Metallica, Bootleg Demos, and Napster...

I am tired of people ripping on Metallica for opposing Napster. Metallica gained popularity and success from bootlegging, but it was bootlegging that they encouraged. In albums since their early demo and first record, their promotion emphasis shifted toward direct and retail album/merch sales and away from fan-to-fan bootleg promotion. The bottom line is that there came a time when Metallica was no longer offering its works for free distribution. Fans should have to buy the albums from Metallica. Napster is bootleg distribution without permission. Metallica was right. If they choose to give away some of their works for free, they still have that choice. If you decide to give some of your works away for free, you have that choice.

[ In related news, Dexter Holland of The Offspring and Nitro Records has now come forward and admitted his former pro-Napster stance was wrong. Score one for artists’ property rights! ]