Kid rock tells fans "Download it illegally - I don't care"

Kid rock tells fans Download it illegally - I don't care
Kid Rock is part of an exclusive club whose only other members are The Beatles, Garth Brooks, and AC/DC. What do thse artists have in common? They're major artists whose music isn't sold on iTunes. In Kid Rock's case there is actually one album being sold by the online music giant, but that's just because he doesn't own the rights to it.

So why doesn't he want to sell his music on iTunes? It's simple really. He sees it as simply a continuation of the way labels have treated artists for decades. In his words, "iTunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don't give it to the artists"



In a recent interview with the BBC he talked about his reaction to Atlantic Records executives asking him to take a stand against file sharing. "Wait a second," he said, "you've been stealing from the artists for years. Now you want me to stand up for you?"

"I was telling kids - download it illegally, I don't care. I want you to hear my music so I can play live."

And his disgust with iTunes? Actually disgust is probably too strong a word. More like dissappointment. It seems like he had some hope for selling music on the internet at one point. He saw it a "an opportunity for everyone to be treated fairly, for the consumer to get a fair price, for the artist to be paid fairly, for the record companies to make some money."

And even he admits he'll have to give in and let iTunes sell his music eventually. But that's really not the point. The point is he's making a statement because he can afford to. He's not hurting for sales, and certainly isn't running low on money.

Apparently he's not running low on priciples either. In the music business that probably puts him in another exclusive club.

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 19 Jun 2008 1:02
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  • 37 comments
  • snowlock

    although i might listen to lil wayne before kid rock, i'm a fan of neither.
    this is still a great post to have on the feed at the same time as the lil wayne article.


    kid rock gets more points with me for his statements than he ever has.

    19.6.2008 01:13 #1

  • ZoSoIV

    yeah I'm no Kid rock fan but its the right thing for him to do.

    Bands make there money touring/playing there ass off live anyway. not with album sales in most cases


    19.6.2008 01:43 #2

  • ZippyDSM

    for me hes in the same class as enem I can stand 2 or 3 of his songs the rest or just dumb and sluttly(emo and whiny in enmes case :P) LOL

    19.6.2008 01:53 #3

  • H0bbes

    Quote:"you've been stealing from the artists for years. Now you want me to stand up for you?"
    Don't care for him or his music, but I fully agree.

    19.6.2008 02:16 #4

  • iluvendo

    Quote:In a recent interview with the BBC he talked about his reaction to Atlantic Records executives asking him to take a stand against file sharing. "Wait a second," he said, "you've been stealing from the artists for years. Now you want me to stand up for you?"
    Calls the hypocrites as he sees them !! Way to go Kid Rock !!!

    19.6.2008 03:04 #5

  • pcaddict

    That's the music industry.

    19.6.2008 03:45 #6

  • nobrainer

    But, but, but, its the pirates that are stealing all the monies we need to pay sony to put more DRM onto media and give more money to us, the riaa to track and prosecute ppl for monies, and when we win the cases we will pay the lawyers ........ i mean artists, maybe if we can force everyone to repurchase media over and over again we can maybe give the artists 1% of the 3rd sale.

    respect to Kid Rock but this will not achieve anything as the real head liners that are all controlled by the RIAA and variants in each country controlled by the same companies. so next week there will be a popular artist from sony, emi, warner and universal all stating that piracy is bad.

    The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
    The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
    The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
    The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.

    19.6.2008 04:40 #7

  • 7thsinger

    There are a few Kid Rock songs i'm ok with. In general i'm certainly not a fan, but i definately stand behind him here.

    Props to you Mr. Rock!

    19.6.2008 08:21 #8

  • lynchGOP

    Go Kid Rock. He's got a handful of really good songs but I'm not a huge fan either...............but GO KID ROCK!!! The days of being "Managed" are over. Those artists that buy into this crap LIKE METALLICA (whom I used to love and now just frakkin' hate)............SELLOUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! are putzes.

    19.6.2008 11:11 #9

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by lynchGOP: Go Kid Rock. He's got a handful of really good songs but I'm not a huge fan either...............but GO KID ROCK!!! The days of being "Managed" are over. Those artists that buy into this crap LIKE METALLICA (whom I used to love and now just frakkin' hate)............SELLOUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! are putzes.
    last I checked it was just the head singer/lead that went on a anti MP3 tizzy the rest of the banded didn't give a flip.

    19.6.2008 11:13 #10

  • dockk

    not a fan of KID ROCK but go for it m8

    19.6.2008 12:00 #11

  • cart0181

    Solution: Download his songs illegally, then send him a check made out to him. That way, he gets 100% of it and no one else can touch it.

    19.6.2008 13:09 #12

  • zonedout

    Kid Rock leading the way, I would like to see more artists take a stand like that against the greed of the record companies and the RIAA.

    19.6.2008 16:37 #13

  • goodswipe

    Kid Rock was married to Pamela Anderson and toured with a midget, how much cooler can he get?

    /KID ROCK FTW!

    19.6.2008 16:52 #14

  • ugc

    Why couldn't an artist do this:

    1) Get his/her own website EX: www.ilovekidrockverymuch.com

    2) Make his/her own music and put it up for download using a paypal link (or something equivalent) for US .50 cents a track.

    No middle men, almost pure profit. I think it would work for well known artist. Forget iTunes, download your tracks from the artist directly.

    19.6.2008 17:29 #15

  • numscull

    Been there, Done that

    19.6.2008 18:12 #16

  • sgriesch

    Originally posted by ugc: Why couldn't an artist do this:

    1) Get his/her own website EX: www.ilovekidrockverymuch.com

    2) Make his/her own music and put it up for download using a paypal link (or something equivalent) for US .50 cents a track.

    No middle men, almost pure profit. I think it would work for well known artist. Forget iTunes, download your tracks from the artist directly.
    Example: Radiohead (recently)

    19.6.2008 19:04 #17

  • DVDdoug

    Quote:In his words, "iTunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don't give it to the artists"...

    ... he's making a statement because he can afford to. He's not hurting for sales, and certainly isn't running low on money.
    Gee, I wonder where his money came from??? If he didn't have a deal with Atlantic Records, he'd still be "rocking the turntables" in basement somewhere. Atlantic made him rich and famous!

    19.6.2008 19:20 #18

  • DVDdoug

    Originally posted by ugc: Why couldn't an artist do this:

    1) Get his/her own website EX: www.ilovekidrockverymuch.com

    2) Make his/her own music and put it up for download using a paypal link (or something equivalent) for US .50 cents a track.

    No middle men, almost pure profit. I think it would work for well known artist. Forget iTunes, download your tracks from the artist directly.
    Sure, an artist can do that!

    But, NOT if he/she's signed an agreement with a record company! The terms and conditions say that the artist cannot distibute his/her own music until the contract is fulfilled. Usually that means a certain number of albums and/or a certain number of years. (I think it's usually 7 albums, or 7 years.... I think there's a "7" somewhere...)

    So once Kid Rock fulfills his contract, he can do whatever he wants. Most successful artists choose to negotiate a new, better, contract. Overall, most artists don't last long enough for a 2nd contract... The record companies loose money on most acts and they are not offered a 2nd contact.

    P.S.
    A lot of artists are already doing what you suggest. For example, Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails are distributing online free or for a donation. And, you could probably fill-up an iPod with legally free music from non-famous unsigned artists. (If the artist is giving away free music, they have to write and perform their own music... otherwise the songwriter has to be paid.)

    A lot of independent/unsigned acts sell CDs at their concerts and online.

    The Eagles, AC/DC, and a few others have bypassed the middleman and made a distribution deal with Wal Mart.

    Madonna signed a record deal with a concert promotion company.

    19.6.2008 19:44 #19

  • snowlock

    Quote:Originally posted by lynchGOP: Go Kid Rock. He's got a handful of really good songs but I'm not a huge fan either...............but GO KID ROCK!!! The days of being "Managed" are over. Those artists that buy into this crap LIKE METALLICA (whom I used to love and now just frakkin' hate)............SELLOUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! are putzes.
    last I checked it was just the head singer/lead that went on a anti MP3 tizzy the rest of the banded didn't give a flip.
    i thought it was the whole band metallica that flipped out over file sharing; napster in particular.

    even if it was just one member, it wasn't the singer but the drummer, lars ulrich.

    i'll never forget reading transcripts from one of those press conferences they held where he spoke against file sharing.
    he pretty much concluded by condensing his point into the statement "it's our music."
    a heckler, and probably fan, then screamed out "f&#k you lars! it's our music too!"
    that was epic, for me.

    19.6.2008 21:29 #20

  • skopas

    That's how u do it. I bet Itunes and MPAA are furious with that comment...........lol..................lol...................:)

    19.6.2008 21:33 #21

  • homesick

    gotta love this guy, finally someone who understands.

    19.6.2008 22:44 #22

  • dude845

    Kid rock and Lil wayne. I am listening to a bootleg little wayne album (the latest) at the moment and I have lots of kid rock songs on my computer. You know what? Respect to Kid rock, he is a great guy for this, doesn't matter if you like his music or not at least he isn't some filthy money greedy whore.

    19.6.2008 23:08 #23

  • jetyi83

    Originally posted by ZippyDSM: for me hes in the same class as enem I can stand 2 or 3 of his songs the rest or just dumb and sluttly(emo and whiny in enmes case :P) LOLthis has to be the most grammatically incorrect couple of sentences ive ever read

    20.6.2008 01:03 #24

  • 7thsinger

    Originally posted by goodswipe: Kid Rock was married to Pamela Anderson and toured with a midget, how much cooler can he get?

