Canadian record label paying for lawsuit

[MalaCloudy Black]

http://techdirt.com/articles/20060126/2025216_F.shtml

One of the big lies from the RIAA during the last few years is how the only reason they're suing people is to "protect the artist." It's pretty clear that they're really just protecting their own business model -- which often involves screwing over the artist. In fact, a few years ago, some musicians were thinking of suing the record labels for not getting any of the money the RIAA was getting from these lawsuits. If it was really about "protecting the artist" then shouldn't some of that money be flowing to the artists? Well, now it appears that one Canadian record label is fed up with the RIAA. After receiving a letter from a fan of one of its artists who is being sued, the label, Nettwerk Music Group, has agreed to handle her fight against the RIAA. Yes, you read that right. A music label will be fighting on behalf of a teenager in her lawsuit against the RIAA. The label's CEO is quoted as saying: "Litigation is not 'artist development.' Litigation is a deterrent to creativity and passion and it is hurting the business I love. The current actions of the RIAA are not in my artists' best interests." While, in some ways, this is partly a publicity stunt for the label -- it certainly does show that the RIAA does not speak for the entire music industry, and that's a good thing.

I thought that was pretty fucking cool, myself.

[Skummy]

That's fantastic news. There are very few organisations in music that legitimately work with the good of the artist or the fan in mind, in my experience, so it's good to see that not everyone's chief concern is making a quick buck off someone else's hard work.

Edited January 27, 2006 by Skumfrog

[Lowerdeck]

Wow, that's pretty cool of that record label. I hope more follow suit and stop the RIAA's bullshit.