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Return your stolen MP3s! Here's how:

#1: Email Them

1. Look up the email address of your regional RIAA authority. (Listed in your white pages under "Recording Industry: Regional Authorities)
2. Open up your email program, such as Microsoft Outlook(TM) or Microsoft Outlook Express(TM)
3. Create an email to the email address you found.
4. Attach all the MP3s you're returning. (If you don't know how to attach a file, look in the help file for your email program)
5. Press send.

#2: Burn Them

1. Burn a copy of your stolen MP3's. (Here's a guide: You can fit about 200 MP3s on a CD)
2. Package the CD's in a plastic case.
3. Place the CD case in an envelope. Carefully cut a piece of cardboard the size of the CD case.
4. Seal the envelope. (Hint: You might consider putting in a note saying you're sorry)
5. Put on the right number of stamps.
6. Address it to:
   The RIAA
   c/o America

#3: Snail Mail Them

1. Locate on your computer the first MP3 you want to send. (Hint: MP3s usually end with the letters ".MP3" or ".mp3")
2. Open up your hex editor. (Did you know that "hex" is short for "hexadecimal?" Well now you do, if you do not you are undoubtly retarded)
3. Resize the hex dump (usually on the left side of the page) as small as it goes. You won't be needing it.
4. Drag-select the ASCII dump. Use the "copy" command.
5. Open your favorite word processor such as Microsoft Word(TM) or Microsoft WordPad(TM). Press "paste."
6. Set the page margins to 1" all around (2.54 centimeters). Consider single-spacing.
7. Load your printer with a fresh ream of paper. (Did you know that there are 500 pages in a ream?)
8. Press print.
9. Pack the paper carefully in a carton and take to the post office.
10. Send to the RIAA address in Method #2.

#4: Fax Them

1. Follow the instructions for snail mailing, but do not go to the post office.
2. Look up the fax number of the nearest RIAA Regional Authority.
3. Load your fax machine with the paper. (Hint: Most fax machines can only load 10-20 pages at a time. Can you figure out how many batches your MP3s will take. Without using a calculator of course!
4. Press send.

Now don't you feel better? I do.

(Stolen from sendthemback.org, edited for the Slashdot audience by Captain Goatse. Hopefully XHTML 1.0 compliant, otherwise, please give goatse.cx a visit.)

Return your stolen MP3s! Here's how:

#1: Email Them

1. Look up the email address of your regional RIAA authority. (Listed in your white pages under "Recording Industry: Regional Authorities)
2. Open up your email program, such as Microsoft Outlook(TM) or Microsoft Outlook Express(TM)
3. Create an email to the email address you found.
4. Attach all the MP3s you're returning. (If you don't know how to attach a file, look in the help file for your email program)
5. Press send.

#2: Burn Them

1. Burn a copy of your stolen MP3's. (Here's a guide: You can fit about 200 MP3s on a CD)
2. Package the CD's in a plastic case.
3. Place the CD case in an envelope. Carefully cut a piece of cardboard the size of the CD case.
4. Seal the envelope. (Hint: You might consider putting in a note saying you're sorry)
5. Put on the right number of stamps.
6. Address it to:
   The RIAA
   c/o America

#3: Snail Mail Them

1. Locate on your computer the first MP3 you want to send. (Hint: MP3s usually end with the letters ".MP3" or ".mp3")
2. Open up your hex editor. (Did you know that "hex" is short for "hexadecimal?" Well now you do, if you do not you are undoubtly retarded)
3. Resize the hex dump (usually on the left side of the page) as small as it goes. You won't be needing it.
4. Drag-select the ASCII dump. Use the "copy" command.
5. Open your favorite word processor such as Microsoft Word(TM) or Microsoft WordPad(TM). Press "paste."
6. Set the page margins to 1" all around (2.54 centimeters). Consider single-spacing.
7. Load your printer with a fresh ream of paper. (Did you know that there are 500 pages in a ream?)
8. Press print.
9. Pack the paper carefully in a carton and take to the post office.
10. Send to the RIAA address in Method #2.

#4: Fax Them

1. Follow the instructions for snail mailing, but do not go to the post office.
2. Look up the fax number of the nearest RIAA Regional Authority.
3. Load your fax machine with the paper. (Hint: Most fax machines can only load 10-20 pages at a time. Can you figure out how many batches your MP3s will take. Without using a calculator of course!
4. Press send.

