Artists Rally Against Major Labels in Battle Over Internet Archive's Music Preservation

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Over 600 musicians, including notable Tegan And Sara and Amanda Palmer, have signed an open letter condemning major record labels' lawsuit against the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project, warning that corporate interests are endangering music preservation.

The strongly-worded letter targets Universal Music, Sony Music, and Concord's legal action against the non-profit Internet Archive, which has digitized more than 400,000 historical 78rpm recordings. While major labels claim this constitutes "wholesale theft," the artists argue these preservation efforts are crucial for protecting music history.

"The music industry has a moral imperative to keep its history archived," the letter states, pointing out that many old records are deteriorating and risk being "gone for good" without proper digital preservation. The artists cite the 2008 Universal Music warehouse fire in Los Angeles as evidence that even major labels struggle to protect their archives.

The letter extends beyond the Archive lawsuit to address broader industry concerns. Despite projections of music industry revenues exceeding $100 billion by 2031, artists report receiving as little as 12% of revenue while private equity firms profit from legacy musicians' catalogs.

Musicians also voiced frustration with streaming economics, supporting recent Congressional proposals for a 50% levy on streaming subscriptions to directly benefit artists. The live music industry faces criticism too, with artists demanding reform of ticketing practices and merchandise revenue sharing at venues.

The letter calls for record labels to partner with cultural preservation organizations like the Internet Archive rather than pursuing legal action. "We don't believe that the Internet Archive should be destroyed in our name," the musicians declare, urging the industry to prioritize both artist compensation and historical preservation.

This unified stance from hundreds of artists highlights growing tensions between musicians and major music companies over revenue distribution, digital preservation, and corporate control of musical heritage. The signatories demand "immediate and sustained action" from labels, publishers, and venues to ensure both fair compensation and proper archiving of music history.

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