In an attempt to curb the use of illegal file-sharing networks, a new campaign from music industry collective Music Matters is attempting to convince the young generation of listeners that music has value.
The "Music Matters" campaign has already created a series of videos featuring Kate Bush, the Jam, Nick Cave, Sigur Rós and Louis Armstrong, among others, to help inspire youth to see why music is something worth paying for. In support of the cause, the organization has also created a badge to be pasted on websites that proves all featured music - both streamed and downloadable - is 100 percent legal.
As BBC 6 Music reports, Blur's manager Chris Morrison, who is backing the campaign, claimed that music needs to have financial value if artists are to "come out of the blue and do something incredibly radical."
He asserted that getting music for free was "not a God-given right," adding that "my job is to make sure my artist gets properly compensated. An artist makes pennies per record. If the music is popular, you sell huge quantities. But in order to make money, you have to sell huge quantities."
Former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler is also backing the campaign. He hopes that the Music Matters promotional videos might get the younger generation more excited about music, and more likely to consider the importance of music to their life.
"I don't think this campaign or these films are trying to plead poverty" Butler said. "They're actually saying, does music do something to your life?"
"Personally, I see plenty of money in the music business being made and I don't think it's at death's door. What's important for me as an artist is that I see kids being interested enough in music to make it."
So far many services, including iTunes, MySpace Music, MTV, HMV, Napster and Rough Trade have all agreed to paste the badge on their websites, letting fans know that they are downloading music from authorized sites.
You can watch the campaign video featuring the Jam below:
The "Music Matters" campaign has already created a series of videos featuring Kate Bush, the Jam, Nick Cave, Sigur Rós and Louis Armstrong, among others, to help inspire youth to see why music is something worth paying for. In support of the cause, the organization has also created a badge to be pasted on websites that proves all featured music - both streamed and downloadable - is 100 percent legal.
As BBC 6 Music reports, Blur's manager Chris Morrison, who is backing the campaign, claimed that music needs to have financial value if artists are to "come out of the blue and do something incredibly radical."
He asserted that getting music for free was "not a God-given right," adding that "my job is to make sure my artist gets properly compensated. An artist makes pennies per record. If the music is popular, you sell huge quantities. But in order to make money, you have to sell huge quantities."
Former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler is also backing the campaign. He hopes that the Music Matters promotional videos might get the younger generation more excited about music, and more likely to consider the importance of music to their life.
"I don't think this campaign or these films are trying to plead poverty" Butler said. "They're actually saying, does music do something to your life?"
"Personally, I see plenty of money in the music business being made and I don't think it's at death's door. What's important for me as an artist is that I see kids being interested enough in music to make it."
So far many services, including iTunes, MySpace Music, MTV, HMV, Napster and Rough Trade have all agreed to paste the badge on their websites, letting fans know that they are downloading music from authorized sites.
You can watch the campaign video featuring the Jam below:
