Music Publishers Push LyricWiki Into Wikia's Arms

from the is-singing-along-without-a-license-the-next-to-go? dept

Thu, Sep 24th 2009 9:55pm — Mike Masnick

In August, we wrote how music publishers were suing lyrics sites (and their owners) for daring to "profit off the backs of songwriters." That, of course, makes no sense. People go to find lyrics to music because they already like it and want to find out more about it and the creators behind it. It's good advertising. And yet, publishers have been going after lyrics sites for years. Apparently, the guy behind LyricWiki worked out a deal whereby technically he's shutting down LyricWiki (found via Fan History) but is instead rebuilding the project for Wikia (the company associated with Wikipedia). Wikia has purchased a license from the publishers. While it's good that a lawsuit is being avoided and that the project will continue (sort of), it's still rather troubling that the publishers were able to force LyricWiki into Wikia's arms. Apparently, independently repeating lyrics of a song you like isn't allowed unless you buy a license. Careful singing along... that'll be next.

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Filed Under: lyrics, music, publishers
Companies: lyricwiki, wikia

15 Comments

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enjaysee (profile), 24 Sep 2009 @ 11:15pm

Don't know about any other reality tv show, but in Aussie Big Brother housemates were not allowed to sing songs unless they created a song inside the house to sing. If one ever did find himself singing something, it'd usually get censored. I think it'd been like that from the second season onwards.
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Big Al, 25 Sep 2009 @ 12:22am

Re:
That's right up there with music shops having to have performing licences in case someone trying out an instrument happens to play something recognisable...
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scarr (profile), 25 Sep 2009 @ 1:59am

Re: Re:
"NO STAIRWAY"
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lulz, 25 Sep 2009 @ 4:32am

Careful singing along... that'll be next.

/facepalm
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Enrico Suarve, 25 Sep 2009 @ 4:57am

I may be a little early but...
Happy Birthday to Mike,
Happy Birthday to Mike,
Happy Biiiiiirthdaaaaaay Mr Masnick,
Haap-py Birthday to Mike
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harknell, 25 Sep 2009 @ 5:07am

Uh, "singing along" is already sorta being looked at
Uh guys, did you hear about the desire to have mobile ring tones listed as a "public performance" by the RIAA? Singing along IS considered by them as a license situation in that context.
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Anonymous Coward, 25 Sep 2009 @ 5:25am

@harknell
You think that is absurd?
How about technology that will monitor how you use your devices and will charge you accordingly?

That is what some patents filled by sony and others do. They monitor how you transmit data inside your home and will charge you an "extra" for the privilege to see kummar on your bedroom.

And that is why consumers should change habits and start paying attention to what they get, if it is not under a liberal license don't use it.
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Krubuntu (profile), 25 Sep 2009 @ 5:48am

Re: Re: Re:
Dang! You beat me to it! "NO STAIRWAY" LMAO
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Anonymous Coward, 25 Sep 2009 @ 6:13am

Re: Re: Re:
Denied!
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Anonymous Coward, 25 Sep 2009 @ 6:34am

Do what they do.
In the other article the guy said that performers change a word and get to collect a third of all proceedings LoL

If people change a single word in the lyrics could they not assert some level of ownership on those?

The guy who argued that made it sound like is a common practice inside the music industry :p
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Marcel de Jong (profile), 25 Sep 2009 @ 6:49am

Re: I may be a little early but...
From the Techdirt Crystal Ball:
"Warner Music Has Court Order Techdirt To Reveal Anonymous singer"

:)
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Raybone (profile), 25 Sep 2009 @ 7:01am

Absolute Bullshit
really...I cant believe people kowtow so easily to these assholes. excuse my lang. but this pisses me off. I cant tell you how many times as a performer Ive looked up lyrics to toss a cool cover in my original sets, which gets the writer paid via licenses charged to the venues I play. Why make it hard? Do they want me to sing the wrong fukin words if i cant understand the original recording? Can they even collect for that? Costing THEM more?

This is America goddamit..Am i the only one left with a pair?
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Anonymous Coward, 25 Sep 2009 @ 11:05am

Re:
"Careful singing along... that'll be next."

I realize that's kind of tongue-in-cheek, but it's just oh so likely that it's really not funny. =(
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another mike (profile), 25 Sep 2009 @ 1:09pm

karaoke
You have no idea how embarrassing it is to request a song at the karaoke bar and not know the lyrics ahead of time. Or not being able to request the song you want because the radio stations don't identify the songs they play anymore. You never hear the title or artist so if you can't search by lyrics you're stuck. These sites are a FSM-send.
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wvhillbilly (profile), 25 Sep 2009 @ 7:50pm

Re: @harknell
You think that is absurd? How about technology that will monitor how you use your devices and will charge you accordingly?
For that very reason I try as much as possible to listen only to public domain music. I have a sizeable collection of Edison cylinder record MP3s downloaded from UCSB's library which I play occasionally. Most of this stuff RIAA makes such a hullabaloo over isn't worth listening to anyway. But...any guesses how long before the RIAA succeeds in recapturing copyright on the entire public domain??
It's all about greed, I say.
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