    Lol. Good point Swipe.

    It's no question he's not hurting for money, so he can afford to be non-chalant about it.

    Quote:Gee, I wonder where his money came from??? If he didn't have a deal with Atlantic Records, he'd still be "rocking the turntables" in basement somewhere. Atlantic made him rich and famous! Nearly endless touring made him rich and famous. Not Atlantic, they're just the one's that happened to sign him.

    20.6.2008 08:22 #25

  • scorpNZ

    How hard would it be for these artists to start up there own co-op style record label & dump the RIAA completely,problem solved.

    20.6.2008 15:48 #26

  • atomicxl

    Quote:Quote:In his words, "iTunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don't give it to the artists"...

    ... he's making a statement because he can afford to. He's not hurting for sales, and certainly isn't running low on money.
    Gee, I wonder where his money came from??? If he didn't have a deal with Atlantic Records, he'd still be "rocking the turntables" in basement somewhere. Atlantic made him rich and famous!
    Alot of people forget that. They say but "NIN and Radiohead"... not realizing that these two groups have sold like MILLIONS of records and have had major label help to getting big enough to have a fanbase that supports them like that. Plus, NiN tried to do the same thing with a new act on their label and it failed epically.

    "Internet only" only works when you already have millions and millions of fans around the globe who have shown up to buy all your albums in the past. But to get to that state, you need a major label thats going to push you hard and hound radio stations on a global level to play your songs and get you the placements and publicity you need. I don't think that will ever change. The most that will happen is that record labels won't be doing it but you'll have massive marketing firms that sign multiple artists and are basically doing the same thing, just with a different name.

    21.6.2008 14:52 #27

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Quote:Quote:In his words, "iTunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don't give it to the artists"...

    ... he's making a statement because he can afford to. He's not hurting for sales, and certainly isn't running low on money.
    Gee, I wonder where his money came from??? If he didn't have a deal with Atlantic Records, he'd still be "rocking the turntables" in basement somewhere. Atlantic made him rich and famous!
    Alot of people forget that. They say but "NIN and Radiohead"... not realizing that these two groups have sold like MILLIONS of records and have had major label help to getting big enough to have a fanbase that supports them like that. Plus, NiN tried to do the same thing with a new act on their label and it failed epically.

    "Internet only" only works when you already have millions and millions of fans around the globe who have shown up to buy all your albums in the past. But to get to that state, you need a major label thats going to push you hard and hound radio stations on a global level to play your songs and get you the placements and publicity you need. I don't think that will ever change. The most that will happen is that record labels won't be doing it but you'll have massive marketing firms that sign multiple artists and are basically doing the same thing, just with a different name.

    Not really using the net as means of word of mouth to get people to go to the concerts where the "normal" money is made is more important.

    Labels are still only part of pie they can bring in the most money but in the end are not needed.

    21.6.2008 14:56 #28

  • droogie01

    effin eh the industry needs more people like this with atleast one non greedy bone in their bodies ...

    rock on kid!

    21.6.2008 21:57 #29

  • atomicxl

    Quote:Not really using the net as means of word of mouth to get people to go to the concerts where the "normal" money is made is more important.

    Labels are still only part of pie they can bring in the most money but in the end are not needed.
    Labels aren't needed once you're already on one. There is a massive difference between a popular indie act and a popular major label act. Once you're already a success on a major, you don't need them. Your name and face is already out there. You've likely done tons of interviews for magazines and shows already. Your name is already established on a global level. You can do world tours and sell out stadiums. But to get there, you need something that has the power and funding to just throw money at it until it sticks. And just the access to the people you need and the ability to open doors.

    The way the music industry and its associates work is really not at all about getting new acts out there. If you're not on a major label or a really big indie thats like borderline major label, the doors aren't open for you. Radio isn't trying to hear your music and DJs aren't trying to play it. You're not doing shows in good venues and alot of nights you aren't even breaking even. Retailers aren't trying to hear about you either. Why give you, an unknown who might not sell, when they can give that space to someone who is a guaranteed sell. Not to mention that if its all artists, that means they have to sit down and work out a deal with all of them. Thats going to be insanely time intensive and in reality it'd end up with them only talking with major massive acts that are pretty much guaranteed to sell, whether because people like it or because the label will push it to a certain sales point. With a label at least its pretty much one contract for that whole label. Its easy to deal with. Things are simple and everyone likes simple.

    For major labels to die and there be nothing like them, it would take a radical change in the radio and retail industry. I don't see that happening any time soon. MP3s aren't and downloads won't affect radio and retail. Worse comes to worst, retail will just give more space to dvds, blu-ray and video games.

