According to Nielsen, Canadian sales of digital tracks in Canada increased 73%, well ahead of the 45% growth rate posted in the US. Digital album sales are up 93% in Canada while in the US they are up only 53%.

“This is great news,” said Canadian Music Creators Coalition spokesman Steven Page. “In fact, it is exactly the kind of news that we hope the government will consider when they work to rewrite Canada’s copyright legislation later this year.”

Major label representatives have consistently said that the only way the industry can survive is by making it easier to sue music downloaders and by providing legal protection to so-called “digital locks.” The member artists of the CMCC — the very artists copyright laws are designed to protect — aren’t convinced.

The CMCC is a coalition of nearly 200 Canadian acts who share the common goal of having their voices heard about the laws and policies that affect their livelihoods.

Membership rolls boast dozens of household names including Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Broken Social Scene, Matthew Good, Metric, Randy Bachman, Billy Talent, Sloan, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sum 41, Stars, Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace), The New Pornographers, Bill Henderson (Chilliwack), Ronnie King (The Stampeders), Dave Bidini (Rheostatics), John K. Samson (Weakerthans) and Sam Roberts.

The CMCC is united under three key principles:

1. Suing Fans is Destructive and Hypocritical
2. Artists do not want to sue music fans. The labels have been suing fans against artists’ will, and laws enabling these suits cannot be justified in artists’ names
3. Digital Locks are Risky and Counterproductive 

Post from: Toronto Unplugged