In case you hadn’t yet heard, the Recording Industry Association of America has switching its tactics. Instead of suing individual listeners, it is now colluding with internet providers to turn off service to people who download illegally. They really are on their death bed, aren’t they? But the thing is, it’s their own fault. CDs have been ludicrously overpriced since they first came out, the labels hardly give any of the money to the artists and they continue to push awful cookie-cutter rubbish on the public. Is it any wonder people don’t buy records anymore?
So what are we to do? BOYCOTT THE RIAA. Do not feed the beast. Everything they release, you can find easily with a bit of Google work. Check the RIAA Radar to see if the artist you want to listen to is on a RIAA-supporting label. If they are, download the album and support them through buying their merchandise and seeing them live. The creators of the actual music will see far more money from that than they ever would from actual record sales. If the artist you want to see is on an independent label, buy their album and support a company that respects its listeners and its artists.
I have way more to say on this subject, but as it’s Christmas Eve, I have a lot to do, so expect that sometime in January.

OTHER LINKS:
CLLCT (http://cllct.com/): a website where independent musicians give away their music for free. You may have to dig around a bit, but you’ll find something you like in there.
When Pigs Fly: The Death of Oink, the Birth of Dissent and a Brief History of Record Industry Suicide (http://www.demonbaby.com/blog/2007/10/when-pigs-fly-death-of-oink-birth-of.html): A very long and very important blog about exactly where the record industry went wrong and how you, as a 21st century music consumer, can proceed. Basically, this is what I wanted to say, but more informed and erudite.
Last.fm (http://www.last.fm/): This is a social-networking site based around music. I’ve made a lot of friends and discovered a lot of great music here. You have to install the software and it’ll generate a profile based on the music you listen to using your computer.

Also, have a Merry Christmas/Happy Kwanzaa/Happy New Year. I probably won’t post until after the first of the year.