Free digital music initiative

The storm has been brewing for long enough. It’s time for action. The free digital music initiative is an invitation to everyone involved in the music industry to take part in a debate. An open and honest debate about free digital music.

It is my assertion, as a professional musician, that all digital music should be free. Furthermore, everyone should be allowed to share digital music, either by file sharing, direct email communication, Torrent usage or any other digital means without fear of prosecution or punishment.

Only when access to digital music is free and unencumbered by any form of restriction or management will the public be able to make a free and informed choice about which music, and which artists, they wish to support, financially or otherwise.

Furthermore, I believe that the major labels, and the media executives that they exert a controlling influence over such as radio and television presenters, wish to deny free access to digital music, via file sharing or any similar method, since free access to digital music would damage, possibly destroy, their monopoly.

Major labels currently have a great deal of control over what is heard on mainstream television and radio. By controlling and restricting access to digital music, by criminalizing the listener, the major labels are seeking to regain full control of what the public hears, what the public is aware of and, most importantly, what they public wished to buy or support financially.

The response that is always repeated by the music industry is that free digital music hurts sales. This is simply not true. Free digital music helps people make an informed purchasing decision. The major labels are simply unhappy, and very angry, since they can only sell manufactured plastic music, the like of which can be found currently flooding television and radio, to uninformed listeners.

I believe, that with enough publicity and momentum, the music industry can be forced to change.

In order to achieve the required publicity and momentum to allow this debate to take place it is necessary to put this argument in front of influential public figures in the music business and entertainment media.

Since many influential public figures in the music business and entertainment media are active on Twitter, or claim to be active on Twitter even though many would argue that their accounts are managed by industry executives, Twitter is the ideal publicity conduit.

The following people are all involved with the music industry. Many of them are highly paid and influential. Furthermore, they all claim to be passionate about music. I will add to this list over time. To suggest someone for this list please leave a comment with their Twitter ID and a brief description of the individual and why you feel they should be engaged.

Jonathan Ross @Wossy Radio 2 DJ and Television presenter.

Chris Moyles @chrisdjmoyles Radio 1 DJ and self proclaimed savior of Radio.

Russell Brand @rustyrockets Comedian and Television and Radio presenter.

Phil Jupitus @jupitusphillip DJ and Television personality

Alexandra Burke @alexandramusic X-Factor Winner

Katy Perry @katyperry Pop star.

Perez Hilton @perezhilton Celebrity blogger.

Sean Combs @iamdiddy Rapper.

DanniiMinogue @danniiminogue X-Factor judge.

Holly Wills @hollywills Television presenter.

Peter Andre @MrPeterAndre Famous for being famous.

Fearne Cotton @fearnecotton Radio DJ and Television presenter.

It is my belief that these people are controlled by, or influenced financially or otherwise, by the music industry. And, because of that belief, I feel that they need to be encouraged to speak out about the music industry and offer their thoughts and feelings with regard to free digital music and any other ways in which they feel the music industry can be changed for the benefit of real musicians and music lovers.

If they ignore the argument and do not wish to contribute then it will be obvious that they are happy to remain complicit in their support of the major label monopoly and their control over the wider music and entertainment industry.

Taking this argument to these individuals is a vital step in changing the music industry. Hopefully these people will respond and engage in the debate in a positive fashion. However, if they ignore, decline to participate in, or in any way seek to silence, the debate it will become obvious to everyone, including those who they currently influence, that they are complicit in their support of the major label monopoly and, therefore, part of the problem that free digital music hopes to help solve.

Thankfully, taking the argument to these people is with Twitter. And this is where I need your help and where you can benefit from becoming involved.

Please Tweet the following message, replacing the @Wossy and @chrisdjmoyles with the Twitter ID of those you want to aim the Tweet at from the list above, as follows.

@Wossy @chrisdjmoyles Free digital music initiative please RT http://cli.gs/YXABG

This will draw the recipient into the discussion and provide extra exposure for your own Twitter account since any Retweet will carry your ID. Feel free to be as descriptive as you like with your message and send it to as many of the people listed above as you like.

The more times you send the message and the more recipients you send it to the more exposure you will get for the argument and for your own Twitter account.

If you have a blog then please take part by sharing your own thoughts. Leave a comment below with a link to your blog so that readers can follow the wider discussion.

Ashley Morgan is a UK jazz trumpet player and owner of independent record label 447 Records. Ashley Morgan is the trumpet player with Enormous.