Renowned UK songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg has hit out major record companies’ practise of seeking prosecution against those who download music from the internet, and has branded them the ‘biggest single threat to music’.
Bragg, who is a prominent member of the Artists Coalition, has been an outspoken critic of the campaigns against free downloading and, when asked by The Guardian what he feels is the biggest threat to music today, replied: “Major record labels, for persecuting young people who download music for free.”
“What they don’t understand is that they use downloads to sample stuff that they later buy. Can you see why I might not think it’s a good thing to arrest people for listening to my songs?”
Bragg was also asked of his opinion on the apparent dirth of protest singers in music today, after making his name in the Eighties with his own politically-charged lyrics.
“Yes,” he replied, when asked if there is too little protest music today. “Look at what’s happening in the world: the credit crunch; our young people getting maimed in a war that nobody knows how to resolve.”
“When I was first plying my trade, people were willing to talk about these issues. Now they’d rather write about getting blasted than changing the world.”
Billy Bragg released his most recent studio album, ‘Mr Love & Justice‘, in March 2008.