Imagine

This week Apple announced that it had signed the 2nd (and most problematic) member of the Fab Four to its iTunes Store download site. Perhaps the long-rumored online offering of the lucrative Beatles backlist is not far behind.†

Inspired by my hero Richard Stallman as well as John Lennon’s utopian anthem — and with no apologizes to the controlling, controversial executor of Lennon’s estate — I offer this:

Imagine there's no copyright
It isn’t hard to do
No royalties to live from
And no mansions too
Imagine all the people
Listening for free...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
So buying music will be done.

I know: “Don’t give up your day job.”

† OK, “lucrative Beatles backlist” is redundant

Technorati Tags: intellectual property, iTunes, music industry