Sean Ross of Edison Media Research believes the stunt by the RIAA-backed musicFirst Coalition — it sent an iTunes download of the Steve Miller Band’s “Take The Money and Run” to the NAB’s David Rehr and John David, to highlight the performance royalty issue — begs for a snappy comeback.
The coalition called its songs the Gift of Music to highlight its call for a fair performance right. It said it would also send Bruce Springsteen’s “Pay Me My Money Down”; Paul McCartney’s “Back in the U.S.S.R.” and Sheryl Crow’s “A Change Would Do You Good.”
NAB EVP Dennis Wharton called this “a silly gesture” that “obscures the fact that most musicians become successful through free airplay from America’s hometown radio stations. NAB suggests that RIAA instead donate these tunes to the college kids and grandmothers that they keep trying to have arrested.”
Ross in turn writes on Edison’s Web Site that the following tuneage captures broadcasters’ feelings about their support of artists over the years:
- Rick Springfield, “I’ve Done Everything For You”;
- Temptations, “Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)”;
- Lobo, “Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend”;
- Waylon Jennings, “The Taker”;
- Foster & Lloyd, “What Do You Want From Me This Time?”;
- Mary Davis, “Don’t Wear It Out”;
And, of course:
- Michael Jackson, “Beat It.”
