Never mind that the technology has existed for years and is even more advanced and cheaper today, making it possible for labels to eliminate the plastic and its associated costs and distribute music virtually for free. Rather than face this challenge, labels have unleashed their legal hounds to crush MP3. And part of why recordable CDs took so long before they were available to consumers was the labels' fear that CDs, too, would cut into profits. Well, none of these technologies killed them or starved artists any more than VCRs killed the movie business. IT professionals at record labels have an opportunity here to be real heroes.
Some labels are now, belatedly, moving to sell music digitally.
But it's not going to work as long as the record labels are structured the way they are. That's where record label CEOs have to get brave and get smart. IT's challenge is to demonstrate to risk-averse CEOs that they can trust the new technology, let go of old fears and show 'em the money. It can be done. It just takes originality and guts, not lawyers.