I think what's saddening about this is that when a public figure makes these common-sense statements, they are a newsworthy exception, rather than the norm.

The recording industry is a corrupt nest of shit. I don't even want them to adapt anymore, I just want them to finally die, go away, leave the field empty for some newcomers to come in and design a system that actually works.

I know it's a somewhat extreme view, but I believe that every dollar spent on a CD or MP3 download in this day and age is a dollar donated to an evil cause. Think of the recording industry as an anti-charity. Would you donate money to a charity dedicated to spreading AIDS in exchange for a little music?