U2 Manager Calls on ISPs, Governments to End Illegal Downloading

While Bono continues working on the "Red" campaign and the rest of the band plugs concert film U2 3D, longtime U2 manager Paul McGuinness has taken on a crusade of his own. During his keynote address at the International Managers Summit in Cannes, McGuinness called for an end to illegal music downloading and placed much of the blame squarely at the feet of Internet service providers. He also called out record labels for their lack of foresight and governments for not holding ISPs responsible for what pumps through their wires. McGuinness wants to secure the financial future for all bands. "There's a lot of money in the music business, but it has stopped coming to the artists," he said during his well-received speech. "U2 decided a long time ago that it would be pathetic to be great artists but not great at business."

Related Stories:
• Prince’s Message to Everyone: Stop Bootlegging My Stuff
• Jury Finds Minnesota Woman Guilty of Using P2P Program, Must Pay Richard Marx $9,250
• Atonement for Your Illegal Downloading Sins: $5

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Great Gatsby' Is a Crushing Disappointment
• 
  TV Why You Should Watch 'Happy Endings'
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“The A Team”

Ed Sheeran | 2011

This debut track from the then-20-year-old British singer-songwriter has a dark story behind it. Sheeran says he culls songwriting inspiration from "viewing other people's situations," which, for the heroine in "The A Team," involves drug addiction and prostitution that began as a teen. Sheeran paints the woman's trials with haunting imagery such as "But lately her face seems/Slowly sinking, wasting/Crumbling like pastries." "I did a gig at a homeless shelter, [and the song] is about one of the women there. It's her story," he said.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter