I came across this article via Slashdot this morning and decided it annoyed me enough to write something about it here… but it looks like Evan at Brain Terminal beat me to the punch.

If you’re not the type to follow links in blog entries, allow me to sum up the situation. Universal Music owns roughly 25% of all music published. By threatening to deny Microsoft access to their library, they badgered the software giant into capitulating and paying Universal a royalty on every Zune mp3 player sold. Now there is talk of them striking a similar deal with Apple. Why would they do this you ask? I’ll allow the statement given by Universal chairman/CEO Doug Morris to Billboard in a recent interview to explain:

“These devices are just repositories for stolen music, and they all know it. So it’s time to get paid for it.”

As an iPod owner whose library is probably close to 99% legal (which is significant considering that we’re talking about hundreds of albums), this troubles me. Mr. Morris seems to be assuming that I’m a crook just because I own an mp3 player. I think it’s unfair for all iPod owners to be fined just because some people abuse the convenience of digital music. But then again, I pay higher insurance rates because of other people’s fraudulent claims…

I think Apple’s music store has proven that a lot of people are willing to pay for digital music if they don’t feel like they’re being ripped off. The music industry big-wigs need to realize this and stop harassing their remaining customers with hostile DCRM protocols and blanket fees.

The sharing of digital music files can be good for record companies. To prove this, here’s the list of CDs that I bought because I downloaded them and liked what I heard:

Billy Bragg, Worker’s Playtime
The Dillinger Escape Plan, Miss Machine
The Dissociatives, The Dissociatives
The Exies, Head for the Door
The Faint, Dance Macabre Remixes
Flogging Molly, Swagger
Hot Hot Heat, Make Up the Breakdown
Jane’s Addiction, Strays
Jason Mraz, Waiting for My Rocket to Come
The Killers, Hot Fuss
The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute
Matisyahu, Like at Stubb’s
Modest Mouse, The Moon and Antarctica
Pete Yorn, Music for the Morning After
The Shins, Chutes Too Narrow
Silverchair, Live from Faraway Stables
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Soul Coughing, El Oso
The Strokes, Is This It? and Room On Fire
Travis, The Invisible Band

Now, add to that list all the albums I plan on buying still, all the concert tickets I’ve bought because of music I heard “illegally” and the new albums I bought because I became a fan through “illegal” music sharing and it becomes apparent that in my case mp3s have helped the music industry to make more money. Should Universal be so inclined to fine me for the actions of others, however, the odds of them continuing to earn my dollar is certain to drop.