Now don't you feel better? I do.

(Stolen from sendthemback.org, edited for the Slashdot audience by Captain Goatse. Hopefully XHTML 1.0 compliant, otherwise, please give goatse.cx a visit.)

Return your stolen MP3s! Here's how:

#1: Email Them

1. Look up the email address of your regional RIAA authority. (Listed in your white pages under "Recording Industry: Regional Authorities)
2. Open up your email program, such as Microsoft Outlook(TM) or Microsoft Outlook Express(TM)
3. Create an email to the email address you found.
4. Attach all the MP3s you're returning. (If you don't know how to attach a file, look in the help file for your email program)
5. Press send.

#2: Burn Them

1. Burn a copy of your stolen MP3's. (Here's a guide: You can fit about 200 MP3s on a CD)
2. Package the CD's in a plastic case.
3. Place the CD case in an envelope. Carefully cut a piece of cardboard the size of the CD case.
4. Seal the envelope. (Hint: You might consider putting in a note saying you're sorry)
5. Put on the right number of stamps.
6. Address it to:
   The RIAA
   c/o America

#3: Snail Mail Them

1. Locate on your computer the first MP3 you want to send. (Hint: MP3s usually end with the letters ".MP3" or ".mp3")
2. Open up your hex editor. (Did you know that "hex" is short for "hexadecimal?" Well now you do, if you do not you are undoubtly retarded)
3. Resize the hex dump (usually on the left side of the page) as small as it goes. You won't be needing it.
4. Drag-select the ASCII dump. Use the "copy" command.
5. Open your favorite word processor such as Microsoft Word(TM) or Microsoft WordPad(TM). Press "paste."
6. Set the page margins to 1" all around (2.54 centimeters). Consider single-spacing.
7. Load your printer with a fresh ream of paper. (Did you know that there are 500 pages in a ream?)
8. Press print.
9. Pack the paper carefully in a carton and take to the post office.
10. Send to the RIAA address in Method #2.

#4: Fax Them

1. Follow the instructions for snail mailing, but do not go to the post office.
2. Look up the fax number of the nearest RIAA Regional Authority.
3. Load your fax machine with the paper. (Hint: Most fax machines can only load 10-20 pages at a time. Can you figure out how many batches your MP3s will take. Without using a calculator of course!
4. Press send.

Now don't you feel better? I do.

(Stolen from sendthemback.org, edited for the Slashdot audience by Captain Goatse. Hopefully XHTML 1.0 compliant, otherwise, please give goatse.cx a visit.)

Agreed. Just look at the RIAA uses the DMCA - "The copyright owner may then present a subpoena request to the Clerk of the Court that requires the user's ISP to identify the person who was using the particular IP address when the copyright owner observed the copyright infringement. " - and this is based on a good faith belief that the person has committedd copyright infringement. Then the case goes to civil trial. Completely bypasses the bill of rights.

Good Faith... RIAA/MPAA.. truly a disconnect. Nasty

Another reality is that the cost to become a record label isn't that high anymore either.

One big problem with your reasoning is that only the big boys seem to have the finances to promote their recordings to listeners in moving vehicles.

It's interesting that you mention Major League Baseball, because they appear on the RIAA's member list.

In his testimony, [to Congress, RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch] Bainwol urged peer-to-peer network operators to voluntarily implement the following reforms:

• Change the default setting for their users so that American children, teenagers and others are not automatically - and often unknowingly - uploading music from their hard drive.
• Institute meaningful disclosure clearly notifying users that uploading and downloading copyrighted materials without permission is a violation of federal law.

...

"The law is clear. Yet the understanding of the law is hazy. Why? In large part it's because the file sharing networks like Kazaa deliberately induce people to break the law," testified Bainwol.

If this is true, the RIAA has a point. Such behavior on the part of the P2P services is hard to justify.

On the other hand, it means the kids using the service according to official RIAA testimony often lack intent to violate laws in general or to redistribute copyrighted material in particular ! The sort of random shakedown of well-intentioned end users (SCO anyone?) that we are now seeing is outrageous and enromously destructive, far worse than a total collapse of the recorded music industry would be.

If I can be assaulted by a squad of corporate attorneys when I think I am minding my own business, I will simply be inclined to avoid using any products whatsover that include any technology invented after about 1910.

