Good. Crooks.

Copyright lawyers have been watching this storm brewing on the horizon for quite some time. We've already seem termination right battles in other media (like Superman), and it's going to get even uglier with the record labels. More than anything, this work-for-hire argument reveals the RIAA's true loyalties; for all their posturing about trying to help starving artists, they're still willing to fuck them over at every turn when it helps their bottom line. Of course, we already knew that from the Mitch Glazier story. (EDIT: For those who want more info on why the RIAA is full of shit on this, Techdirt has you covered.)

Well that's interesting...

i liked how it started it that the artists were getting the rights back, then of course it turns into how the record labels are trying to fight it and don't want to let it happen.

one more nail in the music industries coffin

When this comes into fruition, it's going to be intense to watch. I can only imagine how much record companies have made off of songs & artists.

Would the song-writers need to be VERY rich to take on the major record labels?

Originally Posted by tottivillarossi

Would the song-writers need to be VERY rich to take on the major record labels?

It seems like there could be some kind of class action lawsuit that would cover all of the artists. Though I think it would have to go to the supreme court to apply to everyone. I don't think you can sue all of the labels at once. People would have to pick one and put their energy and resources toward that and hope it goes to the top. I could be completely wrong in my legal knowledge lol but I think that is a rough idea of how it could work.

Good for the artists. It'll be interesting how they settle all the smaller details though, such as if the artist will be able to reclaim their work from one country if their contract was signed in another. I'd assume so, but it'll be interesting to watch.

Originally Posted by DandonTRJ

Of course, we already knew that from the Mitch Glazier story. (EDIT: For those who want more info on why the RIAA is full of shit on this, Techdirt has you covered.)

OMFG I had not seen that Techdirt article, the vileness of the RIAA position took my breath away. I don't know why I keep being surprised by the depths of their greed, but I do. *sigh*

publishing rights are where most of the moolah is at. no wonder they don't want to give this shit up. I think it's shitty since the beginning that certain labels retain those rights. the only comprehensible way I can see the model making sense is that a label is like a bank lending a loan and publishing rights could be seen as collateral, but thought thought process aside...the whole system has been bullshit since the beginning in my eyes.

Wait, so will this allow them to get a hold of the publishing and masters? Or just publishing?

I support anything that puts the artists above the labels. Not out of some "yeah man, fuck major labels" shit, but because I feel if you wrote the song, if that is your creative output, then it fundamentally belongs to you.

This could/will be huge.