If you ever needed more proof that Daniel Ek is either too stupid to run a company or a fantastic con man here it is:

We7’s biggest rival is Spotify, but the level of royalties paid to artists by that service appears opaque {this is a polite way of saying artists are being screwed}, sparking speculation that some artists – such as Lady Gaga – are being underpaid for their songs {translation: ha, you are screwed if your music is on Spotify}. Swedish newspaper Expressen claimed last year that 1m plays of Lady Gaga’s hit Poker Face had earned the singer just $167 and earlier this month the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors accused Spotify of paying “tiny” amounts of money to artists.

In contrast, the payments to the music industry from We7 start with the standard streaming royalty rate as set by collection agency PRS for Music – which collects on behalf of the music publishers – which is currently 0.085p per stream or a share of advertising revenue, whichever is the highest. There is also a larger payment to the record company.Read more...

Replace “China” with “RIAA” and this story gets extraordinarily familiar…

China is poised to pass a law requiring telecommunications and Internet companies to report any revelation of state secrets, potentially forcing businesses to collaborate with the country’s vast security apparatus that stifles political dissent.

In China, state secrets have been so broadly defined that virtually anything — maps, GPS coordinates, opinions and even economic statistics — could fall under the category, and officials sometimes use the classification as a way to avoid disclosing information.Read more...

Of Former FameToday we go from Liverpool to Portland, Oregon for this week’s Artist of the Week - Of Former Fame.

They have recorded a fantastic debut album “From the Mouth of God to the Ears of Men” {iTunes} on their own… that impresses me on many levels. It is visceral and fierce yet is loaded with countless details and nuances that you will discover and enjoy upon repeated listening. They certainly set the marker high for any band recording themselves.

Of Former Fame began in early 2007 in the ubiquitous suburbs of Portland, Oregon.Read more...

87% of the kids surveyed own an MP3 player, 92% of which are iPods.

While 82% of teens download music, only 43% do it legally.Read more...

On Tuesday politicians will decide whether or not to force through the Digital Economy Bill. In just 36 hours we’ve raised £18,548 to make sure that they wake up to ads in national papers that morning, showing how many of us oppose rushing the bill into law without a proper debate.

Our pressure is working - yesterday the Liberal Democrats announced they’ll oppose rushing the bill through Parliament before the election, and many MPs from all parties admit they’re feeling the pressure.Read more...