Spooking the RIAA

Music industry executives may have a special dread of this year's Halloween festivities.

On Halloween evening (Friday, October 31), a loosely-organized group of music fans plans to launch a global boycott against the industry, with multiple "Raves Against the Bullies." The effort's aims include a cessation of lawsuits against file-sharers, more favorable contracts for recording artists, and changing "the way music is distributed and marketed," according to a Music News Alerts! item posted October 7.

Backers of the boycott are pushing for record labels to sign a "Music Artist's Bill of Rights." Boycott organizers claim that they will encourage music fans not to buy from noncompliant record labels, and will be playing only "free" downloaded music at their raves.

Halloween raves supporting the boycott are planned for cities in the US (1, 2, 3), Canada, and Europe, with "many other anti-RIAA events throughout the coming months," according to the notice.

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