the riaa is not really a union-like organization: it is a trade group made up of record labels. here is a snippet from the riaa itself:
Quote:
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes our members' creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States.
In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conduct consumer industry and technical research; and monitor and review - - state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA also certifies GoldŽ, PlatinumŽ, Multi-Platinum?, and DiamondŽ sales awards, and recently launched Los Premios De Oro y Platino?, a new award celebrating Latin music sales.
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http://www.riaa.com/about/default.asp
and here is a list of the member labels:
http://www.riaa.com/about/members/default.asp
the wikipedia article for riaa indicates some of the complexity folk encounter when trying to get a handle on what it is and what is has been doing within the brave new legal world of i.p. law:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Re...ion_of_America
one thing is clear: the riaa is not about the interests of the artists--they were formed by record labels to advance/protect the interest of the labels.
which put them in a curious spot with reference to file sharing: avowed capitalists working to stifle the usage of new technologies that threaten the centrality of record labels products.
it is not about the music, not about the musicians--it is about the labels.