cord labels have responded in a good way towards Napster and similar programs, accepting the new technology rather than rejecting it (Napster). On their website, Offspring says "MP3 technology and programs such as Napster are a vital and necessary means to promote music and foster better relationships with our fans." Surprisingly, Offspring's last album, Americana, was made available online illegally before commercially released, yet it is the band's best-selling album to date. Also, a number of surveys have proven that Napster users actually buy more CDs, after sampling the songs online (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/12093.html). The problem at the center of RIAAs lawsuit is that Napster may in general lower total CD sales. Napster may challenge the normal distribution of music (CDs, cassettes etc) but should this be view as a threat or just new technology preparing to join the others. Some record labels like Epitaph have partnered with sites like e-music.com to sell full albums and single songs in MP3 format over the web (RIAA). In this case, the record company has in fact found a new way to distribute, rather than seeing it as the enemy. Of course with this program the record company still gets part of the profits, were songs downloaded through Napster the companies do not get a cut. While Napster does allow music sharing to an extent that could ruin the retail music industry, stopping Napster will not stop all their problems. Record labels need to see this new technology not as a threat, but as a challenge. They need to come up with ideas to encourage people to buy CDs (multimedia components, attractive artwork, lyrics, picture books etc). Perhaps if they offered better services to their signed artists, fewer artists would want to release their music themselves.Music companies like BMG (Bertelsmann Music Group), EMI, Sony and Universal are already have started their own programs to run against Napster and take advantage of...
