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Keith Urban Gets All Confused About Support For Downloading

After being voted favorite male artist at the People’s Choice Awards last month, during his acceptance speech Keith Urban showed why the people love him. Speaking of his music the star said: “I don’t even care if you download it illegally, give it to your friends, I really don’t care.” Just a month later he says he didn’t mean that at all.

Running since 1975, the People’s Choice Awards is an awards show which celebrates people and their achievements in popular culture.

At the 2010 event held in early January, Johnny Depp fought off Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman, Robert Pattinson and Ryan Reynolds to be come Favorite Movie Actor, with Sandra Bullock triumphing in the Favorite Movie Actress category.

In music, Lady GaGa was awarded Favorite Pop Artist, with Favorite Female Artist going to Taylor Swift and Favorite Male Artist going to Keith Urban. During his acceptance speech, Urban had quite a surprise for his file-sharing fans.

After thanking people for voting, those watching the show at home and people who took the time to see him on tour, Urban gave credit to his fan club, Monkeyville, whose members work tirelessly to get his music out there.

“I don’t even care if you download it [my music] illegally, give it to your friends, I really don’t care,” said Urban. “I love the people to hear the music and come out and see us play live.”

It seems that Urban understands the positive influence the free download can have on his tour ticket sales. But speaking with Tennessean.com, Urban now says that his words came out all wrong.

“What I said came out nothing like I meant,” explained Urban. “I was referring to the old days when you’d buy a record, do a cassette tape and give it to your girlfriend, and then maybe she likes it and becomes a fan.”

That’ll be copying music and sharing it round then, just 1980′s style. Nevertheless, Urban is sure of his stance now.

“For the record, I absolutely care about my music not being taken for free,” he added. “But I love when people are passionate and want to turn friends on to music.”

Urban is on RIAA-member Capitol Records Nashville and they cannot have appreciated his comments one little bit, but apparently it was the show format that caused Urban to say something he didn’t mean.

“I’ve never done an awards show where they seem to let you talk infinitely,” he said. “I was waiting for the ‘wrap’ sign to come up, and it never came up.”

Urban’s speech was roughly 50 seconds long, so who knows what he would’ve endorsed if it had gone on for much longer.

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  • Pirate

    Idiot, good thing ive never heard of the guy before.

  • djnforce9

    Someone should pose this question to him. Which is better,

    A. Someone buying his music, sharing it with their significant other and having them become a fan as well

    +1 Fan including concert and further album sales.

    OR

    B. 1,000′s of people downloading and maybe even a 1/4 of them become supportive fans. That’s +250 in concert ticket sales and maybe even further albums.

    I obviously don’t know him but I am betting he DID mean what he said but got in deep trouble with the label and they forced him to retract that statement. The only other explanation is that he was feeling usually generous that day he said it but that’s doubtful.

  • chris

    Now the mafiaa is telling artists what to say. If sharing means more concert ticket sales whats wrong with that ?

  • who?

    urban fail :/

  • Anonymous

    right there, thats why we need to file share…first class twat

  • CruDog

    Kieth Urban knew exactly what he was saying, he said it with purpose and fore thought. The label got to him after with a big “WTF!!”….lol. Just goes to show how artist feel and the how the music label machine feels about money.

  • Tigger

    “…I am betting he DID mean what he said but got in deep trouble with the label and they forced him to retract that statement. ”

    - Exactly what i thought!

    “Do as i say, not as i do” =P
    He should ditch his label and distribute his music himself, he’s obviously ‘made it’, money from donations and live performances should do him nicely =)

  • kelly

    doh. country singer named urban… what a wanker.

  • me

    I love Keith Urban’s country music, but him dancing on the strings of his RIAA puppeteer master is kind of lame. He should really grow a spine.

  • AlienDK

    HAHAHA. What a fag.

  • AlienDK

    In Soviet Russia, music shares Keith Urban.

