This post goes back a few years, it was first published by me back in 2003. I didn’t realize I had been on this crusade that long, but I have. Unfortunately, little has changed… Personally, my biggest change is that I now only seek indie music and don’t really miss the same dozen or so songs on the radio.

The RIAA’s “About Us” page reads as follows;

“The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade group that represents the U.S.recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes our members’ creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conduct consumer industry and technical research; and monitor and review – - state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi-Platinum™, and Diamond® sales awards, and recently launched Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, a new award celebrating Latin music sales.”¹

The statement just doesn’t sit right with me. My intent here is to analyze it line by line. I believe that actions and logic speak louder than words. I intend to take a look the words, their actions and logically analyze them. This is my opinion. I do not intend to litter this work with numerous citations and facts. This is a human being expressing his right to free speech. His ability to remember things accurately and his ability to free think.
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