If this kind of malicious attorney-goon-squad behavior is legal, it shouldn't be. Now here's a place for a federal law.

The key to being safe from the RIAA: Don't listen to music owned by the RIAA.

That's not quite true. The RIAA generally pursues their cases, especially those involving only petty infringements like filesharing, in civil courts because of the lesser standard of proof, but large-scale bootlegging for profit is indeed a criminal offence.

I hate to quote the RIAA overlords on this, but for once it's fairly accurate, so here goes: Where the infringing activity is for commercial advantage or private financial gain, sound recording infringements can be punishable by up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Repeat offenders can be imprisoned for up to 10 years.

(Private financial gain does not mean avoiding "potential expenses".)

Hilary Rosen is no longer heading the RIAA. That honour now falls to Cary Sherman.

..so long as it doesn't break any laws. Apple is the good guy here. We don't want the recording companies pissed at Apple. Unfortunately, my confidence in this program is vastly lowered by the "additional notes" section on the bottom of the MyTunes page:

If you plan on stealing music, do not download this software. If you plan on infringing upon copyrights, do not download this software. Only download this software if you plan on acting responsibly.

Warranty: There is absolutely no warranty of any kind whatsoever with this software. The software is provided to you "AS-IS", and all risks and losses associated with its use are assumed by you. In no event shall the author of this software, Bill Zeller, be held accountable for any damages or losses that may occur from use or misuse of the software. Use at your own risk.

And remember, copyright infringement is illegal. If you have any question whether what you're doing constitutes an infringement, visit the RIAA's great anti-piracy website.

Read that last line there. If that doesn't constitute butt-kissing, I don't know what does. (I preserved the link so just in case the page gets /.'ed, you can still visit the RIAA link.)

From the bottom of the site:

And remember, copyright infringement is illegal. If you have any question whether what you're doing constitutes an infringement,
visit the RIAA's great anti-piracy website.

Kissing asses here, scared allready or just kidding?

And nobody is abusing those laws

about IBM sending subpoenas to large SCO investors in an effort to compel discovery.

In the recent wake of subpoena frenzy, we at subpoenaforless.com are pleased to announce a 20% discount on all our printed subpoenas, and 25% discount on rose-smelling quadrichromic printed 320g paper models. Up to 40% off all our models of subpoenas can be had if you puchase in volume. We have many satisfied customers and you could be one too.

We're also working hard on the upcoming opening of our new online Internet portal, oneclicksubpoena.com. Be assure that we at subpoenaforless.com are committed to high quality, trouble free legal hassles.

I found this on The RIAA's website, an article I skimmed while looking for their take on these "facts" as reported by CNN. At the bottom of the article, I saw the following (emphasis is mine):

The Recording Industry Association of America is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes our members' creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA(R) members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States.
The Anti-Piracy division of the RIAA investigates the illegal production and distribution of sound recordings that cost the music industry hundreds of millions of dollars a year domestically. Consumers, retailers and replicators can report suspected music piracy to the RIAA by dialing a toll-free hotline, 1.800.BAD.BEAT, or sending email to badbeat@riaa.com or cdreward@riaa.com.

Dear RIAA,

YOU FAIL IT!

Love,
Everybody

Sorry, I misspoke, those were U.S. shipments. RIAA claims $40b globally. Good point to raise.

If you assume that "hits" are always the bulk of sales, the RIAA Award database says that ther were 53 "gold" singles awarded in 1968, which I guess to be a representative near-peak sales year for singles. Since "gold" was 500,000 units, it says that top sellers were at least 25M units that year. If you guess that is 1/4 to 1/2 total unit sales, then likely there were 50-100M single sales a year around 1968 in the US, which was probably around 1/2 unit per person per year. So, by that measure, the current ~8m/month = 96M units over twice as many people is maybe 1/4 unit per person per year.

I am possibly off by factors of two or four, I'd guess, but maybe not by a factor of 10 I wouldn't think. On-line sales could reach equivalent to peak 45rpm single sales per-capita in not-very long.

I will observe that the kind of contracts artists got in the days of singles really, really sucked, and there was little money to be made until album sales kicked in. A healthy singles market is not necessarily healthy for artists, but it does have historic precedent.

-dB

I didn't even need to click. I've been doing the math to figure how big a deal this iTunes thing is (not big, at least not yet).

