I think it is sad that the RIAA is approaching their customers with lawsuits rather than with purchasing options that suit today’s digital media world. However I get incensed when I hear that they are not only suing a (then 7) ten year old girl, but also insisting on being given the chance to question her directly rather than through less confrontational methods usually used for children in court cases.
I strongly urge everyone to avoid supporting this evil conglomerate.
How do you know if you’re supporting them? The RIAA Radar website allows you to check a particular artist, album, label, etc. to see if they are part of the sinister corporation. Before buying your music, check out that radar and see if you’re going to be supporting this kind of company, or if perhaps you want to forgo that particular album.
P.S. I’m always happy to provide music suggestions if you’re not sure what non-RIAA music you’d like to listen to.
Any particular suggestions on how to support an artist whose label is in the RIAA. For example, I wanted to pick up the new Mouse Mouse CD, whose label is with Sony for this particular album. I’m not sure I’m interested in their older stuff but at the same time I’m not interested in supporting RIAA who also sue dead people. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050204-4587.html
But I do want to support the artist…what to do what to do..
And that’s the bind – isn’t it?
If the artist has sold their rights for distribution to one of the RIAA record labels, they (the artist) likely can’t sell their albums any other way.
Honestly, I don’t know of a way to buy Modest Mouse’s new album without supporting the RIAA. Maybe that’s something the band needs to hear, so that if they can figure out another way of delivering their music they’ll know the fans will follow.
Activism has never been called “easy”. If you really don’t want to support the RIAA, you may not be able to buy this album.
Actually, on further thought, I wonder about buying the CD at one of their shows … I imagine the RIAA might get a piece of that, but most likely the artist gets much more of it. In fact I’d be surprised if the RIAA got any of it – might be part of the deal they signed for example?
Are they touring near Boston?