Recording Industry Continues Campaign Against Online Music Theft In Latest Round Of Lawsuits

WASHINGTON - January 31, 2006 - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), on behalf of its member companies, today announced a new round of copyright infringement lawsuits against 750 individuals.

The new “John Doe” lawsuits filed today cite individuals for illegally distributing copyrighted music on the Internet via unauthorized peer-to-peer services such as LimeWire and Kazaa. In addition to these “John Doe” litigations, the major music companies filed lawsuits earlier this month against 112 named defendants in California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.

“While the music companies continue to innovate and develop new digital ways to offer music to fans, we will do our part to hold illegal downloaders accountable. Prosecuting songlifting is integral to helping protect the ability of record companies to invest in the up-and-coming bands of tomorrow and level the playing field for legal online services,” said Cary Sherman, President, RIAA. “The illegal downloading of music is just as wrong as shoplifting from a local store. It's against the law, and breaking the law must carry consequences.”

Specifically, lawsuits against named defendants were filed in: Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California; Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Miami, and Pensacola, Florida; Atlanta and Newnan, Georgia; Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Rock Island, Iowa; Evansville, Indianapolis, and Terre Haute, Indiana; Boston and Worchester, Massachusetts; Baltimore and Greenbelt, Maryland; Ann Arbor, Bay City, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Marquette, Michigan; Brooklyn, Central Islip, New York, and White Plains, New York; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Columbia, Florence, Greenville, and Spartanburg, South Carolina; Abilene, Corpus Christi, Fort Worth, Galveston, Houston, Midland, San Angelo, San Antonio, and Waco, Texas; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.