The RIAA is on crack.

But perhaps you already suspected as much. I did, yet my jaw still dropped when I read this headline from Ars Technica: RIAA et al. says CD ripping, backups not fair use.

What? Are you kidding me? The RIAA is now saying that people shouldn't make backups of their CDs (on their computers or on their portable players) because, even if they become damaged, "replacements are readily available at affordable prices"!!!

WHAT? Affordable? Unlikely! I know everyone has to get their cut of each sale, but to me, that shouldn't be adding up to more than $9.99 per CD. Unfortunately most sell for $14.99 or more. I can't afford to replace those too often.

They compare music to movies and to the success of DVD sales, but they really don't understand consumer behavior. Ever since the advent of audio cassettes, music consumers have been mixing and matching and recording and "backing up" their collections. This is not new people!!

A while ago, the CD player in our van died. We tried getting it repaired, but it just jammed again. Now the only way we can play our own music -- music from CDs we have purchased -- while we are in the van is by loading it on to my mp3 player and playing it through an FM-transmitter.

We bought more music in 2005 than we did in 2003-04 combined. We also bought music by artists we didn't hear on the radio but discovered through mp3 blogs and other online services.

So, in short, the RIAA can BITE ME.

(Apparently the RIAA can bite B2 over at WHAT! as well. Note, especially his "Real final PS" on closed system music purchases)



TAGS: RIAA, rant, mp3, music.