Shame and Scandal in the Family
The Recording Industry Association of America may finallly have hit upon a deterrent to stop illegal downloads. In the past, they focused on hitting alleged downloaders with massive fines, and tried to shake them down into settlements that were still pretty onerous. But that hasn’t put a dent in illegal file-sharing.
But if you read between the lines in this new lawsuit, it looks like the RIAA is taking a different tack:
Scott Hinds, 23, is a defendant in one of a number of lawsuits by Recording Industry of America affiliates seeking to halt illegal sharing of copyrighted songs — a once-widespread practice some maintain was “fair use,” encouraged by certain computer software. [. . .]
Monday, he wondered: “Why choose me?”
“Every single person has done this,” he said, saying he doesn’t listen to music online presently.
The lawsuit, filed last week in U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, alleges Hinds illegally downloaded:
“Automobile” by NWA, Priority Records, LLC;
“All Over You” by Live, UMG Recordings Inc.;
“Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, Elektra Entertainment Group;
“Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones, Capitol Records Inc.; and
“What Would You Say” by Dave Matthews Band, BMG Music.
The allegation is that Hinds used an “online media distribution system” to download tunes, then distributed the copyrighted material to others.
The fine is evidently “only” $750 per song, but it’s clear that this case signals a new phase in file-sharing lawsuits: the RIAA now plans to shame alleged music-thieves by revealing their shitty taste in music. This guy must have lost any and all standing among his friends, when that list of songs was made public.
I bet that the RIAA is searching right now for people who are downloading the new Katharine McPhee record
(Which raises the question: What’s the most embarrassing song you ever downloaded?)
One anonymous reader sez, “Must Be The Money, by Deion Sanders.”
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 9:11 am
My sister-in-law sez, “It gives me great pleasure to rat out your brother on this one: that Mmm Bop song by Hanson. I mean, seriously. As for me, I think Juice Newton’s Queen of Hearts marks me as a real loser.”
Personally, I see nothing wrong with Mmm Bop, having used it on one of my favorite Mad Mixes. Maybe I’ll make Big Bad BIO the subject of my next writeup. . .
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 10:01 am
Another anonymous reader sez, “Probably the Spanish version of that Shakira song Whenever, Wherever (”Suerte” in Spanish). It was always on in our local gym and I found it incredibly tacky but kind of funny — particularly the obviously synthesized pan pipe bit. As a fan of South America I’ve tried to justify it to myself ever since that I was just doing it as part of my love for that region!”
That’s a great track! Nothing embarrassing about that one! At least it wasn’t Kylie!
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 10:06 am
One of my coworkers sez, “It’s Gettin’ Hot In Here by Nelly.”
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 10:29 am
[...] at The Hardest Blogging Husband in Ringwood’s alternasite, Mad Mix, he asks the question, “What’s the most embarrassing song you ever downloaded?” So [...]
Pingback by Minimally Invasive » But Your Daddy Don’t Know — February 7, 2007 @ 10:53 am
The Last Farewell by Roger Whitaker
Comment by Tom Spurgeon — February 7, 2007 @ 11:21 am
One of my neighbors sez, “Pilot of the Airwaves. My boyfriend’s most embarrassing one is Star Trekkin’.”
Okay, those are both kinda embarrassing.
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
“Look at Me” by Geri Halliwell - This terrible song was done after her stint as the chubbiest, bustiest and least talented Spice Girl. I have brought shame on my entire family. I must run myself through with my sword. I will spend all enternity in hell listening to Eddie Murphy’s greatest hits.
Comment by Sarah — February 7, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
I’ve only downloaded legally, Gil, from the iTunes store. At the moment, the most embarassing song I’ve downloaded is “in a Big Country” by Big Country; with its faux earnestness, it is an embarassing song–which I nonetheless have always liked. This is subjective, of course. I suppose I ought to be embarassed about buying “Gentle On My Mind” by Glen Campbell. Unlike Big Country, I think this is genuinely a good song….
