Today, major labels have all taken a small step in the right direction by creating departments to oversee digital distribution, and many former personnel have crossed over to sites like Yahoo music. However, their involvement, for the most part, is begrudged, and these digital wings are meant to continue the impossible task of controlling downloads, rather than thinking of ways to utilize the new media accessibility to generate new profits. Their inception and development were reactive to the situation, not innovative, and ironically, they will be swallowed up by the nature of the business, the very same fierceness they once created.

Meanwhile, the race is on between a new breed of executives, who are hungry for a piece of the action. People like MySpace founder, Chris DeWolfe, or Martin Stiksel, who launched Last FM, a major online music site. Apple’s Itunes is also a major player in the new world order of music. This is the group which will emerge as the new music industry legends. Whether it will benefit music long term or the industry will become another Animal Farm, it’s most likely that this century’s Barry Gordy or Sir George Martin will be a card carrying member of Silicon Valley, and that most likely means curtains for all of the smooth talking pimps, who slashed their way to the top in the old world. The choice is simple. They can continue suing downloaders, in essence, killing one roach at a time, or they can end their futile campaign and earn their place in the music business of the new millenium.