Music Industry Starts War Against Online Song Lyrics And Guitar Tabs

The music industry is planning to extend its war on unlicensed music by taking action against internet sites that provide guitar tabs and lyrics without copyright.

The Music Publishers’ Association (MPA) which represents sheet music companies in America says it will launch a crackdown in 2006 with MPA President Lauren Kaiser saying she wanted site owners jailed.

Keiser told the BBC that the majority of song scores on the internet were “completely illegal” and added that the MPA wanted to go further that shutting sites down and imposing fines, adding authorities can “throw in some jail time, I think we'll be a little more effective"

The MPA plan to target big sites that appear to be legitimate to users, Kaiser said: "The Xerox machine was the big usurper of our potential income," he said. "But now the internet is taking more of a bite out of sheet music and printed music sales so we're taking a more proactive stance."

David Israelite, president of the National Music Publishers’ Association added on the subject: "Unauthorised use of lyrics and tablature deprives the songwriter of the ability to make a living, and is no different than stealing. Music publishers and songwriters will consider all tools under the law to stop this illegal behaviour."