Here are the numbers. The U.S. record industry sold $12.6 billion worldwide in various formats (almost all CDs) in 2002. This is off a bit from the peak $14.6 billion in 1999. It's important to keep in mind that, even at those levels, we're talking about nine weeks revenue for IBM.

Assuming the Windows side of iTunes Music Store continues to sell at the initial rate of 1 million songs/$1 million revenue in the first 3.5 days, that's only about $104 million per year. The Mac side sold $13 million in tunes in the first six months, so we'll put that side at $26 million per year.

That's $130 million per year for all iTMS. Even if the store doubles its sales, and then the other stores collectively match its sales, you'd be talking about total online sales of $520 million per year, still a drop in the bucket.

The growth will need to get exponential before there is any comparison with offline music sales. I'm not saying it won't happen, but that's what we're talking about, and that's how I instantly new the hed on the posting was wrong.

"few would dispute that the RIAA does in fact have the rights (rightly, or wrongly) to the music they sell. For better or worse, they own them."

I'll dispute that. I'm not sure you know what RIAA is. They don't sell music or own music. They are a trade group that represents the Recording industry.

"As for the RIAA being evil, I'm not so much convinced by how they treat their "customers" - They are a company, and the primary job of a company is to make money. I'm primarily upset by their hypocracy, and their poor treatment of their artists, the very source of their income."

RIAA is not a company, it's an organization of members. They do not have customers, and as far as how they "treat their artists"? Not to flog a dead horse, but they have no artists and they don't treat them in any particular way. I think you might be getting RIAA confused with a recording label. What RIAA does is try to protect the property of recording labels, and by extension, artists (although few artists manage to maintain ownership of their own songs). Some artists support what RIAA does and some don't, but few would argue that working to ensure artists receive whatever pittance the recording label has deemed appropriate, is a bad thing for the artist. It's recording labels who treat artists either well or not-well. RIAA has nothing to do with artists.

Now, I think RIAA is behaving shortsightedly and ignorantly, maybe even acting beyond their bounds. My band used to be on MCA records and, believe me, I have no love whatsoever for the industry.

I download shit now and again and don't feel the least bit guilty. As far as I'm concerned it's a matter of personal morals, not some sort of revenge for an ignorantly motivated hatred of an organization that you obviously don't understand. I just happen to think it's okay for me to steal. It's as simple as that.

Feel how you want to feel about RIAA - you're entitled to your feelings- but don't mistake your feelings for fact. And don't start thinking somehow that you're not stealing from the same artists you claimed to feel for whenever you donwload a song instead of buying it.

and that the RIAA says they lose $4.2 billion to piracy worldwide here and $300 million domestically over here. Seems to me they might stand to gain more if they went after their non-domestic "pirates." (Real live pirates on the high seas maybe?)

and that the RIAA says they lose $4.2 billion to piracy worldwide here and $300 million domestically over here. Seems to me they might stand to gain more if they went after their non-domestic "pirates." (Real live pirates on the high seas maybe?)

that on the RIAA website the WHOLE of the front page (latest news) is covered with information about the court cases etc, they even have a complete Piracy Section, it makes me wonder how they're helping artists when all they're doing is sueing the people who (might) buy their albums. Surely they shouldn't be doing stuff like helping young artists find work?

that on the RIAA website the WHOLE of the front page (latest news) is covered with information about the court cases etc, they even have a complete Piracy Section, it makes me wonder how they're helping artists when all they're doing is sueing the people who (might) buy their albums. Surely they shouldn't be doing stuff like helping young artists find work?

You'd be better off taking that money and purchasing your own congresscritters to change the copyright law.

If you don't want to support the RIAA, then don't buy anything from their member companies. Get all your CDs second-hand if they're from one of them.

Unless those 50 Million Americans want P2P trading of music.
Does this mean that the RIAA gives more money to political campaings than the ATA?
I'm not saying that using other peoples creative works without compensating them is right. But if 50 Million Americans can't be wrong shouldn't compulsary liscensing been more of a slam dunk?

Lets set up tariffs. They want to farm there work offshore, lets make it so expensive to do so that they will lose money outsourcing.

Yes. Let's ask the government to prop up our obsolete business model. Oh wait ...

