RIAA petitions to lower artist royalties, weakens piracy arguments

Sure, the RIAA hasn't exactly been on the good side of the general public since, oh, this century began, but it sure isn't doing itself any favors with this latest hint of persuasion. While the agency has fought grandmothers, children, and cash-strapped citizens quite vigorously to "ensure artists are getting due payment," it has seemingly opened up a chink in its own armor by pleading with judges to "lower artist royalties." While we fully understand the need to keep pirates at bay, leading us on to believe that the RIAA was actually acting in the (gasp) artist's best interest was dodgy to say the least, as its currently petitioning the panel of federal government Copyright Royalty Judges to "lower the rates paid to publishers and songwriters for the use of lyrics and melodies in applications like cellphone ringtones and other digital recordings." The RIAA's executive VP and General Counsel Steven Marks even went so far as to proclaim his hopes that rates would be reevaluated so "record companies can continue to create the sound recordings that drive revenues for music publishers." We're surely not ones to judge a man's character (nor an album by its jacket), but it doesn't seem that the dear ole musicians are really the ones atop the RIAA's list of concerns, now does it?

[Thanks, Nimro]

[roundabout @ Dec 11th 2006 3:30AM]

wow, who knew Mel Gibson was on engadget?

[steve @ Dec 9th 2006 11:21AM]

Is there any alternative for artists other than going though the RIAA? Sounds like it's time for a new origination to be created, and I think this might make it happen.

[John @ Dec 9th 2006 2:25PM]

They're call independent labels, and, yeah.

[David @ Dec 9th 2006 3:17PM]

If you're an artist, find a label you like that's non-riaa. If you're a consumer, use this: http://www.riaaradar.com/

[BklynKid @ Dec 9th 2006 11:21AM]

I can't stand the RIAA. They don't care about anyone but their own wallets being filled.

[Scott Neary @ Dec 9th 2006 11:29AM]

a-holes

[Neebs @ Dec 9th 2006 11:31AM]

Cutting off thier artists just to stop around a very small portion of music-listeners. Insolent bastards.

[shirizaki @ Dec 9th 2006 11:41AM]

Note that the article stated they're cutting royalties for CELL RINTONES. While that doesn't sound that bad, the fact that they're going after the person who gets the smallest chunk of change from an album sale doesn't make me happy.

I support any artist by going to concerts, that way they get alot of the monies. So now what's the RIAA going to do? Say they're going to charge a fee for artists to sing their songs? This is going to go bad for the fat cats when people just distribute their works online for free then organize concerts for funding. No more albums, just free tunes and paying for live shows. THAT I would agree to.

[Sean P. Aune @ Dec 9th 2006 11:44AM]

It said ringtones AND DIGITAL RECORDINGS. In other words, MP3s sold through iTunes, Zune and so on. It's a lot more than ringtones, and considering the way the industry is going, it could very well mean everything released.

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 9th 2006 4:09PM]

As the other person has stated, this includes digital recordings like iTunes. Which I think have a fair share of sales. You might want to look into the numbers pertaining to those sales.

But more importantly, you should look at the sales of cell phone ringtones.
If you were to count worldwide sales, it is easily a multi-billion dollar market. With the US taking a decent amount of sales. Also you have to realize that the average US ringtone costs $2-3 per song.

http://www.bmi.com/news/200604/20060403a.asp

[Jamar @ Dec 9th 2006 11:47AM]

Fun- once this gets around, their "it's for the artists" argument will fall apart rather quickly, I presume. It's not like they're losing money- you can still support them by going to concerts.

[sdean @ Dec 9th 2006 12:09PM]

again i have to point to gavin castleton on this one...check out his music www.gavincastleton.com and check out the song 'the great american bottle neck' He along with his band gruvis malt have been making musing for over 10 years independently.

[Revrant2394 @ Dec 9th 2006 12:46PM]

Ugh, I read this elsewhere, I'm equally disgusted.

Maybe now the artists "standing by" the RIAA against the "vicious pirates" will hop off the bandwagon and start attacking the right source.

[kevin @ Dec 9th 2006 7:08PM]

"digital recordings" could mean just about everything released by associates of the RIAA since about 1994.

any cd you've ever bought is a digital recording. no shit.

[Frederik @ Dec 9th 2006 1:07PM]

Who honestly believed that they ever were acting in anyone other than themselves' best interest?

[wxrman @ Dec 9th 2006 1:18PM]

Where can I order a case of "RIAA" toilet paper...

I gotta have that!

[RasterPix @ Dec 9th 2006 2:11PM]

http://www.jinx.com/scripts/details.asp?productID=285 ^_^

[Shawn @ Dec 9th 2006 1:38PM]

LOL, I wonder what those losers in Metallica have to say about this?..

[PureProtein @ Dec 9th 2006 2:07PM]

Sean Fannings new company, SnoCap, is just one way bands can start selling their music directly to fans withhout label involvement. The bulk of the proceeds go to artists who can tweak their pricing at will. Dinosaurs clinging to old business models will become digital fossil fuel.

[RasterPix @ Dec 9th 2006 2:18PM]

wxrman... my previous post was for you and for whomever wanted to express their "true feelings" for the RIAA. Alas, I did not see a case quantity for the item.
At the risk of sounding sophomoric, anyone for meeting at Steven Marks' house and giving it a good ole fashion rolling? *evil grin*

[John Doe @ Dec 10th 2006 3:30PM]

And I should care that the majority of my music comes from allofmp3.com why? Fuck the RIAA.

[Sree @ Dec 9th 2006 3:57PM]

It is high time to treat RIAA for what it is, a terrorist organization. Its main objective is to terrorize the music loving public and now the artists! RIAA should be banned and its officers sent to Iraq to serve as road crew to clear up the IEDs.

[Guitarist in training @ Dec 9th 2006 5:20PM]

I've been blogging about the RIAA's abuse of it's power for about six months. They never fail show thier greed and lack of concern for the music using public. I joined EFF.org in order to combat these greedy, dishonest people. If you feel about the RIAA as I do perhaps you too should join the fight.
The NMPA, MPA,(Music Publishers Assoc.) have also jumped on the band wagon of abuse due to the RIAA's example. The MPA has even called for people who use tablture to have," some jail time would be nice." Tablature is crude and usually from memory examples of how one might go about playing a particular peice of music. It is used as a teaching aide. If they put all the artists in training in "jail" who will write the music then? They too say they are for the "Artist" How can this be?
Music stores in Great Briton have been told to pay for the songs that some random stiffs off the street tried to play. Pay up or close your doors was the message.
We the people need to get angry at these people and close THEM down!

[Mitch @ Dec 9th 2006 7:45PM]

No wonder no one buys music, "support the artists". Thats a lie, artists get a buck at best from every album, but you don't hear them complaining, because the RIAA blocks them out. PAY THE ARTISTS MORE, and i'll buy more music. BOOO RIAA

[CyBeR @ Dec 9th 2006 8:15PM]

The more important question is: where do I get that toilet paper?

[Corey @ Dec 10th 2006 1:14AM]

Congratulations RIAA, you've come up with a brilliant marketing strategy. Since you already know everybody hates you, what's it going to hurt if you use it to your advantage? Seriously, great job...someone with some real brains realized a great way to squeeze more profit out of your business.

Unfortunately for the rest of us, we're still trying to find out how we can make money off of the homeless person on the corner and that family that just had their house burned down. I know you guys and your brains...any ideas on how I could do it? I'm sure you could find something.

If you're a complete idiot and think I'm being serious, look up sarcasm. If you're American, and you buy music, you're a complete moron. Someone commented that artists make a buck off of each album, but only the luckiest of artists make more than a quarter. If you want to support a band, buy their merchandise, go to their shows, or, if you're not a fan of either of those, send them a check. Even if a tour bus got good gas mileage, that CD you bought off iTunes only got them 3 miles (30mpg/$2.50 per gallon).

And "Orb Of Clarity" is a spoiled brat who, unable to take responsibility for his shortcomings, constantly looks for a scapegoat. Congratulations on missing your chance at the Jews...you really could have been one of the lucky ones in a prison cell right about now.

[MercWorks @ Dec 11th 2006 1:38PM]

www.magnatune.com

[Stevearino @ Mar 1st 2007 5:39AM]

It's time people in the industry banded together, the RIAA is taking this way too far, I've got to agree with digital Dave Grin isn't anything sacred anymore, come now leaving artisits and their music in the dust it's way too abusive for me.

[Eugene Grin @ Mar 1st 2007 6:17AM]

Support the artists by going to their concerts like Digital David Grin; buying their CD's!