So now French users can be (can be, under the current law) banned from using the internet for up to a year, if they are caught downloading illegal music, and a fine of 300k Euros. [AFP] Oh, my! And apparently, Sweden is also monitoring user download activity? Any word on that, Julz~?

There was also this article talking about a DRM server the Japanese RIAA wants to use to check on the music their users are playing on their phones… considering we (iTunes users) have already moved away from DRM tracks, I think it’s a very bad idea…

And then comes this very interesting post/article by dear Lily Allen for The Times, in which she expresses some of her thoughts  about the issue, and the opinion of some of her more “legendary” colleagues…

Music piracy is having a dangerous effect on British music, but some rich and successful artists such as Nick Mason, of Pink Floyd, and Ed O’Brien, of Radiohead, don’t think so. Last week, they told The Times that file sharing is fine. It probably is for them. They do sell-out arena tours and have the biggest Ferrari collections in the world. For new talent, though, file sharing is a disaster — it makes it harder and harder for new acts to emerge.

That’s partly true. But so it’s this…

By moving to a microtransaction model (charging <£1 for an album) for recorded music and increasing the emphasis on live concerts musicians can increase their revenue stream and attempt to reduce the abuse of their IP.

I understand what Lily Allen is saying, but the music industry spends too much money on advertising and pushing poor catchy music.

If your product is so good, then it does not need advertising or pushing.

Itunes and other sites are still overpriced in terms of album costs.

Books survived the photocopier, music will survive the internet. Real musicians have realised concerts are more of a money spinner and are have brought live music back to the front of entertainment.

As I’ve mentioned before, I watch as many films, and listen to even more music than I ever did. I still buy CDs, but only the really good ones. The ones that are worth my $14 for album/DVD package. Right now, they just happen to be Asian albums… which actually are worth my +$30. So I am paying $30 or $40 for a CD from Japan because it’s good. Wanna wonder why I haven’t bought much from anything else?

And yes, digital content is way overpriced.