  • theddlera

    well… saying that, surely he can’t sue now, as he gave us permission….

    I recon we should all spread his music like it was his last day alive :) – not mine – his music is not worth that…

  • dc!

    It’s quite obvious that he, during his speech, might have said what he really thinks. It was a passionate moment.
    After that RIAAtards most likely gave a hint that they are unwilling to support such “uncompliance”. For him it would mean going back to indies, back to garage, from the very top of his career, from top of the pops.

    It’s hard to believe, but I think that I would cave in to such demands, too… it’s not all about music.

  • Reasoned Mind

    I bet the Record Labels gave him a good hiding for what he said on the stage. That’s why he has recanted. He did mean what he said. Probably was going to get in heaps of trouble with the Record Labels if he didn’t.

  • Daffy Duck

    Sounds like Urban was censured by his label.

  • Anonymous

    Urban who?

  • Reasoned Mind

    Shut up Urban or you won’t be getting your paycheck this month.

  • Anonymous

    The last line of this post just cracked me up. Hmmm…er…shit, don’t usually have to talk for this long…well, I never saw anything wrong with under age & unprotected sex…o and you should all start taking drugs. Thanks for voating for me.

  • ROLF

    yeah, @2 think so too.

    i also don’t know him…but one can’t be that contradictive meaning cassette copying is/was ok, but not on the net !?

    “he DID mean what he said but got in deep trouble with the label and they forced him to retract that statement.”

    prolly this is the explanation.

  • Anon

    “In Soviet Russia, music shares Keith Urban.”

    I lol’d long and hard :P Is there any doubt that he got lectured with propaganda? I think not.

  • Memaw66

    Keith Urban got caught up in the moment and said something that in a perfect world would be nice but in the real world of music is not possible. I am sure he did not mean to give the impression he did. Perhaps those making comments have never said something that came out all wrong, but I have and more times than I like to remember. If you ever meet him or see him perform you will most certainly know him! His concerts are an experience you will not soon forget, and he is a truly nice, kind, generous person! How many of those commenting can afford to anger their employers, None I would venture, and Keith is no different.

  • Jen

    Please this is so stupid. Anyone who burns a cd and gives it to a friend or even to have an extra for the car is doing something illegal. I know Keith and know that he really does care about his music getting around and having people come to his show. That is what its all about.

  • Nobby

    djnforce9 #2 is spot on.

    The record company probably had him lashed for such comments.

  • Cujo

    been looking around and as far as i can see ,, monkeyville is his own little ditribution system of sorts ,, not exactly sure about anything but maybe he’s trying ta cut out the big label, corperate flunkies ;)

  • Trelew

    This is the problem where the corporates trip up over their propaganda about doing this all for the artists. Which is a lie of course. Musicians have handlers who tell them what to say and what to do. Musicians who fail to follow the corporate regime find themselves blackballed. No one will produce their music, no radio station will play it, and corporate controlled media will slam the artist every chance they can get. This is why an artist will support corporations in abuse of power on internet file sharers. Not because its right but because their livelihood is being threatened.

  • Loonytoad Quack

    Keith who?

  • ninjacat

    @20: So stupid indeed. I’m not sure if you’re serious, or merely better than the average troll, but that’s neither here nor now.

    In the United States, it’s _most emphatically_ NOT illegal to create a back-up copy of the media you’ve purchased, granted it’s done for your own use, and you’re not circumventing copyright protection in the process (read: ripping DVDs is generally a no-no, but when it comes to audio CDs, you’re generally in the free and clear). You can store them in an underground bunker, or you can blast them from your car, and it’s peachy keen (and more importantly, it’s been upheld by the courts).

    The recording industry execs may wish this weren’t the case, and they continue to spread FUD, and rail against it — but the only thing it does is alienate customers who purchase CDs (including a large swath of those who’ve uploaded or downloaded infringing material online).

