Last Wednesday Peter Mandelson (UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills) confirmed that the UK government would be going ahead with strict new anti-piracy measures. Mandelson’s proposals, which would see internet users found guilty of repeatedly downloading music having their internet connection suspended, and possibly disconnected entirely, have generated huge amounts of debate and controversy since they were first put forward in August. Although these proposals have found support from concerned individuals across the spectrum of the music industry, others have condemned them as being draconian and impossible to enforce realistically. Representatives from Virgin have been sceptical of the potential efficiency of the proposals, recommending “persuasion not coercion” as the solution to illegal file-sharing. This echoes the sentiment expressed by many that rather than simply trying to prosecute file-sharers, authorities in the area should be examining why people are file-sharing in the first place, educating the public about its consequences and striving to find new business models which will appeal to modern consumers.
Among the many prominent artists who’ve spoken out on the issue, few have been more vocal than Lily Allen. Allen made a series of impassioned posts on her myspace and anti-piracy blog “It’s Not Alright” in which she supported the UK government’s proposals and begged the public to consider the consequences of illegal file-sharing and to start paying for their entertainment. Her pleas were met with a mixes response, and Allen was ultimately unable to cope with the abuse she received over the issue, shutting down her blog and officially opting out of the debate in late September. Other prominent musicians who have been extremely vocal about the issue include former ABBA member, Bjorn Ulvaeus, who earlier this year remarked of file-sharing: “is it so fucking hard to understand?… Is it really so damn difficult to pay your way?”. Both Allen and Ulvaeus have made a point of emphasisng their belief that although filesharing won’t have enough of an impact to damage the careers of massive international stars, it will be extremely detrimental to young acts and individuals who are new to the business. Meanwhile the Featured Artists’ Coalition (FAC), a body consisting of members of Blur, Radiohead and Keane, as well as Robbie Williams, George Michael, Kate Nash and many others, have played a prominent role in the debate. Although originally involved in a feud with Allen over the issue, the FAC have since clarified their position as firmly believing in the artist’s right to be paid for their work, but highly sceptical of any plans to attempt to disconnect individuals from the internet.
Of course it’s not just people in the music business who will be affected by Mandelson’s legislation. A number of Internet Service Providers including BT and TalkTalk have argued against the proposed measures, the latter having set up a petition against Mandelson’ proposals at www.dontdisconnect.us. Representatives of these companies claim that the measures would in fact cost them more money to implement than they would save for record labels, and pointed to the fact that due to unsecure wi-fi connections people could easily be accused of actions they’re not responsible for. As well as this many observers have pointed out that as technology continues to constantly evolve and it becomes easier and easier for internet users to hide their locations and activities, trying to enforce legislation of this nature may well prove futile.
Although this debate has received significant mainstream media attention since the announcement of Mandelson’s proposals, it has already been raging on a smaller scale for several years. While the aforementioned arguments continue between those who want to prosecute file-sharers and protect the industry as it currently stands, and those who want to see the music industry adapt to the needs of modern consumers in order to survive, there are certain figures who have always seemed happy in the meantime to accept that piracy is an unstoppable force. Perhaps the most iconic of these in the past few years has been Trent Reznor, main force behind industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails. Reznor, whose career has lasted over 20 years, has enjoyed significant success and like Lily Allen or Bjorn Ulvaeus, profited greatly from the industry. However unlike some of his colleagues, Reznor has positioned himself as staunchly opposed to current industry practices, condoning file-sharing as a reasonable response to a grossly corrupt industry, and through the independent release of his 2008 record Ghosts I – IV, which took in $1.6 million in its first week alone, demonstrated the possibilities for artists to function independently. The American musician Amanda Palmer, who has worked with Reznor in the past, has recently been extending his mentality from releasing records to touring. Since launching her solo career in September 2008 and receiving an apathetic response and refusal to promote her from her label Roadrunner, Palmer has given up on taking support from industry executives and set out to eliminate the middleman by relying directly on fans. Setting herself up as a sort of international busker, Palmer has organised a string of successful tours (including sold-out dates in Dublin) during which she has relied heavily on the goodwill of obliging fans for survival; staying in their houses, eating their food, getting lifts in their cars, practicing on their instruments, etc.
However although these unconventional approaches to careers in the music business may work for some, it seems unlikely that most of today’s artists will be as readily willing to turn their backs on their labels. As such it looks like the industry does have a long future ahead of it, though at this stage of the game it seems that change of some form, even if slow and painful, is inevitable. Mandelson’s legislation is due to come into effect by 2011, unless someone comes up with a better plan in the meantime; whether its execution will have a significant impact on the future of the industry remains to be seen.
