FREELOADING: A Book on the History of Music Piracy and its Legacy
"A wonderful book that catches an encouraging shift in the zeitgeist." — David Byrne
Since its original publication, FREELOADING has helped fans, journalists and artists around the world to understand the tendriled cultural history of music piracy what side of the debate they are on, amidst the ongoing tension between digital disruption and ensuring the rights of artists—canaries in the coal mine for now common data breaches and social media accountability scandals. Love t or loathe it, the book is sure to provoke new thoughts on our shared digital future.
Written by Chris Ruen, the book features candid musician interviews with central players in the 2000s Brooklyn/Indie music boom (feat. members of TV On The Radio, The Hold Steady, Yeasayer and others), critiques of "freeloaders," a close look at the disastrous SOPA blackout protests, visions of how copyright could be reformed in good faith, and more.
Available in the US, UK, Spain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Latin America.
“A wonderful book that catches an encouraging shift in the zeitgeist. Ruen’s epiphany regarding the effects of his own piracy and freeloading on the bands he loves was eye opening–for me, at least. Although he mainly deals with music, the arguments he presents will apply to print and other media equally. I’ve recommended this book to a number of friends, some of whom may have felt this discussion was over…it’s not. After a couple of decades of waffling, it’s really just begun.”
David Byrne
“The original slacker’s dream of free everything may have been realized by the Internet—but along with it came the slacker’s nightmare of never getting paid for one’s creativity. Freeloading seeks—and to a large extent succeeds—to wrestle with the collapse of the commons and the possibilities for a renewed social contract.”
Douglas Rushkoff
“Too often, arguments about copyright online come down to talking points: Theft, Internet freedom, or rhetoric about major label evils. With a critic’s eye and a music fan’s passion, Ruen shows how piracy affects artists and lays bare the corporate agendas on both sides of the debate. An essential read for anyone worried about how artists will survive in the online age.”
Robert Levine
“One of the best books on the subject.” Salon
“A deeply moral and passionate book.” Sydney Sunday Herald
“Fascinating.” The Village Voice
“Taking a rare and refreshingly unbiased look at the phenomenon of internet piracy, [Freeloading] is that rarest of discursive entities; a call for more conversation, both balanced and passionate.” InPress Magazine, Australia
“Highly recommended.” Copyhype
“Chris Ruen is one of the most compelling and forward thinking critics of our current download culture.” M3 Music Conference
PUBLISHED BY:
O/R Books in the US and Canada
Scribe Publications in Australia and New Zealand
Scribe UK in United Kingdom
Ediciones Quinto 20 in Spain and Latin America
Available from fine booksellers everywhere.
REVIEWS
Future of Music Coalition: Best Music Books of 2012
IN THE NEWS
Content Creators Coalition Comes to APAP With a Plea for Fair Compensation
Q with Jian Ghomeshi: Is Our Addiction to Free Content Killing Creativity?
The New York Times: Musicians Sing for a Cause That’s Their Own
Newsweek: Putting a Price on Radio Play
Billboard: David Byrne, Marc Ribot, Chris Ruen Lead Rally For Radio to Pay Performance Royalties
Salon: Silicon Valley Must be Stopped, or Creativity will be Destroyed
VICE/Motherboard: Chris Ruen Is Taking the Anti-Piracy Argument Back from the Music Industry
Vol.1 Brooklyn: Talking Music, Freeloading, and “Cultural Self-Destruction” with Chris Ruen
The American Conservative: Piracy and the Losers’ History of Rock and Roll
Greenpointers: A Chat With Greenpoint Author Chris Ruen
M3 Music Conference: Interview
EXCERPTS
Australian Financial Review: Why Information Shouldn’t Be Free
Copyhype: The Net Fail parts 1 and 2 (SOPA Mythbusting)
Arts Hub Australia: Don’t Call It Piracy
FOLLOW-UP
The New Republic: Digital Piracy is Ruining Pop Culture
Seattle Weekly: The Misplaced Zeal of Aaron Swartz
Stereogum: Pandora, Spotify, Piracy and Getting Artists Paid
FasterLouder: Are We Loving Our Music To Death?
BACKGROUND
Tiny Mix Tapes: The Myth of DIY
Tiny Mix Tapes: Fuck Love, Let’s Make Dystopia
Slate/The Big Money: No Sellouts Means More Selling-Out (Original page on Big Money is deceased)
NYCRUEN: An Elegy for the Piracy Wars (On the Occasion of the SOPA/PIPA Blackout)