Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Winwood dipped a toe in largely untested waters this summer by giving away a track from his latest album on peer-to-peer networks. The experiment appears to be working out.

In the past month, Winwood's label has seen a noticeable increase in record sales thanks to a promotion that included releasing a free song and video over file-trading services. The campaign was part of an experiment in whether peer-to-peer can be used to create buzz around an artist and drive up sales.

http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,64128,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_3

Geesh....Bet the RIAA is flippin out over this one....egg on the face man!

If this proves out, it might not just be egg on the face. Should another artist or two do this and it be successful, the RIAA will have some serious backstepping to do on the p2p scene.

Enough reasonable doubt could be established about how much harm does p2p does the music industry that it could well turn the lawmakers ears deaf even while the palms are being filled.

They will really have to fight to prevent repeats continuing. This could start a mass rejection of contracts with majors in favor of the p2p as the way to spread an artists fame and then fortune.

Wouldn't that be a kick in the butt to the RIAA and majors?

In the words of a great thinker and phlosopher, my daughter...... "well duh!!!!!"

yep...and just maybe all those lawmakers will hold their hand out and take....but not go their way and not give it back either. Usually happens that those that screw people over...eventually get screwed in the end themselves.

Always liked Steve Winwood's music... he seems like a good guy too- I hope him, Peter Gabriel and David Bowie get together since all of them seem sympathetic to downloading and really give the RIAA heartburn

You know, I've seen non music/video things legitimately distributed through P2P as well such as Linux distrobutions. The fact is that P2P things like BitTorrent can end up being more efficient and cost effective for the company as it requires less bandwidth to host a tracker than to send out whole copies over and over. All these companies getting into a panic over the possibilities of this latest innovation in internet technology just love to ignore the millions of legal and even beneficial (to all sides in many cases) uses for such things. I've heard stories of small bands using napster (before it went pay) or similar things to get their music spread and their name better known without the incredible costs of having to produce so many singles and albums, then distribute them. I bet the people who shut down napster didn't even bother to compensate them for THEIR losses.

Actually, I must admit I never really used napster to be honest. Never liked it's design or any of that stuff. So I can't verify this story or anything. Still, you have to admit that it's a great example of how such things could be used not only legally, but beneficially as it could allow someone unknown to become known without them spending billions to do so.

Folks, we are the only ones who will hear about this. The sheep who only get their news about the p2p/music/copyright war will NOT hear this on CNN/FoxNews/CBS/NBC etc.

ONLY the already "converted" will hear of victory that occurs on OUR side of the issue.

THE ENEMY STILL CONTROLS THE MEDIA!
This story will NOT be on mtvnews, it will not be on accessextra, it will not be on anything that the majority of the folks hear the music news from.

All the sheep will hear is "piracy" and "illegitimate artist" and "illegal download sites/apps" over and over and over again.

Say it enough to the sheep and it becomes true for all intents and purposes.

Hearts and Minds. (Catch-phrase with some application to what I am ranting about.)

Shmoo, of Electric Gypsy
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