A coalition of over 600 musicians, including notable names like Tegan & Sara, Amanda Palmer, Open Mike Eagle, and Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, has signed an open letter calling on Universal Music Group (UMG) and other major labels to drop their $621 million lawsuit against the Internet Archive.
Organized by Fight for the Future, the campaign argues that the lawsuit threatens the preservation of music history and undermines the interests of working artists.
A Call to Protect Cultural Heritage
The Internet Archive, widely known for its Wayback Machine, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving digital and cultural artifacts, including historical music recordings.
The lawsuit targets the Archive’s Great 78 Project, which streams over 400,000 recordings from legendary artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra.
The musicians’ letter, hosted on the “Save the Archive” website, opens with a strong rebuke of the lawsuit:
“We, the undersigned musicians, wholeheartedly oppose major record labels’ unjust lawsuit targeting the Internet Archive, a crucial nonprofit cultural institution. We don’t believe that the Internet Archive should be destroyed in our name.”
Demands for Industry Reform
The artists go beyond defending the Internet Archive, using the open letter to highlight broader issues in the music industry. They propose three key actions:
1. Collaborating with organizations like the Internet Archive to preserve original recordings and music culture.
2. Allowing artists to retain 100% of merchandise sales at concerts and events.
3. Ending vertical investments in streaming platforms like Spotify, which the artists argue perpetuate unfair revenue models.
The letter underscores the growing disparity between industry profits and the struggles of working musicians:
“By 2031, music industry revenues will exceed 100 billion dollars, yet the average musician is struggling to survive. We’re priced out of touring by Live Nation’s abusive monopolies and screwed over on royalties as big labels profit from Spotify’s unfair streaming revenue model.”
A Fight for Survival
The musicians also highlight the broader implications of losing resources like the Internet Archive, pointing to the destruction of physical archives and ongoing censorship by digital service providers (DSPs).
They argue that such losses contribute to a mental health crisis within the music community:
“The music industry is not struggling anymore. Only musicians are. We’re sick with worry, wondering if anything will be left of our life’s work.”
The Stakes of the Lawsuit
If UMG and other labels succeed, the Internet Archive could be forced to pay up to $621 million in damages for music streamed through its platform since 2006.
The case follows the Archive’s recent legal setbacks in a separate lawsuit over ebook lending, where courts ruled against its fair-use defense.
The artists’ letter concludes with a plea for systemic change:
“We demand a course correction now, focused on the legacies and futures of working musicians. We call on all record labels, streaming platforms, ticketing outlets, and venues to immediately align [with our] goals.”
Preserving Music’s Legacy
As the lawsuit unfolds, the stakes are clear: preserving access to historical music while addressing the systemic inequities that leave musicians struggling.
The campaign led by these artists sends a powerful message about the future of music and its cultural heritage.
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