95% of music downloads in 2008 were illegal, says IFPI

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The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, or IFPI, is basically an international version of the RIAA and BPI, who claim to act as a trade body for record labels, but seem to only exist in reality to head up the music industry’s anti-piracy campaign. True to that role, last night it released a statement claiming that 95% of music downloads in 2008 were illegal.

However, there’s some bright news for the labels hidden in there too – download sales are up 25% on last year, and now make up a fifth of all recorded music sales. The IFPI reckons that it’s worth £2.5 billion.

JOY Internet stands up for rights of British Internet users

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Following yesterday’s news that Virgin Media is planning to crack down on illegal downloaders, new UK startup JOY Internet has vowed to stand up for the rights of UK Internet users.

“We’re totally against this collusion between the British Phonographic Industry [BPI] and Virgin Media,” said JOY’s Managing Director, Ken Jowes. “We don’t advocate the mass illegal downloading of music and film, but we believe that innocent people will have their Internet connections terminated, without recourse. Those downloading small amounts of content for personal use will also be criminalised, when the real problem of organised gangs working from outside the UK is totally ignored. That’s why we’ve set up JOY Internet.”…

Brits still like music CDs despite rise in Internet downloads

cd_rack.jpgWe’re still an nation who likes our CD collections, according to recent figures from the British Phonographic Industry.

Despite the rise in popularity of music downloading (both legal and not), nearly half of the people recently surveyed by PlusNet said that they thought it would be at least ten years until the CD becomes obsolete, with one n ten saying that the format would never die.