San Francisco - Grammy-winning songwriter and recording
artist Janis Ian today challenged the music industry by
celebrating peer-to-peer (P2P) music sharing as a boon to
musicians.
Ian, who is in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of her
current concert tour, recently published "The Internet
Debacle," a pointed critique of the music industry's
disregard for musicians and consumers who want to
distribute and acquire music online. The Electronic
Frontier Foundation (EFF) applauds Ian's actions and hopes
that others will see the Internet as an aid, not a threat,
to musicians.
In the article, Ian assails the major record labels'
argument that P2P file-sharing is harming artists.
"Free Internet downloads are good for the music industry
and its artists," explains Ian. "Every act that can't get
signed to a major, for whatever reason, can reach literally
millions of new listeners, enticing them to buy the CD and
come to the concerts."
She adds that during the heyday of Napster she saw a
marked increase in CD sales from her website. She attacks
technological and political measures meant to harm
consumers by restricting their right to copy and back up
their legally purchased music.
Ian will play tonight in Saratoga, CA, and on August 17 in
San Rafael, CA.
During her 17 album career, Ian has earned nine Grammy
nominations and three awards. Her best known songs include
1967's "Society's Child" and 1975's "At Seventeen." More
recently, her 1993 album "Breaking Silence" was nominated
for a Grammy Award as Contemporary Folk Album of the Year.
Her songs have been recorded by artists ranging from Bette
Midler to Cher, from Glen Campbell to Vanilla Fudge, and
from Joan Baez to Etta James.
Links:
For this release:
http://www.eff.org/IP/P2P/?f=20020815_eff_pr.html
Janis Ian's "Internet Debacle" article:
http://www.janisian.com/article-internet_debacle.html
Janis Ian's follow-up article:
http://www.janisian.com/article-fallout.html
Janis Ian's tour information:
