The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade group. The RIAA is a group that certifies sales awards in the industry, and works to protect intellectual property and the First Amendment rights of artists(1). Certain areas that they focus on are piracy online and on the streets, freedom of speech, licensing, and ISRC codes(2). Despite the fact that they protect legal rights in the industry, the RIAA have been known to cause controversy on how they go about it.

In the wake of an industry turned upside down, everyone is twiddling his or her thumbs, impatiently awaiting music's next featured product. As Steve Job's steers and extends the Apple Company over and through the market, industry consultants are pondering over ideas that could potentially rival the current digital music explosion. The digital music market has become more relevant in 2007 than ever before. With a 47% increase this year, digital sales have contributed almost 75% of the market value to Apple's iTunes store.

Title II of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 introduced new limitations on liability for copyright infringement by online service providers (OSPs). These limitations were put in place to protect OSPs from copyright infringement suits when engaged in standard operational activities based on transitory communications, system caching, storage of information on systems or networks at the direction of users, and information location tools.

The Harvard Law R.A.P. may conjure images of iced-out beat-boxers briefing cases in a dusty old library. However, this clinical program offered by one of the world’s best law schools is an enormous opportunity for Berklee students. R.A.P. stands for “Recording Artist Program”, and for several years it has served as a boon for musicians in the Boston area who wish to receive excellent legal counsel and services, free of charge.

“The business model is crumbling”