Mark
Comment by Mark — February 7, 2007 @ 7:05 pm
Good one! I remember when their lead singer, Stuart Adamson, died. I sent an e-mail about it to a few friends, with the subject line, “In a Big Undiscovered Country.”
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
My friend in San Diego writes, “Hrm. I haven’t, uh, really downloaded much. But I did own the Tiffany cassette tape when I was in junior high and listened to it over and over. And I plan to buy the song Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood off iTunes, so perhaps that can be my in-advance non-hipster music.
Comment by Mad Mix — February 7, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
One of my co-workers, requesting anonymity, writes, “Did We Ever Have a Chance. By Zack Attack. You know, Saved by the Bell.”
Comment by Amy — February 8, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
[...] Mad Mix wants to know: What’s the most embarrassing song you ever downloaded (leagally or not)? [...]
Pingback by Virtual Memories » Unrequired Reading: Feb. 9, 2007 — February 9, 2007 @ 5:45 am
My buddy Craig says, “How ’bout most embarrassing CD purchased? I’d say it’s a tie between 2 Live Jews - As Kosher As They Wanna Be and LFO - LFO, the Abercrombie & Fitch song guys, not the British band.”
Comment by Mad Mix — February 12, 2007 @ 7:18 am
My buddy Blake says, “I can’t say I’m embarrassed about any songs I’ve… let’s say, ‘obtained’ online in this modern day of ours.
I’ll do you one better, though.
It’s so much worse because it involved SO much more time, money and energy than today’s efficient e-commerce mouse-click.
When I was 16 or 17 I am ashamed to admit that I drove to the mall to buy the… gulp… CASSETTE SINGLE of Janet Jackson’s That’s the Way Love Goes.
There, I said it.
I feel a little better now.
Hi, my name is Blake and I’m a cassette single purchaser.”
Comment by Mad Mix — February 14, 2007 @ 10:08 am
The wedding planner at the wedding we attended last weekend says, “Any song I ever downloaded by Britney Spears.”
Comment by Mad Mix — February 14, 2007 @ 10:08 am
I’ve just been DYING for a chance to come clean about this. There’s this Lily Allen song, “Smile,” that got under my skin like a hookworm, leaving me nauseated and feverish until I finally broke down and crawled to the iTunes Store for my first-ever hookup.
Make no mistake. This is not like sneaking out and downloading “Only In My Dreams†by Debbie Gibson or something by ‘til Tuesday. Being embarrassed about that is like being embarrassed about once having been young and innocent. Any chance that we get to inhabit our forgotten callow selves is worth taking.
This is not like downloading Hall and Oates or The Eagles or Foreigner–which for me is reveling in an essentially hateful, self-destructive act. I’m not proud, but Klan rallies are just not an option for me.
No, this is something new: worthy of genuine shame, born of venality and weakness. Lily Allen as a is just completely indefensible, save for my vague suspicion that she might actually be able to carry a tune the length of a lunch counter without significant digital assistance.
But at least it wasn’t The Pipettes.
Comment by afink — February 28, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
Time to fess up…my fiance was making some sort of yoga mix and made me download “That’s the Way It Is” by that awful canadian minx Celine Dion. It immediately tarnished the coolness of having also downloaded Arcade Fire. The same day I was asked to download “I Believe I Can Fly” by reknowned statutory rapist R. Kelly. But that song was in a movie co-starring Charles Oakley and Foghorn Leghorn so it gets a pass (and an elbow).
Comment by TheJTrain — March 2, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
Geri Halliwell is sort of the symbol of Spice Girls. We always love her and we would always be a fan of her.;.:
Comment by Mia Harris — May 27, 2010 @ 7:26 pm
how could we ever forget Geri Halliwell of Spice Girls, they were very popular in the 90s.:~;
Comment by Louie Holmes — July 20, 2010 @ 9:18 pm