    I have no problem with people railing against file-sharing, regardless of my stance on it- but when I willingly give an industry my money, only to have them -or their supporters- spit on me, alter the truth to suit their ‘reality’, and then tell me I’m a thief, or that I’m breaking the law, it tends to piss me off.

    I’m going to rip some discs, burn those discs, print your post out and use them as the label.

  • Gerry

    The Grammy Live site had a Social Media Panel put on by CNN and every artist, and media person on there expressed the same exact thoughts but in different words. (they were more careful NOT to use the word illigal)

    It started with the print media, you can read every newspaper online free. Right!

    Well the music industry understands the same patterns.
    They talked a lot abt give the free downloads for their new album releases etc…

    They don’t look at as FREE!
    They look at it as a way to move their music! Share more with their fans. They love uTube!
    Its forward thinking! They want their music out there for the world to see & share! It leads to bigger and better things for them as a artist!

    Forward thinking mostly artist all feel the same and use all those tools. . It is the evolution of the music industry.

    The next big thing is already starting. FREE INTERNET LIVE Concerts!

  • ed2k + kad :-)

    http://www.eff.org/takedowns
    Takedown Hall Of Shame | Electronic Frontier Foundation
    Bogus copyright and trademark complaints have threatened all kinds of creative expression on the Internet. EFF’s Hall Of Shame collects the worst of the worst.

  • ninjacat

    Dammit. I meant to say:

    ‘Including a large swath of those who’ve NEVER uploaded or downloaded infringing material online’,

    and ‘…print your post out and use IT as the label’.

    S’what I get for breaking the “Thou shalt not post comments anywhere online before the third cup of coffee” rule.

  • Gerry

    One thing I forgot to mention.

    They all stated they didn’t want their customers treated like…criminal …

    And made fun of the efforts that had already tried to make that so!

  • http://www.eZee.se www.eZee.se

    sounds like someone got bitch slapped by the mafiaa to get back in line or get off the cart.

  • Nutman

    Looks like someones boss had to slap around the dumb hick and get him to change his tune.

  • Gerry

    Well then I guess they will have to do the same for the CNN panel too!

  • Memaw66

    The music industry is going to have to figure out how to handle all of this, because get real, if everything can be gotten for free, there will be nothing to get. These wonderful talented people will be doing something else to earn a living. But until then the industry needs to back off and support their Artists. If not for the Artists, there would be NO industry! Radio is another place that needs to do some serious rethinking. With all the options available to listen to the music we enjoy, radio like newspapers could be in serious trouble before they realize what happened. They should go back to listening to their listening public!

  • Gerry

    They all understand that.

    Maybe thats why we got this article again.

  • Nob0dy

    “it was the show format that made me do, it I don’t really feel that way?”

    hardly.

    his excuse of “they let you talk on forever” can easily be interpreted, if you understand how PR works, to “I ran out of stuff I was coached to say”.

    That being said, I suspect the only reason he’s denying everything right now, is because Capitol Records gave him a nasty phone call to “persuade” him to change his mind.

  • Gerry

    again..

    Well then I guess they will have to do the same for the CNN panel too.

    I didn’t see a blog about those opinions ?

  • Anonymous

    I have to disagree with #33.I think it is all about getting the fans out to the concerts.That is where the big money is made.

  • Le Fake

    Urban thinking.

  • Anonymous

    These days the only money!

  • DeFACT

    twats, and Urban is a wanker for changing his mind when he knew what hw was saying in the first place!!!

  • OJ

    ROFL enigmax your last sentence was golden!

    “I don’t even care if you download it illegally…”

    “I was referring to the old days when you’d buy a record, do a cassette tape and give it to your girlfriend…”

    Wow Keith, I didn’t know you could download records or cassette tapes back in the old days or even today for that matter.

    Sorry Keith, but we’re just not falling for it. Be honest and say you got caught up in the moment and take back what you said about illegal downloads. Now you look like a complete nincompoop.

  • Anonymous

    @3 “If sharing means more concert ticket sales whats wrong with that?”

