The Hypocrisy Of EMI Using Rapidshare

The major labels and their lapdog association the RIAA have been relentlessly suing their customers for a number of years now, which just about everyone but the labels themselves have seen to be a futile and unjust effort. Sure, digital piracy takes revenue from the labels, artists, publishers and songwriters, and in a perfect world that wouldn't happen, but we live in a reality where music files are easily shared.

In fact, there's a theory that has some merit that says the more your music is stolen, the more you sell. Obviously the major labels don't share in this outlook. Or do they?

Now comes word that a number of emails obtained by MP3tunes.com's Michael Robertson (and founder of the original MP3.com) indicate that EMI used Rapidshare (a major source of illegal file sharing) to distribute their own copyrighted material in an effort to establish a viral marketing campaign. In other words, they illegally distributed their own music!

This is truly a blockbuster story in that it completely undermines the RIAA's premise that illegal file sharing is bad for business. After all, if it were that bad, then why would a label hope to start a viral buzz by doing it?

According to an article by Emil Petrolinski for Techspot.com:

In court, EMI is accusing MP3tunes of allowing illegal music downloads. The stance now appears to be highly hypocritical. The company distributed its music via file sharing websites and then sued users for downloading their music without paying. It has come to light that EMI employs a team of advertising people, artists, and agents who have placed together so many free music downloads on the Internet that EMI itself has trouble distinguishing between authorized and unauthorized links. It's thus no surprise that Robertson wants the 41-page lawsuit dismissed. The case could be closed as soon as January 2011.

This blockbuster revelation has flown somewhat under the radar, but could have massive ramifications for the RIAA, the major record labels, and the many lawsuits that they now have in progress. Let's see how it plays out.

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