On the other hand, not everybody (*gasp*, I know!) has a DVD player, and moreover I'm not even sure how easy it is to rip music from a DVD. Never mind the fact that it's probably evil...

D'oh, didn't hit Preview. Here's the link.

RIAA has nearly 1000 members.

Some excerpts from the list:

A&M Records
Atlantic
BMG Entertainment
Bob Marley Music
Bon Jovi
Branford Marsalis
Capitol Records
Christian Music Group
Deep Purple
Def Jam
Doggystyle Records
Elektra Entertainment Group
Elton John
Elvis Tribute Project
EMI Records
Garth Brooks
Jersey Records
Mercury Records
Miramax
Motown Records
Nick @ Nite
Philips
Random House
RCA Records
Rhino Records
Smashing Pumpkins- Adore
Sony Music
Stax
Taj Mahal Records
Time/Life (ADA)
Virgin Underground
Walt Disney Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Woodstock
Yo! MTV Raps
ZAPPA
Zomba/Def Jam

Program Details Affidavit Details

Program Details Affidavit Details

RIAA is a U.S. corporation (or organisation, not sure which)

However, they aren't what's known as a Charitable Non-Profit (501(C)(3) in tax terms if I remember right) such as United Way, so the courts will also take that into consideration.

I work for a Professional Association myself and have talked to our legal team about the RIAA and how they work at length. Association law can be quite complicated here in the US.

Fuck RIAA by not going to see bands that have signed deals with RIAA member companies. Or, if you do, somehow get the message to them that you won't pay unless they go independent (in other words, you're not paying). Go buy CDs from CDBaby or something, or get your music from dmusic.com.

They blame piracy for their declining profits...on riaa.com (presuming, of course, that it's up), right under the article about suing the next batch, they blame piracy for their declining profits...how about they start looking in their lawyers' wallets?

This can't be cheap for them to continue this way - suing everyone and their 12-year-old child. It's only a matter of time...

Here is the RIAA member list for your viewing pleasure: http://www.riaa.com/about/members/default.asp

If you like censorship then this is great news! Otherwise ask some privacy and to be left the hell alone as We the People are the Internet.

For $10/mo I just signed up for an RIAA-free emusic account

Um, no. Vivendi Universal, owner of emusic, also owns Universal Records, an RIAA member. In fact, the first label I recognized on that RIAA membership roster, 4AD, also appears on emusic. For that matter, the label for the box set you mention downloading is also an RIAA member. You may not be landing as much cash in their pockets, but it's not "RIAA-free" by any means.

To add my own rant, I should mention that emusic is the only company that has ever flatly stolen my money. (Partial details here if you're interested.) As much as I liked the service for 3 days, I'd say you should be wary of these guys. The Better Business Bureau record on emusic pretty well supports this point, but (to my mind) it doesn't really emphasize the point enough.

it's pretty god damn hard. its kind of like being vegan. a lot of hardline vegan kids have this little book, its called "900 million animal ingredients". when they go to the grocery store, they have to take the book with them, and make sure that none of the 900 million ingredients are listed on the ingredients of the food they are going to buy.

similiarly, in order for you to "NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN BUY RIAA RECORDING COMPANY CDS", you're going to have to take a list of recording companies represented by the RIAA with you into the music store. here is a list of record companies the RIAA reprsents: link, so go ahead and print it out and take it in with you...

the point is: there is no god damn way you are going to do this. the RIAA represents too many fucking record companies to make a boycott plausible. i mean, who wants to spend an afternoon digging through records just to find out that the 3 they want are all put out by record companies that they've a) never heard of, and b) are represented by the RIAA?

the real problem here is that a lobbyist group like the RIAA is allowed to exist in the first place.

BUT DON'T WORRY AMERICAN!!!!!!!

this is a democracy. since 57 million people (more than the # of voters who were not listened to when we just went ahead and installed a democractic president who didn't win the election back in the year 2000) share files, and because we have functioning and not decadent democratic forms in the united states, the people's voice will be heard!!!! this issue will be resolved once we all get a chance to vote on it!!!!!!!

thank god for voting!!!!!

the problem of sony/emi/universal/the smaller companies/the RIAA will be resolved by democracy in america. this resolution will be very similar to the way that the voters of california voted to legaliz medical marijuana, which was quickly outlawed by a mechanical ape thousands of miles away.

