Music Industry Backlash Begins To Get Louder
from the so-much-backlash dept
Well, this is no surprise whatsoever, but now that the RIAA has started their lawsuits, the consumer backlash is beginning to get louder and louder. There are stories everywhere this morning including all sorts of quotes trashing the industry. If the industry thought that it was just a small outpouring from random “thieves” and “pirates” (as they like to call everyone) it appears that it might be spreading further. You don’t think of places like Cincinnati as a technology hub of people using music sharing tools – but even there, people are angry about the RIAA’s efforts. That article even quotes a number of local musicians who think it’s a terrible idea. Finally, some are asking what the music industry’s goals really are. They may succeed in creating fear, but it seems unlikely this strategy will do any good for business.
Comments on “Music Industry Backlash Begins To Get Louder”
Watching a Slow Train Wreck
This is going to turn into an HBR case study on how not to do business (get your outlines done fast since my guess they will have multiple submissions – get published or get your business PhD).
Mike has been calling this for a long time: figure out a business model that works in this new reality. Business people have to learn to adopt, whether it is music swapping or offshore movement of IS services. Once the genie is out of the bottle, it isn’t going to be possible to put it back in no matter what lawsuits, regulations or blaming are brought.
A professor once said that the making of a great business person wasn’t ability to predict the future, it was the ability to quickly adapt. They are pissing off customers, and now the public, and are just delaying the inevitable; they aren’t adapting.
RE: Music Industry Backlash Begins To Get Louder
The existing laws of this country do indeed allow the RIAA to sue a 12-year old girl for downloading a nursery rhyme and winning a $2,000 award. Those same laws also allow me to NOT purchase any additional music CD’s above and beyond the 400 to 500 I’ve purchased over the last 15+ years or so. I plan to vote with my dollars, and do hereby vow to never purchase any music CD from an record label that is a member of the RIAA. I don’t download music, and I don’t make copies of CD’s, but I will forego any new music purchases until the RIAA is officially out of business.
/Bob