    Record labels can’t screw artists out of money from concert tickets.

  • Gary

    I get the impression that his latest statement was forced upon him by his bosses.

  • Bill Wilkins, CEO, Melted Metal Web Radio

    We know what you meant, Keith. My guess is that you meant that you’re not getting much money from all of those album sales anyway, so come out to my shows, which are the bread and butter of my bank account. Yeah, Keith .. we already know.

    Bill Wilkins, CEO
    Melted Metal Web Radio
    http://www.meltedmetal.com/

  • Jigsy

    I remember this guy.

    He tried to sue a painter who shared his name because he owned a domain name called KeithUrban.

  • Unauthorized Content Consumer

    It seems to me like he was already at odds with his record label and he’s probably already said that to their faces, much to the chagrin of the executives.

    BUT, he probably really offended the corporation (partnered with the RIAA I’m sure) where they probably have some kind of contract with the participants that they are not allowed to promote illegal activity, and this could no doubt have implications with the FCC resulting in large fines too.

    Not to mention he may have gotten a lot of flack from other artists that may share the same misguided beliefs such as Reasoned Mind, etc.

    I’m sure Urban knows darn well that he stands to earn far more from piracy and its free promotional power resulting in selling concert tickets and merchandise for himself leaving the media corporations with very little.

  • Anonymous

    He was probably told to say that by the record label, and lets hope he ditches them, I wouldn’t let them tell me what to say, freedom of speech motherfuckers!

  • Pingback: Oh, now you don’t support music piracy? Sure, OK, Keith Urban, whatever you say. | Products & Tech News

  • Crud

    Ha, Ha!! Urban’s a tool!

  • Dugan

    Wow screw all of you useless faggots. Keith Urban is a great man. So what if he slipped up? He obviously didn’t mean it how it came out. Why does this matter so much to you idiots? He is one of the only genuine artists left in the business, and maybe he just wants people to share his music. Wow, yeah he’s such a loser cause he wants to play music for people, not just get paid millions of dollars for being just another celebrity.Why are you people so mean? He is a very sweet man, and loves every one of his fans. He is not a tool, or an idiot. So if you think so then just go and fuck yourself.

  • Obedient

    What an ASSHOLE K.U. is! It’s obvious that his masters at the RIAA put this gutless excuse of a man in his place.
    I am glad I am not a fan of his, nor have I ever spent one cent on his music….and never will.
    ….Nor will I ever download his music, legally or illegally.

  • Anonymous

    I would rather commit suicide than to download or listen to any of his very cheesy music.

  • Ninja

    @ 48 Feb 02, 2010 at 22:26 by Unauthorized Content Consumer: No, you are wrong. Artists don’t earn a penny from show,s they do it because they are altruist. [/reasoned mind moment]

    He probably got whipped by his label because of what he said and got it even worse when he tried to fix it… lol

  • lverona

    “I don’t even care if you download it [my music] illegally, give it to your friends, I really don’t care. I love the people to hear the music and come out and see us play live.”

    “I was referring to the old days when you’d buy a record, do a cassette tape and give it to your girlfriend, and then maybe she likes it and becomes a fan.”

    Um. Yeah. Old days. Cassette tape. Right.

  • truth

    He had to retract his statement after his label shit itself when they heard it. A hugely popular artist can’t speak his mind, he has to tow the corporate line. I’d like to believe he was sincere, but regardless of whether he was or wasn’t you can be assured that his A&R was on the phone with him within minutes flipping the fuck out.

  • Brandon

    I would rather be dragged over broken glass before I listen to any of his music… Ha Ha NO Take backs…

  • TerribleTony

    Keith Urban? WTF is he? I ain’t ever heard of him, and thankfully I will never have to listen to his crap at all. Yeyhey!

    Keith Urban lol, possibly the shittest stage names in the World of Music.