I from this day forward will never again purchase another compact disc. Ever.

people say things like this far too often here. dont forget; there are plenty of record labels out there (which distribute far better music imo) that dont belong to the riaa. theres no need to stop buying cds altogether.

Here is a link to a list of all the RIAA members. Remember _never_ to buy a CD from any of these labels _EVER_ again.

RIAA members

60 million PS2 consoles worldwide? That is a lot of $$ for a company which the /. crowd has professed to really hate on many occasions. Even averaging say $200 USD for all those sales is an amazing $12 Billion USD in revenue.

God forbid you visit this link.

The following are sueing a 12 year old girl:
1500 Records 20G Entertainment 241 Records 2Ksounds 32 Records 333 Music 4AD Records 4th & Broadway 5 Minute Walk 5.1 Entertainment 510 Records 550 Music 57 Records A& E Latin Music A&M Records A440 Records Abkco Acony Records AD Records Aftermath/Shady Aleho Alice Alliance Alligator Records Almo Sounds Amaru Records Ambar Records American Empire American Recording Amiata Records Andy Prieboy Angel Angels Antilles Antone's Antra Records Apple Archive Ardent Aries Music Entertainment, Inc. Arista Latin Arista Nashville Arista Records Ark 21 Arsenal Artanis Arte Nova Artemis Artist Direct/Kneeling Elephant Astoria Entertainment Astralwerks Records Asylum Records Atco Atlantic Atlantic Classics Atlantic Nashville ATO Records Atrium Records AV8 Records Avatar Records Avenue Records AVI Aware AWOL Records Axiom B.E.C. Back Porch Records Bad Boy Entertainment Bad Dog Records Ballers Entertainment Baphomet Housecore Barak Entertainment Barb Wire Productions Barco Records Bass Productions Beat Club Beauty Records Beginner's Bible Beiler Bros Records Belart Bellmark Belly Soundtrack Benson Record Berman Brothers Best Side Beyond Music Bibleman Big Baller Big Beat Records Big Cat/Work Big Deal Big Dog Records Big Ear Music Big Head Todd Big Idea Productions Big Records Big Screen Music Big Tree Big Wadd Big World Bigtyme Records Billy Corgan Biv Ten Records Black Market Records Black Out Black Pumpkin Records Black Top Records Blackground (Barry & Sons, Inc.) Blackground Records Blackheart Blackstone Bliss Productions Blix Street Blood and Fire Bloodline Records Blue Gorilla Blue Jackel Entertainment Blue Note Blue Plate Blue Thumb Bluebird Blues Bureau BMG Classics BMG Entertainment BMG U.S. Latin BNA Records Bob Marley Music Bocelli-Sogno Bohemia Bon Jovi Box Tunes Branford Marsalis Breakaway B-Rite Broadway MCA Brody Records Broken Bow Records Broken Records Brutal Records Bullseye Bungalow Records Burnside C2 Cadena Records Cadence Christian Caliente Candle In The Wind Cannan Capitol Nashville Capitol Records Capricorn Cargo Records Cash Money Records Catalyst Caviant Cell Block Records Celtic Corner Celtic Heartbeat Chameleon Records Charisma Cheeba Sounds Cherry Entertainment Chignon Records Children Chord Chordant Christian Music Group Chronicles/PSM Chrysalis Music Group Chuck Life Cintas Acuario Circular Moves City of Hope Cky Classic Tracs Clatown Records Clean Slate Climate C-Loc Records Clockwork CMC International CMG Cold Chillin' Records Colli Park Music Columbia Records Command Conifer Contemporary Coolhunter Records Coolsville Productions Copacabana Records Costarola Cotillion Covenant Artists Crazy Cat Crescent Moon Crime Partners Critique Records Crowne Music Group Crystal Lewis Crystal Rose CTW/Sesame Street Curb Curb/Rising Tide Cyan Records Cypress D & D Records Da Border Music, Inc. Dagger Records Dali Records Damian Music Damian US Latin Dancing Cat Dare 2BU, Inc. DAS Day Spring Daywind Music Group DCC Death Row Debris Records Debut Decca Deep Purple Def Jam Def Soul Delicious Vinyl Delos Denon Desert Storm DGG DHM Digital Theater System, Inc. Disa Discipline Disques Vogue DJ Honda Recordings DKC DM Music DM Records, Inc. DMY DMZ Doggystyle Records Domo Records Dopehouse Records Down in the Delta JV Dr. Dream DreamWorks DreamWorks Nashville Drive Thru Records Duck Down Music DV8 Records E Pluribus Unum Eagle Rock Eaglevision Earthbeat Earthdance East Side Digital East West Records Easydisc ECM Eddie Soundtrack Edel America Records Edel Entertainment Edito Classica Edmonds Record Group Elektra Asylum Elektra Entertainment Group Elektra Musician group Elementree Records Ellipsis Arts Elton John Elvis Tribute Project EMD Music Emergent Music Marketing EMI Classics EMI Gospel Music EMI Latin EMI Records Eminent Empire Records Enjoy Records Epic Epic Nashville Epidrome Equinox Music ERATO ESC Records

