Responsible Shopping and the RIAA Radar

By: Charbarred | in: Music |

I’m the sort of guy who really likes to fight those uphill battles. I try to fill up at privately owned gas stations in an effort to drive prices down. I recycle, I don’t leave my television on standby, and I never buy major label CD’s. OK, so every time I go on on a long trip I have to fill up with one of the major chains. The garbage men tend to mistakenly pick up our recycling bags, and I often fall asleep in front of the television forgetting to turn it off. But one thing I’m really adamant about is buying indie.

The RIAA Radar

Purchasing CD’s has become a form of charity. You can easily get your favorite albums online in MP3 form. My car is MP3 equipped, as well as my computer, my living room’s stereo and pretty much any other place I might find myslef listening to music. In fact, whenever I buy a CD, I immediately rip it to MP3 and put it on the shelf to gather dust. So why do I buy CD’s? I guess it’s a way to own a piece of the music. By the time an album hits the stores, I am likely to have already listened to it. If I like a certain band, I want to support them and own a piece of their art.
This is where the RIAA Radar always comes through for me. The RIAA Radar is a site that helps consumers distinguish between “safe” and “unsafe” album releases. If you’re not happy with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) or their associates suing little children and unsuspecting parents, this is the site for you. A simple search will instantly brand a release with a “Safe” or “Warning” icon letting you know who you’re supporting when purchasing a certain album.

RIAA Radar - Beware of Keane

Moreover, The RIAA Radar has various tools that make your shopping experience more fun. There is a browser bookmarklet that will warn you whenever you visit Amazon and try to purchase a major label CD. There is the “Indie Top 100” which will display the the latest and safest album releases. There is also the “Amazon Top 100” list with all sorts of warnings (Let’s face it, not all of your favorite albums are “safe”). There are charts, and even a mobile option which I haven’t figured out yet.
So I learned that buying the latest Regina Spektor album is a crime against humanity. The new John Mellencamp album is surprisingly safe. You can buy Bloc Party, The Shins and even The Raconteurs. Even without the red warning icon, I can assure you that purchasing a Snow Patrol or a Keane album is a major mistake.

Q. What if I still want to own Beck’s wonderful album “The Information”
A. Buy it used!

Support your favorite artists. Buy music responsibly. Practice safe shopping…and really don’t buy anything by Keane.

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Posted on February 20, 2007

Comments

3 Responses to “Responsible Shopping and the RIAA Radar”

Ryan on February 20th, 2007 3:45 pm

Good call. People need to be better educated about the things in their lives. If they claim to love music, they should also know about how their passion for music impacts their rights. Likewise, we have a responsibility to artists we enjoy to support their art - lest it disappear before our eyes. Artists should be mindful that even if their’s is a “creation process” in their eyes rather than a process, that someone is supporting them - and they ought not to allow vicious attorneys represent them. Basically, be smart and happy. They need not be mutually exclusive. The truth is out there.