"Rather than outlawing, punishing, and paradoxically maintaining to a certain extent an illegal system," he says, "let's make a different choice: authorising peer-to-peer downloading, but in return, putting in place a system "allowing artists to be paid" More than 13,000 musicians signed a petition in favour of the global licence.

"What do they mean when they say "pirate"? They're saying that [sharing and] helping
your neighbor is the moral equivalent of attacking a ship" -Richard Stallman in a great talk (scroll down to "Uretsky")
"Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it"- John Lennon
   Free Music!   
("Free" is a verb)

The Copyright Industry exploits artists more than helping them, all while hounding and now taking to court, the listeners and fans it supposedly serves, for the "crime" of file sharing.

Breaking the law is not the most "radical" or effective way to fight back. Long-term, the law can be changed. And yes, when the Copyright Industry takes already unfair laws and misuses them by twisting them further, public advocacy lawyers can help.

What you can do today is to break the chains of your own dependence on Copyright. Energy Independence might be your own wind/solar power producing all the energy you need, so you are 100% free from the energy grid. Similarly, Copyright Independence means you can enjoy music you enjoy, in any genre, and with an ever wider selection of artists, without the yoke of copyright. All in a way that still supports musicians; in fact, much more so than the current system.

Right now, innovative musicians, programmers, artists, organizations, and distribution methods exist, and more are emerging, which allow artists to be compensated and get better known, without chaining listeners with the usual familiar 'Copyright Regime' This site is our modest contribution towards helping you (listener or artists) become Copyright Independent and help the Free Music movement flourish. Please send in your link suggestions and spread the word about this site!

Alternatives to "Copyright" Sources For 100% Legal, Cost-Free
and/or Copyright-Free Music!		 Projects & Resources
for Musicians & Artists

  • What is OpenMusic Initiative?

  • OpenMusicRegistry FAQ closed
    *
    OpSound "a record label using an
    open source, copyleft model..a lab for new ways of releasing music"
  • CreativeCommons interview with Sal Randolph, OpSound founder
    *
  • About Kahvi Collective

  • Why Free Music?
    Index of many articles for Musicians & Fans alike.
    Lessons for FreeMusic from FreeSoftware Movement:

  • Freedom or Copyright?
  • Misinterpreting Copyright
  • Freedom or Power?
  • What Is CopyLeft?
  • OpSound Music Pool listed by Artist
    *
  • IUMA Internet Underground Music Archive/ Independent Unsigned Music Artists (Songs may or may not be copyright-free but are 100% legal to download cost-free) A large collection!
    *
  • Free Audio from Kahvi Collective
  • News/Archives: More Kahvi releases
    (167 as of 2/'06 & counting!)
    *
  • Sites with Free Music at ram.org
    *
  • Free-Music.com

    Music in Ogg Vorbis Format
    (Ogg Vorbis: Better than MP3?)

  • Other Sites with Music
    in Ogg Vorbis format.

  • Courtney Love Does the Math "Piracy is the act of stealing an artist's work without any intention of paying for it. I'm not talking about Napster-type software. I'm talking about major label recording contracts" (Salon.com)
    *
  • OpSound's Call to
    Artists and Musicians
  • OpSound FAQ
    *
  • The Open Audio License
    *
    *
  • A Musician tells other Musicians why Piracy is your Friend (from New York Times article; another copy and backup)

  • FutureOfMusic.org

  • See also A Chance to Break the Pop Stranglehold (of Big Labels) by Neil Strauss ( NY Times).

    • If you are a musician, or a fan of music, you are urged to read About The Xiphophorus Project, which also explains the background, little-known history, and what's at stake (backup copy).


    Please support the above compilation sites and projects, as well as the musicians, with donations. Even $1 helps, if we all participate. Coming: More tools for compensating artists. In the meantime, you can use:
  • NetworkForGood to donate to nonprofits (or receive if you are one)
  • get a PayPal account to donate (or receive if you are a musician) http://www.paystone.com/?source=g4
  • or use the Amazon Honor System -- FSF has ended its Boycott against Amazon.
    • Now: Use Subpoena Defense and use EFF's database: is there a subpoena against you by RIAA?

    New: Jamendo and why artists should join; more details in FAQ for artists.


    Copyright CopyLeft ©, 2003-2007 Cyber-Media Communications (reachus [at-sign] cyber-media [period] com)
  • CNN/Money chimes in..
  • Pop star George Michael is abandoning the music business to release his songs online for free instead.

    Related Links
    Free Culture   http://www.legaltorrents.com/
  • Donate.net useful?

  • Jobs to record labels: Unlock your music
  • We will later comment on we7.com