In case we've all forgotten who belongs to this wretched organisation, go take a look at their list or read on:

1500 Records 20G Entertainment 241 Records 2Ksounds 32 Records 333 Music 4AD Records 4th & Broadway 5 Minute Walk 5.1 Entertainment 510 Records 550 Music 57 Records A& E Latin Music A&M Records A440 Records Abkco Acony Records AD Records Aftermath/Shady Aleho Alice Alliance Alligator Records Almo Sounds Amaru Records Ambar Records American Empire American Recording Amiata Records Andy Prieboy Angel Angels Antilles Antone's Antra Records Apple Archive Ardent Aries Music Entertainment, Inc. Arista Latin Arista Nashville Arista Records Ark 21 Arsenal Artanis Arte Nova Artemis Artist Direct/Kneeling Elephant Astoria Entertainment Astralwerks Records Asylum Records Atco Atlantic Atlantic Classics Atlantic Nashville ATO Records Atrium Records AV8 Records Avatar Records Avenue Records AVI Aware AWOL Records Axiom B.E.C. Back Porch Records Bad Boy Entertainment Bad Dog Records Ballers Entertainment Baphomet Housecore Barak Entertainment Barb Wire Productions Barco Records Bass Productions Beat Club Beauty Records Beginner's Bible Beiler Bros Records Belart Bellmark Belly Soundtrack Benson Record Berman Brothers Best Side Beyond Music Bibleman Big Baller Big Beat Records Big Cat/Work Big Deal Big Dog Records Big Ear Music Big Head Todd Big Idea Productions Big Records Big Screen Music Big Tree Big Wadd Big World Bigtyme Records Billy Corgan Biv Ten Records Black Market Records Black Out Black Pumpkin Records Black Top Records Blackground (Barry & Sons, Inc.) Blackground Records Blackheart Blackstone Bliss Productions Blix Street Blood and Fire Bloodline Records Blue Gorilla Blue Jackel Entertainment Blue Note Blue Plate Blue Thumb Bluebird Blues Bureau BMG Classics BMG Entertainment BMG U.S. Latin BNA Records Bob Marley Music Bocelli-Sogno Bohemia Bon Jovi Box Tunes Branford Marsalis Breakaway B-Rite Broadway MCA Brody Records Broken Bow Records Broken Records Brutal Records Bullseye Bungalow Records Burnside C2 Cadena Records Cadence Christian Caliente Candle In The Wind Cannan Capitol Nashville Capitol Records Capricorn Cargo Records Cash Money Records Catalyst Caviant Cell Block Records Celtic Corner Celtic Heartbeat Chameleon Records Charisma Cheeba Sounds Cherry Entertainment Chignon Records Children Chord Chordant Christian Music Group Chronicles/PSM Chrysalis Music Group Chuck Life Cintas Acuario Circular Moves City of Hope Cky Classic Tracs Clatown Records Clean Slate Climate C-Loc Records Clockwork CMC International CMG Cold Chillin' Records Colli Park Music Columbia Records Command Conifer Contemporary Coolhunter Records Coolsville Productions Copacabana Records Costarola Cotillion Covenant Artists Crazy Cat Crescent Moon Crime Partners Critique Records Crowne Music Group Crystal Lewis Crystal Rose CTW/Sesame Street Curb Curb/Rising Tide Cyan Records Cypress D & D Records Da Border Music, Inc. Dagger Records Dali Records Damian Music Damian US Latin Dancing Cat Dare 2BU, Inc. DAS Day Spring Daywind Music Group DCC Death Row Debris Records Debut Decca Deep Purple Def Jam Def Soul Delicious Vinyl Delos Denon Desert Storm DGG DHM Digital Theater System, Inc. Disa Discipline Disques Vogue DJ Honda Recordings DKC DM Music DM Records, Inc. DMY DMZ Doggystyle Records Domo Records Dopehouse Records Down in the Delta JV Dr. Dream DreamWorks DreamWorks Nashville Drive Thru Records Duck Down Music DV8 Records E Pluribus Unum Eagle Rock Eaglevision Earthbeat Earthdance East Side Digital East West Records Easydisc ECM Eddie Soundtrack Edel America Records Edel Entertainment Edito Classica Edmonds Record Group Elektra Asylum Elektra Entertainment Group Elektra Musician group Elementree Records Ellipsis Ar

