This is at least some of the problem's regarding musics downfall in the recent decades:
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Now I'm not saying there was never any good music leading from, oh say the 60-70's to now, but it's all about manufacturing hits to tailor to the public's taste. It's not music if it isn't profitable, so it seems. And the fact that these labels trying to use the law to maintain rights to what they claim is their's is mutilating the very core concept of art there in. It's kind of sickening, but I digress.
Here's a bit of south park with a message pertaining to this matter, except for the subject being films:
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The quality of this video is crappy I know, but it's the message here (about 30secs in) that every artist, whether you medium is strings, canvas or film, should consider. When an artist creates, he shares with the world his creation, and that creation becomes a part of those who observe. The creation is then no longer solely his (I know I'm taking this message from an animated tv show, but it's still valid). I understand giving credit where credit is due, and having people know what you created. And I understand that now and days, people need to make money to survive. Despite this, the music industry's copyright laws are just savage, and they are killing art, and artists alike.
my two bits....
"Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it." - John Lennon