p2pnet news | Music:- On April 4, 2008, there were 7,874 “unfound” people and groups on the [un]SoundExchange missing artist list.

As of yesterday morning, the number was down to —-

—- to 7,872.

“SoundExchange is to be commended for the time and energy it took to get two ‘unfound’ artists registered in three weeks,” says entertainment lawyer Fred Wilhelms.”At that pace, SoundExchange should clear the current ‘unfound’ list sometime in January, 2267.”

So here’s your chance to make sure at least one of them gets paid before then.

That’s right.

You.

SoundExchange just can’t seem to find people so Wilhelms, who’s been chronicling the nefarious activities of the former RIAA entity, spun off as a supposedly independent unit, thought it’d be cool to give SuX and its John Simson a hand by tracking down some of the performers they can’t track down by themselves.

“The first time SoundExchange publicized a forfeiture, in 2006, over 1,800 names were removed from the unfound list in 90 days between their announcement of the forfeiture and the deadline,” says Wilhelms, going on that he’s almost sure all of the artists registered in that time were found by people outside SoundExchange.

“I’m certain of this because when SoundExchange decided not to publicize the next forfeiture, there was little public participation in locating artists, and SoundExchange, left primarily to its own devices, registered fewer than 100 artists on the list in an equivalent amount of time before that deadline passed,” he says. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens now.”

SoundExchange hasn’t announced the date of the next forfeiture and meanwhile, Wilhelms doesn’t subscribe to the Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG idea that all their customers are villains and thieves, out to rob them blind every chance they get.

To the contrary, “I’ve always believed that, given the opportunity, the average music consumer wants to see artists get paid, and will work to see that happen,” he says.

So —- here’s an opportunity.

Simson and SuX can’t find the people they owe money to. So let’s do it for them because as Wilhelms says, “Don’t leave customers out of any plan to make the Internet a paying proposition for artists.”

Start tracking them down and letting them know they have money coming to them.

Let’s shoot for 1,000, say, by August 1 and,”Even if we only find 50, it’ll be a success because that’ll be 50 artists who’ve gotten what they earned,” says Wilhelms.”

“We’re chasing artists when we know the money is already there.”

The next time you end up on hold, call up the list, Google a name, or search Facebook and MySpace.

“Send a note, or if you don’t feel like getting personally involved in the process, send the contact information to JSimson@soundexchange.com,” says Wilhelms.

“Get an artist paid.

“There will be no other earthly reward, but I’m sure you’ll be on the comp list for all the really cool clubs in Heaven when you get there.

“Tell them you’re with the band.”

Click here for the complete list.

Also see Project Unfound Artist: Merchanical Turk.

Jon Newton – p2pnet

. .Stumble It!

---

Use free p2pnet newsfeeds for your site. It’s really easy!

Subscribe to p2pnet.net | | rss feed: http://p2pnet.net/p2p.rss | | Mobile – http://p2pnet.net/index-wml.php

---

Net access blocked by government restrictions? Use Psiphon from the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Go here for details. Download here.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 6:29 am and is filed under RIAA News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

HOME

Viewed 6839 times