In 2007, a video was posted on Youtube.com of Stephanie Lenz's toddler dancing to the Prince song "Let's go crazy". Soon after, Universal Music Group fired off a letter to youtube demanding that the video be removed because of the copyright on the song, and it was.
Later, Lenz convinced the judge that is was a "fair use" of the song. She also is seeking damages for unjustly removing the video.
Here is where Kropotkin would agree: Universal never should have OWNED the song, and the use of the song should never be a question of copyright. Kropotkin would argue that 1. The collective labor that went into making the song would make it the collective property of all those who had contributed in one point in history or another 2. In order for there to be well being for all, all things must be for all.
I mean come on, what harm is a cute toddler dancing to a Prince song going to do to Universal Music Group. Also, owning the rights to a Prince song is that of the rights to owning a trinket, the song evokes emotion, (if you like prince), it doesn't serve a use to society in any other way than entertainment.
Kropotkin would never be okay with an individual owning the rights to songs (or any property for that matter) because of the fact that Universal Music Group didn't sing it, didn't invent the microphones, guitars, pianos, pedals, mixing boards, cd burners, or anything used to record the record, let alone the internet they use to distribute the record. Without fans who's babies danced to his songs, I'm not quite sure Prince would even have come to be famous. (personally I'm not a fan)
P.S. If you're a Prince fan, I am sorry if I offended you with my jokes at his expense.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100301/tc_nm/us_lawsuit;_ylt=As2ArwivOH9RKNeRqtUQQrOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNlMXZ0MnFtBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAwMzAxL3VzX2xhd3N1aXQEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM4BHBvcwM1BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDY3V0ZWJhYnl2aWRl
All musicians try to have their music heard, once they are given a opportunity to record, sell & tour on the strength of that album. Once the popularity fade, the next phase is the music publishing if they are smart enough to retain that right. Now, this story is preposterous for sake of UMG for losing it over a girl dancing to a Prince song and Kropotkin would have laugh his butt before acting or responding to this incident. Prince is notorious for not letting anyone do anything with his music even if you decide to do it as a cover. Oblviously, he doesn't care if he alienate his fans over this matter but this fact is true: don't mess with his property! As you can tell, Prince is my favorite artist and as many quirks this man has I just chalk it up to another weird story about him.
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