Warner have decided to stop licensing their music to free streaming sites such as Spotify because they believe it is harming their industry. Other major labels may follow.

I can see that they might be concerned about the various software allowing easy recording of music played on computers, but I also think they are taking a leap in the wrong direction. On one hand people listening to music may be inspired to go buy a copy and even seek out more by a particular artist, thus increasing sales. Other points to consider are that radio is also a form of free streaming and people can also record from there, but most important is the fact that people won't be buying music unless they can first get to hear it. From a business point of view it's a dilemma, but music has always been about much more than making money.

The winners of this move might be the Independent artists and small labels. They'll get more attention while the Majors continue to hammer nails into their own coffins.

www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/10/...ify-online-streaming

From making the most of a good situation and finding and breaking great talent, the majors have become the devil incarnate. All since I got locked up. I kept them honest!

Just like the songwriters about a 100 years ago, the owners of the sound recordings have to give up their (almost) absolute control over the use of their rights: A compulsory licence (just like for AM/FM radio) for certain digital services (streaming) will allow new services to succeed.

This will be the basis for a new "record" industry, which will make money (far,far less than it used to make from the sale of records) from the consumption of music.