Google is in the process of launching a music lyrics search function and the music industry is not happy about it. The Music Publishers' Association have complained that posting lyrics on websites are violating copyrights. And furthermore, they are saying that tablature damages a songwriters ability to make a living. They are claiming posting lyrics and tablature is stealing. Come on.

In the article they call the music industry "song nazi's." They are. I find that downloading music on the web has turned me on to tons of bands I never would have ever heard before. I've bought numerous CD's after downloading. Yeah, sure there are the bad apples who won't buy anything, but maybe if the industry made things more accessible and more affordable, people might actually buy music.

I also think that posting lyrics and tablature have nothing to do with taking money away from the industry. If anything, knowing the lyrics to songs might make people like the songs better? And if it's a song they like, learning it on a guitar, isn't taking any bread out of anyone's mouth.

I think the music industry just hates the web period. Plain and simple.

"At what point has the music industry's fierce guarding of it's content gone too far? And how far does Fair Use protect Google as it seeks to index the world's information? The biggest blow-out of the year was between Google and publishers over the Google Book Search project. The next big blow-out may land Google in the sights of the music industry after the search company launched a music lyrics search function.

A Google search for the lyrics to Fiona Apple's "Pale September" yields an initial return of three sites to find the waifish diva's poetic lyricism. It also provides a link to iTunes and Real Rhapsody where the song can be purchased.

According to Media Post, the Music Publishers' Association and the National Music Publishers' Association have recently complained that websites posting lyrics are violating copyrights. The organizations also attack tablature, a notation system simpler and more explicit than traditional sheet music, as information that damages a songwriter's ability to make a living. If all of the world's information is Google's carrot, then tablature is eventually included.

David Israelite, president of the National Music Publishers' Association, likened the posting of lyrics and tablatures to stealing, while Music Publishers' Association President Lauren Keiser said her organization would begin taking action against sites that post lyrics next year."

You can read the full article on Google Lyric Search at Web Pro News</a>.

12-23-05

Technorati Tags: google lyric search