Is the RIAA Crumbling?

Interesting.

Music industry executives announced this morning that they were withdrawing support for the trade group the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and launching a new representative body called Respect the Artist, Respect the Audience (RARA).

The move comes in the wake of a perceived failure of the RIAA to achieve its goals of fostering a business and legal climate that supports and promotes its members’ creative and financial vitality. The RIAA has in recent years become synonymous with the industry’s flagging business models and poor reputation with music fans. Recently the RIAA was ranked as the least popular business organization is the USA.

In announcing the break the four major record labels Sony/BMG, Warner Music, Vivendi Universal and EMI have also committed to dropping all pending lawsuits, and will instead join with Apple and Microsoft to create an environment where Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology will be eliminated from their online music stores. The companies are joining other personal electronics manufacturers and independent labels in a new organization, Respect the Artist, Respect the Audience (RARA) that will focus on creating a climate better associated with the creation of art, and the fostering of musical talent.

Of course, this came out on April 1st, so we’ll see if it’s real. I think something like this is inevitable, however. The RIAA has probably done more to hurt the music industry than recover any money.

UPDATE: It’s a joke, apparently. But this isn’t. EMI is dropping DRM and Apple will follow.

EMI and Apple announced today that they’re going to start offering DRM-free media on iTunes beginning in May, so I wouldn’t be surprised if EMI (at the least) told the RIAA to go jump in a lake.

Posted by  on  04/02  at  05:50 AM

Here’s a link regarding the no-DRM thing:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/04/02itunes.html

Posted by  on  04/02  at  05:52 AM

Yes, I think DRM may be on its way out. Thank goodness!

Posted by  on  04/02  at  09:09 AM

No, it’s a fake. Check the “About Us” link on the page. At the bottom, it says it’s an April Fools joke page. But we can dream…

Posted by  on  04/02  at  12:19 PM

Well, EMI is dropping DRM today. So that’s a great start.

Posted by  on  04/02  at  01:31 PM
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