[Ramius]

Well, I for one am not against copyright as a legal construct, but it's high time for ASCAP and RIAA to realize that they are the candlemakers at the dawn of the electric light. The world doesn't need them anymore.

More to the point: Artists don't need them any more. THAT is what they are really afraid of. Any artist or band that wants to distribute their music to the whole planet no longer needs an industry group or a record company to do it.

This actually has little to do with artists getting paid for their talent. It has to do with all of the parasites that make money off of musicians, that are seeing the end of their gravy train.

[tdadams]

it's high time for ASCAP and RIAA to realize that they are the candlemakers at the dawn of the electric light. The world doesn't need them anymore. More to the point: Artists don't need them any more.

I always see posts like this from people who are obviously not in any way involved in the music industry. This assertion is just laughable. I don't know any major artist who would prefer to do all the work that ASCAP, BMI, the RIAA, and the Harry Fox Agency does for them.

[tdadams]

This actually has little to do with artists getting paid for their talent. It has to do with all of the parasites that make money off of musicians, that are seeing the end of their gravy train.

I only wish you knew how wrong you are. ASCAP has been in the business of collecting performance royalties for almost 90 years. Their monitoring and enforcement has always been vigilant. They are in essence hired to represent the interests of their clients and they do it well. There's nothing wrong with that.

If anyone's methods and practices are questionable, it's the establishments that play copyrighted music to bring in customers, enhancing their profits, but refuse to compensate the people who make the music that brings them customers.

You seem to suggest that ASCAP has stepped up collection efforts in some kind of last-hurrah effort to cash in before MP3s finish them off. That's just silly.

[tdadams]

Any artist or band that wants to distribute their music to the whole planet no longer needs an industry group or a record company to do it.

Do you have any idea how many "artists" there are distributing their music over the internet already with nary a single one of them seeing sales in excess of $10,000 a year. Split that between a 5 piece band and you've got little more than weekend beer money.

The sad fact is, most wannabe musicians suck big time. I can't tell you how many artists I've seen who press up 1,000 CDs, give away about 300, sell maybe 50, and end up using the rest as coasters.

Your disturbing anti-capitalist rant notwithstanding, truly talented artists could not achieve millions in sales without the record companies. There may be Todd Rundgren or Janis Ian who make a living at it, but even they are only selling about 3,000 CDs a year.

[Anchoragite]

Artists don't need them any more. THAT is what they are really afraid of. Any artist or band that wants to distribute their music to the whole planet no longer needs an industry group or a record company to do it.

Sorry, but songwriters need groups like this more than ever.

First, yes, you can now independently distribute your music to the world if you wish. But how exactly will you make a living that way, much less make enough to pay off the investment in college (do you realize that many composers and songwriters actually have degrees in music? No, really!) or the decades of practice to learn the craft in the first place.

Second, with music so easy to steal, and such a casual attitude toward stealing music to use in your own businesses, ASCAP is definitely desired by musicians. That's why musicians join -- it is member-supported, you know....