    23.6.2008 13:47 #30

  • iwantLove

    Originally posted by goodswipe: Kid Rock was married to Pamela Anderson and toured with a midget, how much cooler can he get?

    /KID ROCK FTW!
    haha thats a funny point.
    im glad kid rock said something. the record companies get plenty of money already.


    23.6.2008 19:52 #31

  • 7thsinger

    Record labels are pimps.

    Musicians/Artists are their whores.

    Again, i'm just glad to see an artist blatantly say that he is NOT affected like the labels are from people downloading a few songs.


    23.6.2008 21:10 #32

  • FredBun

    the Kid does Rock

    29.6.2008 02:03 #33

  • vudoo

    "Internet only" only works when you already have millions and millions of fans around the globe who have shown up to buy all your albums in the past. But to get to that state, you need a major label thats going to push you hard and hound radio stations on a global level to play your songs and get you the placements and publicity you need. I don't think that will ever change. The most that will happen is that record labels won't be doing it but you'll have massive marketing firms that sign multiple artists and are basically doing the same thing, just with a different name."

    This is where Qtrax and college Radio stations come in. When I lived in Lansing Michigan I listened to 88.9 WDBM The Impact. They played bands like Social Distortion, The Mighty Lemon Drops, The Lemonheads, KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails (Back in the early 90's), The Proclaimers (before that song was in a movie way before) and many more. WDBM opened my eyes towards Alternative/Independent Rock. In fact for a while the only station I'd practically listen to was WDBM. I even stopped listening to WMMQ the Classic Rock station. Now that I live in NC I listen to the mainstream Radio. At least they don't force Rap music down your throat. If it wern't for the RIAA we'd all be listening to real music. Not to someone with a sampler and a beat box yelling "Brother Bill, Brother Bill, Brother Bill" Boy I'm in the wrong racket. I can scream "brother Bill" why didn't I think of some lame ass shit like that and make millions. Maybe I can get my son to scream Nanna Barb, Nanna Barb Nanna Barb and make a record and that would sell as well. I guess with the RIAA noise sells. mention how you hate cops, God, or your parents and boom your in making billions of dollars for making nothing but noise. I have to laugh as when I lived in Mich my brother was making fun of the fact I was into Hinduism and chanted "Ram Ram, Sita Ram" or "Hari Krishna, Hari Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hari Hari, Hari Rama, Hari Rama, Rama Rama, Hari hari" I told him "Well isn't Rap music chanting? I mean WTF do you call "Brother Bill, Brother Bill, Brother Bill?" Is Bill your God are you trying to call him out? No its just someone screaming at the top of his lungs and a GD beat box behind him. And when your singing that GD song along with the CD you my brother are in fact CHANTING look up the word chant. Now isn't that laughable in itself.
    As far as Metallica goes they've lost all respect when they allowed their drummer to kill Napster. By not kicking him out of the band in my opinion condoned what he was saying. Now their sales are gone because they've pissed off all their fans. That is what you call poetic justice. I'd love to be the ones to ask them "well where is your sales now without the so-called pirates whe steal your music? I bet you wished you haven't opened your big fat pie hole for the RIAA whores now don't you?"

    9.7.2008 19:50 #34

  • goodswipe

    Quote:"Internet only" only works when you already have millions and millions of fans around the globe who have shown up to buy all your albums in the past. But to get to that state, you need a major label thats going to push you hard and hound radio stations on a global level to play your songs and get you the placements and publicity you need. I don't think that will ever change. The most that will happen is that record labels won't be doing it but you'll have massive marketing firms that sign multiple artists and are basically doing the same thing, just with a different name." Not true, well somewhat, but not entirely. I know people personally that have sold millions of records without having to go through a record label. If you take a look at most Houston rappers out there, they were already HUGE before some of them signed to a label. Most of them now to this day, still do not sign with labels and bring in more cash then most artists out there.

    All one needs to do is have the desire to hustle and get your stuff out there. This can be done by doing free shows, or only charging a very small amount at the door. Most of the guys that I know that make their own beats and put all their tracks down themselves, just give away their music so that it can be heard. If you are really good at what you do, the money will come regardless of whether or not you have a label behind you.


    Quote:Originally posted by 7thsinger: Record labels are pimps.

    Musicians/Artists are their whores.

    Again, i'm just glad to see an artist blatantly say that he is NOT affected like the labels are from people downloading a few songs.
    Hey, didn't I say that? I think so, I'm going to sue you now 7th! Oh wait, I'm not Prince.....



    "I hope Newbies that come across your signature bar do not become intimated and decide this forum is for wisecracks and stick to other ones." -ofield

    10.7.2008 10:54 #35

  • asmodeios (unverified)

    Fuck corporate media.

    17.2.2012 18:15 #36

  • nbfreak2

    I like Kid Rock,now i like him even more!!

    18.2.2012 09:29 #37

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