I was reading the winners and losers of the tech year on Yahoo! this morning and I saw the following statement:

EXTREME LOSER: Sony BMG Entertainment
Researchers at Information Security Partners recently identified a security flaw with SunnComm’s MediaMax, an alternative copy-protection scheme found on other Sony BMG CDs. The flaw could allow a remote attacker to hijack a user’s PC. This time, Sony responded with a patch almost immediately–which was quickly found to have the exact same flaw. Can you say “consumer boycott?”

I have talked about this in the past. It is time for the major record companies to go away. The true music comes from the artists and now with the technology in place, the artists can be their own record company and find alternate ways to promote and distribute their music. While I am sad to probably have to give up a few of my bands, like switchfoot and blindside, because they are with Sony BMG for now, but I’m planning on giving up my Sound and Spirit account (a Sony/BMG record club for Christian music). To me the big record companies are corrupt. To know how much the bands actually get from record sales, versus the indie bands that I have begun to listen to, who record, print, and distribute the records themselves and through podcasting(you know that I would work that in here) can promote it themselves.

The handwriting is on the wall RIAA, learn how to embrace the new technology and make money from it or become irrelevant (which is beginning).