so who owns all the music now, and why?

Question

if we buy a cd, we don't own the music on it apparently. i think that's sort of okay, but it's definitely where the line should be drawn. alien ant farm and vixtrola are the only two i can think of (both were signed to geffen at the time), but there have been lots of instances where a band has faced legal action or been sued by their record label for trying to release their own album, but in a way the record bosses didn't want. vixtrola even had to buy back their own music from geffen. so who owns the music?

are record labels too powerful, or are they trying desperately to keep hold of the dwindling power they have?
any thoughts? thanks

x

~peilthetraveler

okay, i can understand that, but it seems the artists don't own their own music either. why should the record companies own it if neither the composers nor the purchasers do?

Answer 1

You own the CD. The person who copyrights the material owns the songs. If you buy a book, you own the book - but not the words - you can't use them as your own, that's plagiarism.

If a musician signs a contract, they're bound by it like anyone else. Just because you decide you don't like the terms of a contract doesn't mean you get to do whatever you like - you either renegotiate or suffer until it expires.

Remember the "Artist formerly known as Prince"? That was a trademark war with Warner Bros. Toni Braxton sued her manager. It isn't always the record companies - it is always the contracts and copyrights.

The record companies have put the money into producing, advertising and promoting their clients - it's the reason the music is there - young artists and bands get so excited and sign up with major labels without benefit of an attorney that specializes in such contracts - that's why they are able to sue for infringement.

I'm all for artists marketing directly to the public. They don't have the deep pockets to fund world tours and the connections to get their latest release on radio stations nation(world)wide, though ... and that's where the record companies still carry the big stick. They only have the power given them by the artists ...

Answer 2

You dont own the music you buy on the CD. You own the CD with the music on it. Its illegal for you to make copies of it and distribute it to other. Its not illegal for you to loan that CD out, trade it, or even sell it as long as it was the record company that made the CD.

Just like a book. You buy the book from the book store, but you dont own the story inside of it.

Answer 3

It depends on what kind of contract they signed with the company. Sometimes they get into bad deals and lose the rights to their own music.

Answer 4

and thats why I.C.P. started there own record label...