Royal Mail launches rock album stamps

Link to the article: Channel 4 News

Album sales in Britain have fallen for the fifth year running according to new figures out today, but undeterred Royal Mail has released a collectors edition of twelve stamps of classic covers, from The Clash to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. Stephanie West has been speaking to designers behind the famous images.

The Sinking of Website Pirate Bay

Link to the article: BBC Newsnight

A court in Sweden has jailed four men behind The Pirate Bay, the world's most high-profile file-sharing website, in a landmark case.

Newsnight's Stephen Smith reports.

Taking control of their music

Link to the article: Channel 4

Last Modified: 11 Mar 2009
By: Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Pop stars get together to fight for their rights but insist it isn't a new trades union. Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Billy Bragg, one of the board members of Featured Artists Coalition.

Radiohead, Iron Maiden and Kate Nash have all signed up to Featured Artists Coalition. It aims to help artists "take control of their music and rights."

Their inaugural meeting comes two days after the major record labels withdrew their music from the video website YouTube in a dispute over payment.

Will Spotify make music history

Link to the article: Channel 4

Last Modified: 07 Mar 2009
By: Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Now you won't have heard of him but some believe Daniel Ek will earn himself a place in music history alongside the inventors of vinyl, CDs and the download.

He's the Swedish head of an online music service called Spotify, which could signal the end of paying for download music, with most major record companies are already on board.

This week it ecorded its millionth subscriber as well as coming of age in a less glorious way - by falling victim to a significant security breach.