Recording Industry Throws Another Tantrum (Again)
Just when you think the Recording Industry of America couldn’t possibly get any more anal retentive, they do. One of capitalism’s oldest traditions is the free offer, the giveaway. Whether it’s altruistic or just a gimmick for future sales, it’s as American as, well, pick your cliché.
But tell that to the corporate douchebags who rake off 99% of the revenue from every CD you buy (just guessing at the numbers). Prince will be giving away copies of his newest CD, “Planet Earth.” Whether that’s out of generosity or just shrewdness — hey, cool, a free CD from one of the world’s most popular recording artists of the past 25 years. Everybody wins, right?
Ah, but the rules have changed. Free enterprise, under-pricing your competitors, building a better mousetrap — that’s soooo 1900s. Inheritance, cronyism, kissass-ism — that’s how most music industry executives got to where they are. Zero work for trillions of dollars. These fuckin’ leeches make Paris Hilton look productive.
And now Prince has brought the “struggling” recording industry to its knees by giving away his newest CD. The reason the recording industry is “struggling” in the first place is that nobody wants to patronize those assholes. In the 1970s the recording industry was “almost” decimated by those communist anti-American wretches who had the nerve to tape songs off the radio instead of going out and buying the record. After that, used CDs were the culprit that would destroy the music industry as we know it. When that didn’t happen, the blame went to those wicked freeloaders who downloaded free music off the Internet.
Things change, but the one constant is that the recording industry will always blame their own failures — caused by greed and ineptitude — on some fringe group whose “freeloading” is just about to bring them to their knees.
The co-chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association said: “The Artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behavior like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores." Well guess what, Shitbreath — long after the Entertainment Retailers Association has been dead and forgotten, Prince will still be well-known and revered. How’s that workin’ for ya?
If the recording industry wants to charge $19 for a new CD, and tries to put the thumbscrews on any store that sells used CDs, that’s free enterprise. But it’s also part of that same free enterprise system when a huge recording star gives away copies of his newest CD. Is this complicated??
Here are the results of a web search for “Prince new album RIAA.” Interesting reading.
Labels: Entertainment Retailers Association, Planet Earth, Prince, Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA
posted by Tom Harper @ 10:13 AM
12 Comments:
These bloodsuckers have leached off the public too long.
The buy political votes to charge internet radio fees, which will drive many out of business.
More of Corporate America - Bush style.
You make some great points. I personally find it hard to have any sympathy for an industry who's executives make millions on other peoples talent. Boo hoo.
Larry: Yeah, that really sucks what the RIAA did to Internet radio. I don't know if it's taken effect yet; it keeps getting postponed. But those new fees (and they'll be retroactive) will probably drive most internet stations out of business.
Leo: Yeah, the recording industry sure doesn't deserve much sympathy. Those executives can cry all the way to the bank.
Congratulations to you also tom harper, I understand you have also been awarded "The Schmooze Award" I hope you will post it because if anyone deserves this award, it's you.
I look both ways with the recording industry. On one hand you have folks with CD's burned from their computers for sail at a great price I must say.
Just as the motion picture industry complains about movies being recorded and sold, is the exact same cry that you hear from the recording industry.
That is just wrong to make a profit that way, off others hard work and I want even get started with China.
Then we have the blood suckers for years being over paid and treating the true artist like, would know what.
It's a shame that they use up a good thing then cry about it as they continue to prosper.
My oldest Son has his own production company, he writes the music and make the beats. He is finding new talent and introducing them to the world of entertainment.
The sad part to this are the offers he gets to close down his production company and become a CEO under another made up company by the Big boys down here in Georgia.
They take most of his best up and comers even though they are under contract with him. They buy out his contracts or sway the artist to convince him to take the money and run.
Let's Talk: The thing you're describing about your son, that's the kind of cut-throat stories I've heard about large record companies. They seem to be ruled by underhandedness and greed.
I'm sure the music industry loses a certain amount of money to people freeloading, but going ballistic over Prince giving away copies of his newest CD -- that's just too much.
Let's hope the recording industry goes the way of the dinosaurs -- because that's exactly what they are.
Kudos to Prince.
Lizzy: Yup, it's time for the recording industry to go the way of the Brontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex.
This is a great story. It's funny, I was corresponding with my English friend Greg and I commented that artists should just tour and give their music away for free...and then he told me about what Prince was doing.
J. Marquis: That's exactly what musicians should do, make their money from touring and give their music away. The large record companies are just this obsolete middle man and yet they're making more money than ever. I hope this changes soon.
I have never forgotten the "promise" from the Music Industry, when they went all out to switching from vinyls to CDs, that CDs would not only be priced cheaper than vinyls right off the bat, but that prices would keep going down throughout the years ...
Ri-i-ight ...
Mentarch: Ah yes, the recording industry and all its promises.
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