This should be illegal, but not because of the RIAA
The RIAA Says No Dancing To Music On YouTube
We already know that the entertainment industry loves to try to get people to pay for every possible use of their content. Remember the filmmaker who almost couldn’t release his documentary because there was a four and a half second clip of The Simpsons playing in the background in one scene? It seems that with the rise of user-generated video, a lot more people are learning about the fun of licensing rights. The RIAA is apparently sending out cease-and-desist letters to YouTube users who dare to put up videos of things such as themselves dancing to music they haven’t licensed. It’s difficult to see how the RIAA can make a credible claim of “losses” in this case. Clearly, some kids videotaping themselves bopping along to some song aren’t going to pay a license fee — and these sorts of viral videos tend to help build up more interest in artists. So what good does it do to go after these videos?
I’ve simply lost the ability to come up with words to express how stupid this all is getting.
As long as lawmakers, courts and the general public allow it, nothing will change and even more lawsuits will follow. The entertainment industry is simply out of control and drunk with profits.
Were there no videos of hot babes dancing to RIAA music?
Yes, but I’ve kept them for myself. Heh, heh…
I’m waiting for the RIAA to come after people that play their music too loud. “Hey, you’re playing your music a little too loud there bud, your next door neighbors could open their windows and listen to that CD without them paying for the rights to listen to it! SUED!”
“You…over there by the street corner…stop whistling that tune as it’s protected by copyright. Either that or pony up some licensing fees for your performance”.
*GASP* I was performing a hit song with the use of different piched “Do”s (I cant whistle so its all I’ve got) in such a way that someone could have heard as I was walking to work. I am a monster.
This is getting beyond a joke. Can the RIAA not see that as long as the person is not selling it for profit, nor packaging it for illegal distribution for playback (it’s not high quality MP3 here), then all this is is a bit of fun?
[Unlike the video above], if people watch a funny clip, enjoy the music, they’ll think “hmm… what’s that song?” and bam! you’ve got a customer you may not have gotten any other way.
I for one don’t listen to music radio anymore (filled with teeny-bopper candy music), nor commercial music television (rapper of the week tv). How do I find out about new music that I could like? Recommendations from friends, creative use by people/companies (such as YouTube and EyeSpot.
Come on RIAA – wake up – you’re doing your own clients a dis-service!
Shane.
So heres an industry that, one would think, was highly aware of public image, good and bad PR as well as what makes people want to spend money. Yet they keep on adding reasons for that public to hate them and want to not spend money on music. It all seems so mindless and self destructive, like some of the artists they tout I guess.
News like this makes me happy, Because I know we are witnessing the last throes of the sickly RIAA. Soon it will all be over.
#7 Shane- I used to rely on those sources for discovering new music too, until I found Pandora.com. Check it out, it’s free.
Uncle Dave, I think you spend too much time at YouTube.
This scared my kid so bad she’s hiding under her bed.
Maybe this will get people to stop putting awful songs on their MySpace pages that blast as soon as the page starts to load…
that wouldn’t be such a bad thing…
#6, I’ll buy the cabbage and beans!
The RIAA is starting to sound more and more like the Black Knight® from Monty Python and the Holy Grail®. (Hey #6 are you by any chance French?)
About the only good thing that ever came out of RIAA is the recording curve used for making LP records…which, bye the way don’t have no stinking anti-copy software on them. There hasn’t been much good new music since the LP’s demise anyway.
DAve