RIAA Radar
12/28/2004
We stumble today across an interesting and useful tool, the RIAA Radar. It's a database of albums that are released by labesl who support the infamous RIAA (or music police).
The RIAA stands for Recording Industry Association of America. What's so big about the RIAA, you might ask? Well, if you were one of the 7,000+ individuals sued for downloading MP3s, then you'll know why. If you are Negativland, then you know them intimately.
They are a lobbying group composed of hundreds of labels, the main five being Sony, Time-Warner, Universal/Polygram, BMG, and EMI. They exist supposedly to protect music from piracy (among other shady greedy purposes). This includes the use of sampling, something they are particularly evil about. They sue artists, labels, and CD pressing plants for releasing music with 'uncleared' samples on them (bits of other peoples' work put together in a new way, such as a collage or a simply shout-out to pop culture).
Labels that support the RIAA are supporting a twisted empire of corporate interest. Found-sound artists, hip hop artists, top-40 artists all use samples in their music, just as a collage artist will use bits of old magazines to make new things. The RIAA want to preserve our culture only for the wealthy industries who wish to own everything and continue to make more money on the very CULTURE we are creating.
The RIAA Radar helps you find music that isn't being released by labels who support the RIAA. In their own words:
"Just the highlights of the RIAA's practices involve price-fixing, blaming its poor financial state on unfounded digital piracy claims (and in turn, blaming and suing its own consumers), lobbying for changes that hinder technological innovation and change copyright laws, underpaying the artists it represents, invading personal privacy to enforce copyrights, and dismantling entire computer networks just because of their ability (of their users) to share copyrighted files."
I love this kind of stuff. Really, why aren't more people involved in this? Check it out.
Someday soon, I'll post my "RIAA: Music Police" Tee-Shirts and see how well they sell.
posted by novachild @ Tuesday, December 28, 2004,
