$400 million for artists is pocketed by RIAA.

[Scotty]

The RIAA got all that money and none of it is going towards the artists.

I can understand it's mainly down to massive legal bills but none the less it's still a bit funny. The only people winning from the RIAA's battle against copyright are them, the lawyers and whomever else they hire.

None of the estimated $400 million that the RIAA received in settlements with Napster, KaZaA, and Bolt over allegations of copyright infringement has gone to the artists whose copyrights were allegedly infringed. Now the artists are considering suing the RIAA.

http://consumerist.com/368663/riaa-p...were-infringed

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02272008...ent__99428.htm

A contingent of prominent artist managers claims that little to none of that money has trickled down to their clients. They are now considering legal action.

"Artist managers and lawyers have been wondering for months when their artists will see money from the copyright settlements and how it will be accounted for," said lawyer John Branca, who has represented Korn, Don Henley, and The Rolling Stones, among others.

& Finally, a little something on the RIAA's views of the people ripping the artists off -

According to the following RIAA training video, piracy actually is terrorism..

http://www.switched.com/2008/02/22/l...and-terrorism/

Music piracy affects quality of life in communities and is a 'gateway crime.' Music piracy can lead investigators to drug cartels, illegal guns, and of course, terrorist organizations (what doesn't these days). And apparently music pirates have backgrounds of more serious offenses, such as robbery and murder. The RIAA and its ilk are often guilty of overstating their case, but this training video goes much further than any previous insinuations about music piracy's connections to larger crimes.

Ripping the artists off at corporate levels just peachy though.

[Captain Beefheart]

This is nothing new. Eventually they'll fold from the inside as more and more artists(and indie labels) come up with a more profitable/sustainable business models.