Out of curiousity, and to find a list of labels & artists that I won't be supporting until the RIAA crumbles, I browsed on over to RIAA.org to look at their party line and see if I could find any heartfelt tributes to influential members of the Nazi party. I came across this, which says that in order to obtain a subpeona "The copyright owner may then present a subpoena request to the Clerk of the Court..." and then, farther down the page, states that people who object to the RIAA getting information about their identities should realize that "Simply sending a letter to the Clerk of the Court has no legal effect." In addition, "The DMCA does not require ISPs to notify subscribers that they've been served with a DMCA subpoena."
Now, I don't feel any better about a young disadvantaged honors student getting sued (they pay close to $30 a month for what? someone theorized that it was internet access and not KaZaa, but isn't that kind of steep unless the people in the friggin' HOUSING DEVELOPMENT can afford some kind of broadband?), but it seems to me that we're all 12-year-old girls, here. Forget the fact that the **AAs have millions of dollars that they're willing to throw at this, and few (if any) individuals have even a thousandth of that earmarked for defense against legal horking. The simple fact is, even if you and I are both on the exact same legal budget, I (as the copyright holder to 6 million lines of Windows code and the author of 17 Britney songs) have the high ground when the game starts if I decide to come after you. Of course that's only if I have "a good faith belief" that I might be able to get some money out of you.
That being said, I can't wait until this whole mess comes to a head, hopefully not in the RIAA's favor, and becomes the source of a new generation of really bad jokes. (So the top brass of SCO and RIAA are on this plane, right, and it's about to crash and there's only one parachute for every third person...)

Their website seems to be down. I was thinking of going there to see if there was a feedback form or email so I can let them know that I plan to continue my boycott that I began a few years ago. (I think I bought my last riaa CD in 2000. It was either Shannon Curfman or Moby...)

The public reaction to the lawsuits needs to be loud and clear--

Boycott.

And it needs to be directed not just towards the RIAA, which is a lobbying industry group meant to be considered separately in the mind of the public from the actual companies.

I think maybe a targetted boycott campaign against not the RIAA blanket company, but a particular member (chosen randomly) would wake them all up. Put some direct pressure on one pillar, somethign that will hurt, and maybe they'll start to get the message.

A month-long focused boycott of a single RIAA member company-- recording division only-- Internet-wide. Think of the media attention that would get! Then the next month, a new company...

Just a thought. Anyone wanna pick up the ball?

Uh, no, I doubt it.

All the CDs I have bought in the last 8 years or so have been soundtrack CDs produced by DigiCube- DigiCube being a wholly established and financed subsidiary of Squaresoft.

According to the RIAA's member company list, neither Squaresoft (or Enix or EA) or DigiCube seem to be members. The same seems to be true for just about every distributor of game/anime music I can find, except for Victor, Pioneer, and possibly a few others I missed.

So, please, how exactly am I lining the RIAA's pockets when I buy from companies that aren't even members or owned by members?

Jack Valenti is actually the head of the MPAA. They are in charge of suing you when you download movies or distribute open source software to play DVDs.

The RIAA, the subject of this story, is in charge of suing you when you download music or copy CDs. The head of the RIAA is Cary Sherman, after Hillary Rosen retired recently.

Jack Valenti is actually the head of the MPAA. They are in charge of suing you when you download movies or distribute open source software to play DVDs.

The RIAA, the subject of this story, is in charge of suing you when you download music or copy CDs. The head of the RIAA is Cary Sherman, after Hillary Rosen retired recently.