propose to pay artists directly

Recording Industry Association of America president Hilary Rosen calls the proposal "the most disingenuous thing I've ever heard. It's ridiculous."

Fans and artists might connect so that most of the money fans spend on music goes directly to the artist? That's ridiculous! I mean, I'm not going to a concert to see an artist because I like their music or want to support them....oh that's right, I am. Record companies are making themselves less and less relevant as they fight against new technology and as they also decide to drop artists whose albums I want to buy. Agents of Good Roots and Jump, Little Children both released albums independently after their labels dropped them. Wilco and Girls Against Boys are two higher-profile groups that were dropped by their labels and had to fight to get their albums released on other labels.

Of course, I don't trust Verizon and Kazaa, either. Kazaa includes loads of spyware with their file sharing client and Verizon has trouble providing basic service, competent billing and broadband that works.

(via The Shifted Librarian)

Posted by Andrew Raff at May 15, 2002 04:25 PM