An interesting report of what’s happening in Canada: Music Sales Climb 25% In Canada, Canadian Heritage finds. This is contrary to what the recording industries claim, that online distribution is hurting their sales. While we can argue about who is playing with numbers, one thing is certain: Napster has shown online music distribution is popular, and iTunes has shown distributing online is good business.

From McBride of the Barenaked Ladies (a Canadian artist):
McBride wrote:

Additionally, you won’t see the difference in revenue that a band generates from an artist-run label as opposed to a band on a major label; an artist-run label can earn as much as $5 per album,” he explains; “once all of these missing entities are factored together, a difference close to 30% of North American sales is missing from the chart equation. “The artist-run model is the future. If we can break bands using this model, the industry will be forever changed,” McBride continues. “We are making a music company, not a record label.

That’s a future the recording industries doesn’t want. But rock on, independent artists out there. Your copyright of your music is more valuable than the record companies’ promises of fame and fortune.