Amid all the posturing and hype created by the mainstream media stating their various positions on it, weÕre overlooking the biggest point: this technology is creating news where, in the tired old offices of the three (pathetically, thatÕs the number weÕre down to) major labels, there was none before.

Napster is cutting edge, itÕs interesting, and it--God forbid--lets fans choose their own music. The people who should really be worried are the owners of boring radio stations. Take Toronto: we have a choice between the modern rock banality of Edge 102.1, the teenybopper friendly KISS 92.5, and the purveyors of all that is Puff Daddy, Energy 108. ItÕs not a surprise that even with the beautifully cutting edge sounds of CUIT (University of Toronto radio: 89.5 FM) or the late night underground styles of 88.1 FMÕs global groove, listeners are turning away from conventional radio en masse.

ItÕs about time too. Internet radio has always been where itÕs at; the recent controversy surrounding Napster has only served to solidify that fact. The hopelessly uncool listen to mainstream radio. The rest of us flick on the computer and surf to our heartÕs content. However, even on Ônet radio, youÕre listening to someone elseÕs playlist. Napster lets you search out new and interesting artists, download them for free, and listen for hours on end.

Where else could I have heard sounds from Belle and SebastianÕs "Boy With an Arab Strap" without paying $35.99 for it? Is there another venue that would allow me to discover (and fall in love with) the acid jazz stylings of DJ Krush and his compatriots in the "This is Acid Jazz, After Hours" compilation Ñfor free? Not to mention the rush I got when I realized how incredible UNKLE was, what "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" sounded like when covered by a punk band, and how Moby transformed the Smashing PumpkinÕs "1979" into something even more phenomenal than it already was. I almost cried when I rediscovered the band of my elementary school days, (donÕt laugh), Moxy Fruvous, singing "King of Spain" and "Green Eggs and Ham." I was ecstatic when a search turned up the Crash Test DummyÕs "Superman Song," the unreleased Barenaked LadiesÕ "MacdonaldÕs Girl," and, (the song that for some reason always makes me want to cry), REMÕs "Losing My Religion."

Now, I can stop giving my time up to boring "on air-personalities" and listen to my very own playlist filled with incredible and innovative songs whenever I turn on the computer. I can use my CD burner to burn compilation CDs to my heartÕs content, and I can discover all the artists that have interested me for aeons in Exclaim! Magazine for free.

The terror that the labels have that no one will buy records is, excuse me, bull. I have discovered so many new artists through the use of Napster, and wasted countless amounts of money on artists that challenge and interest my listening tastes. The music companies want you to think that Napster is evil. They want you to feel sorry for the poor little conglomerate mega music chains. Meanwhile, theyÕre jacking up the prices of anything thatÕs not top 40 and laughing in their corporate offices.

There will be those of you who are only interested in listening to what society tells you to listen to. Fine, you have the right to be bored. For the rest of you, take back your right to be challenged by interesting music. Break out of the tiny box that corporate radio has given you! Maybe then the N*Syncs of the world will disintegrate into the pieces of pop-fabrication we know them to be, and the world will be a better place.

 

alternatives to napster:
www.winmx.com
www.morpheus.com
www.limewire.com

or better yet, listen to Internet radio: [if using winamp, press ctrl + L; itunes: open stream.]
www.theknow.ca:8000
www.groove1.ca