Madge Hung Up on Net pirates (Madonna's latest album leaked to internet despite extreme security)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | November 6, 2005 | Victoria Newton

[Stoat]

Madge Hung Up on Net pirates

Sensational ... in purple leotard
 

MADONNA was more Queen Of Strop than Pop last night when she discovered her new album has been leaked on to the internet – costing her a fortune in lost sales.

The star has gone to great lengths to keep Confessions On A Dancefloor under lock and key until its worldwide release on November 14.

Not even music critics could get a copy of the CD for review. They were forced to go to her record company HQ to hear it.

But last night I was contacted by Madonna fans who had ILLEGALLY downloaded the album for free.

The first single, Hung Up, is out today and Madge’s new dance album has been hailed as a return to spectacular form. She is furious to find someone had posted copies of the album online.

A source close to the star told me: “Madonna has gone all out to make sure this album wasn’t pirated — but she has failed.

“She was fuming when she found out the security had been breached and she has ordered her aides to find the culprits.


 

Back in the day ... Madonna in the Eighties
Picture: REX
 

“The CDs are watermarked. Even people who work for her were not given copies — they had to go and listen to it at the record company like everyone else.

“She worked really hard on this album and believes it’s wrong that fans can just download it for free.”

Madonna has been one of the strongest campaigners against music piracy.

Unfinished versions of the tracks from her album Music appeared online months before release.

She tried to avoid the problem with American Life by posting fake tracks on illegal networks.

When fans tried to download them they got a furious Madonna barking: “What the f*** do you think you are doing?”

Madonna defied her 47 years and looked sensational in a purple leotard to perform Hung Up at the MTV Europe Awards in Lisbon last week.

[Stoat]

If someone with Madonna's resources can't keep her album from being illegally leaked to the internet then I suppose just about anything get get to the Net if it's wanted badly enough by enough people.

[mc6809e]

I used to be very supportive of the music industry's effort to protect their intellectual property. Intellectual property is an important part of the modern economy.

But when I consider the content of the music industry's product I realize that to some extent the system is self-regulating. If an artist's music appeals to people that will steal it, then that artist gets what he or she deserves.

You can't sell music that advocates stealing, loose ethics, violence, and a "don't give a damn" attitude and not expect the listeners of that music to steal what you've made.

Now Madonna certainly isn't the worst, but I suspect she'll lose money in proportion to her lack of virtue.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Madge?

[Stoat]

Madge?

It's The Sun's name for her.  They also call Paul McCartney "Macca".

The Sun is great....what with their Cockney Rhyming Slang and other things that they do, oftentimes it's like reading in a foreign language   :-)

[Choose Ye This Day]

Macca? That's even odder than Madge.

Isn't the Sun the tabloid with the Page 3 girls? (Who must make their dads so proud.)

[Stoat]

Macca? That's even odder than Madge.

Yes, they definitely have an amusing perspective on language at The Sun.

Isn't the Sun the tabloid with the Page 3 girls? (Who must make their dads so proud.)

SHHHH!  Not too loud!  If the FR Overseers hear about that, they'll pull the thread and ban me for posting something from a "porn site"  (which has happened, under similar circumstances).  They've already changed this NEWS item to "General Chat" where it will whither on the vine.  Why do I even bother?  "sigh"

[kenth]

She tried to avoid the problem with American Life by posting fake tracks on illegal networks. When fans tried to download them they got a furious Madonna barking: “What the f*** do you think you are doing?”

That's pretty funny, and clever. I'm not sure it convinced fans who wanted her music to run out and buy it, but funny nevertheless. Maybe she should have just passed out a recording of her explaining the financial loss incurred by piracy. I don't know if that would be any more effective than the cursing though.

[Salamander]

I'm amazed that the "purple leotard" photo hasn't provoked the usual "camel" joke....:))


[I've left the house without a lot of things but I've never forgotten my pants]

[SouthernFreebird]

Her video was really gross. Who wants to see a 50 yr old butt. Granted she's in great shape but she's still oooooold.YUK!

[weegee]

So someone within the organization or studio leaked it. Same as with Hollywood films.

And yet they put copy protection on purchased CDs. Those insider bootlegs have NO copy protection.

And while someone MAY try to bring a camera into a theater to shoot a film, the copies that circulate widely around the world again come from inside connections, not off a screen. Yet consumers have to now deal with being scanned as we enter a theater. Countless shootings at movie theaters over time and never once did they install metal detectors. But now that a phone is a camera, suddenly they believe everything will fall apart without "security". I'd just settle for them hiring someone to hush those who talk during the movie.

An artist of her fame doesn't need a label anymore these days anyway. Home studio. Self-released title. Make a marketing deal with Best Buy. Does she expect to find stations that will play her new album? She should talk to Prince.

Besides, if her album IS the dance ladden trove they are claiming here, it will take hold in the dance clubs and become something that lives on for decades. Compilations will continue to license the song. Movies and tv commericals will license the song. Publishing is where the money is, not unit sales. That is just a "top 10" chart listing (that has a music playlist component and being sold through the "right" channels).

If she is going to complain about the company she works for, she should hold her cards closer and do it herself.

Then again, many DJs these days use mp3 (or other digital copies of tracks) and even compose their own mixes. AND they are provided free promotional copies of the songs.

[weegee]

So is she in her Cher phase now?

[weegee]

[I've left the house without a lot of things but I've never forgotten my pants]

Obviously you aren't a Kennedy.

[weegee]

Madge??

A new career move for Madonna?

[steveo]

IMO it was leaked on purpose. Would anyone even know if she was putting out a new album if not for this controversy?