  • TerribleTony

    Cassette Tapes & Keith Urban:

    Keith travels three decades back in time, only to discover that no-one is trading his music on cassettes because he isn’t popular.

    Keith sets up a stall and starts selling cassettes at Leeds Market. Soon he is arrested, thrown in jail, and his cassette collection destroyed in the local urabn incinerator.

  • Pingback: Keith Urban rettifica per non contrariare la RIAA

  • Whatever

    So he was straying to far from the master and the master pulled on his rope (leash? i think).

    Ofcourse his masters meant casettes because nobody uses those anymore they arent a problem anymore but they did complain in about it in the past. In future the MAFIAA will say torrent isn’t a problem when there will be a new threat.

    I remember that in the past 1000′s of midi tracks were created from all kinds of music. They were copied or downloaded/uploaded from/to BBS’s. Those corporations also were against midi. I didn’t understand then (and now still dont) what the issue was as midi isn’t even close to the original (for one there is never voice in it). As it turns out technology always retaliates hard against corporations whining about nothing because internet and mp3 appeared.

    Attack Midi/BBS: Enter MP3 and internet
    Kill Napster: Rise of Kazaa
    Destroy Kazaa: Edonkey/kazaa clones appear.
    Edonkey pollution: Welcome torrent
    Take out torrent sites: VPN/DHT
    (maybe not historically accurate)

  • The RIAA

    Tune in for next weeks exclusive where you will get to see Keith Urban jumping through hoops of fire dressed as a monkey…

    …oh and while you’re there Keith get us another coffee will you, then empty my waste basket. Good boy, good boy, there’s a good boy!!

  • Power2All

    Hmm, I think he got warned by his music company where is at.
    Perhaps he really ment it, but got whissled back to say something else then he really ment.

  • Pingback: Un artista dice que está a favor de las descargas en una entrega de premios y después se retracta ¿La RIAA lo regañó? | ALT1040

  • Pingback: Un artista dice que está a favor de las descargas en una entrega de premios y después se retracta ¿La RIAA lo regañó? | Como Tu Quieras Production C.A.

  • Pingback: Un artista dice que está a favor de las descargas en una entrega de premios y después se retracta ¿La RIAA lo regañó? | WebRumbera Noticias

  • LMFAO

    good way to fail loser,oh and yeah why dont u grow some fuckin ball u spineless douche bag!!!!!!!!!!

  • meh

    hmm fairly certain the word ‘download’ was never used when using cassette tapes.

  • prodigydancer

    Who is this guy anyway?

    /yawn

  • mudisoft

    you behave, urban boy! we don’t allow such dirty talk around here!

  • Abbernomad

    One day…probably in our lifetime, album sales will have no bearing on anything relevant to artists. Once music is completely free (from Recording labels), all the artist will have to fall back on is the artists talent, popularity, and merit.

  • bxzjkfkjxzyfhjzkf

    well even if he didnt mean ta say what he said at the beginning, still we should file share bcuz obviously ppl wanna be heard n make 10x more $ from concerts, who cares what labels say :P

  • SteveO

    he meant what he said, of course, hes a millionaire, and is married to one. WTF money dont mean nothing to him. And its NOT because piracy has killed off his sales. They make that much damned money.

  • SteveO

    oh and now, i CAN dload his music , he gave me permission by his own admittance. and for concert go-ers the musicians make it very obvious,they tell people to dload their stuff for free and make copies for their friends. Three Days Grace said that at their concert!

  • Pingback: Oh, now you don’t support music piracy? Sure, OK, Keith Urban, whatever you say.

  • Pingback: Pirate Home Page » Keith Urban Gets All Confused About Support For Downloading

  • Anonymous

    #1 – He was not talking to you! He was talking to the members of his fanclub.
    #2 – You haters are not old enough to remember pre-napster days when music was spread by word of mouth, not the media, and everyone copied music on cassette tapes to turn their friends on. Can you tell me you’ve never stuck someone elses’s CD in your computer and viola- free music?

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