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Blogger Pontifex addresses MP3s and other Blogcritics topics: There are, as far as I can tell, two propositions of the MP3 proponents: Downloading is not significantly harming CD sales. If record companies don’t coopt the P2P movement, they’ll be out of business. I’m hoping those are two schools of thought, …

It’s lonely at the top: Hilary Rosen, chairman and chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America, has the kind of public profile most trade association chiefs would kill for. She is always in the papers, she regularly appears in media industry rankings such as Entertainment Weekly’s “Annual Power …

State Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City) attacks RIAA on the “seven-year rule” in Billboard: The RIAA last week issued a statement outlining five concessions it claimed had been made by labels in their ongoing talks with artists’ groups over the seven-year rule. According to Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), what …

Chad Orzel has some very penetrating thoughts on the Sherman interview, and on Blogcritics in general. He should join us, shouldn’t he? On Sherman: It sounds impressive, but it’s a classic attempt to befuddle the public with statistics. 19% plus 41% is only 60%, and having covered “purchasing more” and …

Wow! What a first day. Sometimes things just fall into place, and Blogcritics just fell with a cheerfully resounding thud. We had ove 7000 unique visitors in our first 24 hours – tremendous. Thanks for all of your links, attention, comments, opinions, suggestions. Thanks again to Cary Sherman, who stood …

Like Iraq and the West Nile virus, music and digital technology is just IN THE AIR right now. Today, BusinessWeek Online has a Special Report on “Digital Music’s Future”: The Labels Start Turning up the Volume The recording industry beat Napster and continues battling free file-sharers. But in slow steps, …

I now find myself on the very useful Pho mailing list, joining the cognoscente in the discussion of issues related to the digital delivery of art, especially music, movies and books. Yowza. I just received a reaction to our interview with RIAA president Cary Sherman from Pho-member Fred W: I …

What a great debut – we are linked in Slate today – probably because we rock the balls off of King Kong, or something.

David Lowry, the mastermind behind Cracker and the on again/off again Camper Van Beethoven, defies genres and labeling. Founder of Pitch-A-Tent Records, David Lowry masterfully infuses rootsy blues, with country, punk and rock. What do you call that? HOT DAMN!!! Cracker’s first big hit was “Teen Angst,” off their self-titled …

Fine you? Peanuts. Electronic disruptions? Child’s play. We will throw your ass in jail for file-swapping: Now, however, the entertainment industry is revising its strategy. The new plan appears to extend the target beyond companies with an apparent declaration of legal warfare against individuals who the industry believes are swapping …