Avril Lavigne: Don't DRM my music!

A number of Canadian artists have clubbed together to protest at the way record labels are adding DRM to their music.

In a PDF press statement, top singers have publicly slammed the tactics of industry bodies and companies, and have formed a new association, called the Canadian Music Creators Coalition, to make their voices heard in the political sphere, as well as our CD players.

Some of the artists involved in the Coalition include Avril Lavigne, Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, Chantal Kreviazuk and Sum 41.

The CMCC says that its principles are:

• Suing Our Fans is Destructive and Hypocritical: Artists do not want to sue music fans. The labels have been suing our fans against artists’ will, and laws enabling these suits cannot be justified in artists’ names.
  
• Digital Locks are Risky and Counterproductive: Artists do not support using digital locks to increase the labels’ control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music or laws that prohibit circumvention of such technological measures. Consumers should be able to transfer the music they buy to other formats under a right of fair use, without having to pay twice.
  
• Cultural Policy Should Support Actual Canadian Artists: The vast majority of new Canadian music is not promoted by major labels, which focus mostly on foreign artists. The government should use other policy tools to support actual Canadian artists and a thriving musical and cultural scene.

Record labels always roll out the 'artists need to be paid' sob story to combat what most people would term as fair use of their music - using a CD to burn to a computer, transfer to iPod, lend to a mate, etc. The fact that such high profile artists are prepared to come out and say 'Not in my name' is a very strong statement and will provide a lot of ammunition for those fighting against record industry monopolies.

What are your thoughts on this latest salvo in the DRM war? Come tell us over in the forum.