I was hoping this appeal would turn out differently, but it didn’t. Am I really surprised?

For a few years now, I’ve been truly loving listening to Radio Paradise (easy playing available through the Radio area of iTunes, under the Alternative section). Through commercial-free RP, I have discovered some great new music. I have bought many CDs based on my RP listening, including three by Joseph Arthur. I have blown cash to buy numerous fantastic songs on iTunes that I’d heard first on RP. Check out some of my favorites (iTunes Store links, all):

“Annie Waits” by Ben Folds

“Luminol” by Ryan Adams

“(I’m Gonna) Kick You Out” by Caesars

“Nature Boy” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

“Blonde on Blonde” by Nada Surf

“Collapse the Light into Earth” by Porcupine Tree

and many, many more.

You see what’s going to happen? If SoundExchange wins out in the end and gets to charge much higher fees for music played on the Internet, a tiny station like Radio Paradise might go under. Most likely will go under. Other Internet radio stations might have to start including commercials. And just like I did with terrestrial radio, I’ll stop listening. I won’t discover nearly as much good music, and my money won’t be spent on buying that music on iTunes or at Amoeba or Amazon.

I have donated money to Radio Paradise twice. But I’m sure I’m one of the rare listeners who does. If the greed of the music industry shoots this particular outlet dead, they will once again have alienated those for whom the music is made, and they’ll be getting less of my money in the end.

Morons!

In case you missed the link in the story above, here’s the earlier story about the fee increase case.