Sometimes the current situation is like those old Dune science fiction books, in which there are so many wheels within wheels of how future histories could unfold that it’s hard to know which one will prevail. If the major labels choke off internet radio, then CD sales will decline further. Yet internet radio may actually thrive and re-invent music without the majors.

Take http://www.stillstream.com.
When the itnernet radio rates jumped, it went all Creative Commons or direct permission from the artist. The result? It’s a vibrant little ambient netradio station with listeners all over the world.

Of course the big companies have a right to profit, but there has to be a win-win here that the more myopic approach in vogue now seems to overlook.