They get together under the ‘Featured Artist Coalition’ banner and said that fans should not be prosecuted for illegally downloading music from the internet. The declaration came as some of Britain’s best-known artists appeared together at the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), in London on Wednesday. The meeting aimed to discuss artists’ rights in the music industry. In total, 140 of some of Britain’s best known musicians are members of the FAC.
“The record industry in Britain is still going down the road of criminalising our audience for downloading illegal MP3s. If we follow the music industry down that road, we will be doing nothing more than being part of a protectionist effort. It’s like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. Artists should own their own rights and they should decide when their music should be used for free, or when they should have payment. As this revolution gathers pace Featured Artists must seize the initiative.We are looking to forge a new deal, built on fairness, with our fans, the music industry and governments.”
They also commented on the row between YouTube and the PRS over how much artists should get paid when their video’s are accessed.
“YouTube’s row with the PRS is the most recent example of just how fast the music industry is changing. There has never been a greater need for the collective voice of featured artists, whose music generates 95 per cent of revenue in the industry, to be properly heard.”
Last Monday YouTube began to remove all premium music videos from the UK site. The move came after a dispute between YouTube, which is owned by Google, and the Performing Rights Society (PRS). The PRS, which represents music publishers, has been holding out for a better pay deal for artists whose videos are available to watch on the video site.
Artists who are supporting the FAC campaign include:
Billy Bragg
Craig David
David Gilmour
Gang Of Four
Iron Maiden
Jools Holland
Kaiser Chiefs
Kate Nash
Klaxons
Mick Jones
Radiohead
Richard Ashcroft
Robbie Williams
Stephen Duffy
The Cribs
The Verve
Travis
Wet Wet Wet
White Lies
Filed under: yellow press | Tagged: david gilmour, featured artists coalition, iron maiden, jools holland, kaiser chiefs, kate nash, klaxons, radiohead, robbie williams, the verve, travis, white lies
