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Music piracy 'great', says Robbie (Singer Robbie Williams)
BBC ^ | 1/19/03 | Not Stated

Posted on 06/17/2003 10:13:13 PM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband

Music piracy 'great', says Robbie

Williams challenged record labels about pirate copies

Singer Robbie Williams has said he believes music piracy is a "great" idea.

He made the comment at a music trade fair in Cannes, predicting it would anger his record company EMI.

Williams said he had investigated the issue of music piracy before renegotiating his new recording contract last year.

The heads of the record labels don't know what to do about it


Robbie Williams

He said: "I think it's great, really I do.

"There is nothing anyone can do about it.

"I am sure my record label would hate me saying it, and my manager and my accountants."

The record industry estimates that it loses millions of pounds each year thanks to the public downloading tracks free from the internet.

'Hot air'

Williams, whose contract with EMI is worth a reported £80m, said when he had been to see all the major labels and asked what they were going to do about music piracy "I heard a lot of hot air".

"The heads of the record labels don't know what to do about it."

Williams' latest best-selling album Escapology has so far sold five million copies since it was released on 18 November.

EMI has said it will make a profit once a total of 18 million albums have been sold from its six-album deal with Williams.

Williams' album has sold 5m copies

Currently, record companies fear some 800 million bootlegged records are sold annually, compared with the industry's total legitimate sales of 2.4 billion discs in 2001.

This is coupled with the music industry facing the problem of tracks being downloaded free of charge from the internet.

Total sales for the music industry fell by 9% last year to $30.3bn.

Last month the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) said the circulation of pirated music in the UK had risen by more than 36%.

The figures, based on the number of seizures in 2001, represent £27m worth of music according to the music industry watchdog.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: downloads; kazaa; robbiewilliams; rockandroll; singer; zeropaid
Robbie is great btw. LOVE his music!!
1 posted on 06/17/2003 10:13:14 PM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: Bella_Bru; KneelBeforeZod; dts32041; RetiredArmy; groanup; Orangedog; aruanan; lelio; Tench_Coxe; ..
ping
2 posted on 06/17/2003 10:37:18 PM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: I_Love_My_Husband
Did you ever see the "cribs" episode with Robbie Williams? He is such an ass, but totally hilarious.
3 posted on 06/17/2003 11:29:17 PM PDT by KneelBeforeZod (You wear guilt...Like shackles on your feet...Like a halo in reverse)
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To: KneelBeforeZod
Gave away our telly a year or so ago, complete with ..the *box* to a friend. Have not missed it.

Robbie is great though :)
4 posted on 06/17/2003 11:40:15 PM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: I_Love_My_Husband
Well once he drops his recording contracts, he can record and give away every bit of his own music he wishes and also his wealth if he wants.
5 posted on 06/17/2003 11:43:17 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: I_Love_My_Husband
He's won me over. I just may start listening to his music.
6 posted on 06/17/2003 11:51:40 PM PDT by jagrmeister
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To: jagrmeister
I'm listening to "Me & My Monkey" being played by my dear beloved husband right now. Robbie is really good. Trust me.
7 posted on 06/17/2003 11:55:29 PM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: I_Love_My_Husband
saw him in concert not too long ago.he really is a great performer and extremely funny.
8 posted on 06/18/2003 12:08:34 AM PDT by armed_in_sydney
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