Music Should Be Shared: Joss Stone

Joss Stone, a music artist who won a Grammy Award last year, is another one of the many pop stars who is most clearly voicing her support and open-minded approach toward music sharing, P2P and the Internet.

Photo credit: (c) Joss Stone

Joss Stone, if you don't know her, is an English soul and R&B singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Stone emerged to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist. Her second album, the also-multi-platinum Mind, Body & Soul, topped the UK Albums Chart for one week and spawned the UK top ten hit "You Had Me." Both her album and single have received one nomination at the 2005 Grammy Awards, while Stone herself has been nominated for Best New Artist. Stone's latest album, Introducing Joss Stone, released in March 2007, has already gone "gold".

Throughout her career, Stone has sold over ten million albums worldwide, and has won two BRIT Awards and one Grammy Award. She also ventured in the film business, making her acting debut in late 2006 with the fantasy adventure film Eragon, as the witch Angela.

But here's the scoop: In a recent interview she said that - unlike herself - most artists are brainwashed by the industry, and she encouraged people to share her music.

Joss defines the whole idea of music sharing as "brilliant" and has no hesitation in saying that the thing she likes the least about the music industry is the business side of it. She believes also that most music artists are brainwashed by the industry, and that there is nothing wrong in passing up your favorite music to your friends.

"Stone is not the only artist who actually wants people to share their work. Last year rapper 50 Cent made some positive remarks about file sharing, and Nine Inch Nails take it even further, as they upload their music onto BitTorrent sites themselves.

These artists are spot on, in fact, several studies have shown that artists actually benefit from filesharing. The more music people share, the more CDs they buy and the more concerts they visit." (Source: Torrentfreak)

 

 

 

Joss Stone: Music Should Be Shared

Video Interview Full text English Transcription

Interviewer: Now that you are in the show business, what do you think about "piracy" and "MP3" and "internet" ...about music?

Joss Stone: I think it is great....

Interviewer: Great?

Joss Stone: Yeah I love it... I think it is brilliant and I tell you why:

Music should be shared.

I believe this is how music turned into some kind of crazy business.

Now the only part of music that I dislike is the business that is attached to it.

Now, if music is free, then there is no business. There is just music.

So, I like it. I think that we should share.

It's ok, if one person buys it, it's totally cool, burn it up, share it with your friends, I don't care. I don't care how you hear it as long as you hear it.

As long as you come to my show and have a great time enjoying the live show... it's totally cool. I don't mind. I am happy that they hear it.

Interviewer: Wow, I think you are the first singer telling this story to me!

Joss Stone: Yeah, most people have been brainwashed.