I really wonder about Ms. Allen. Not because of all the trials and tribulations that she’s gone through, but because I get so confused by some of the things she says, and how often she changes her mind. In this case, it is on the controversial topic of illegal music downloading and piracy, which has undoubtedly become a very important topic in this modern era.

Lily Allen was very outspoken, highlighting her disgust and anger at fans and internet users who were downloading her tracks from Peer-to-Peer networks like Limewire and Kazaa, via BitTorrent services and torrent websites like The Pirate Bay and Mininova, to name but a few. She spoke in favour of disconnecting and removing Internet access to users who downloaded music online, in strong support of a “Three Strikes and You’re Out” policy proposed by the Government in Great Britain. She even went one step further, and using her public presence and fame, started a Blog called “It’s Not Alright” condemning the act of music piracy even further (which later turned out to be text taken directly from an interview with rapper 50 Cent). You get the picture: she wasn’t happy about the whole affair. However, now she’s done a complete U-Turn, and she’s made a compromise, sort of.

Yesterday on British radio station Key 103 Lily said that she didn’t mind people downloading her music, as long as they traded money for it. In other words, you can pirate her music, but only if you charge. Allen stated “If someone comes up with a burnt copy of my CD and offers it to you for £4, I haven’t a problem with that as long as the person buying it places some kind of value on my music”. Certainly a change from the first few comments she believed in only some months ago.

So, what does this mean, Lily? Criminal gangs can now sell bootleg copies of your albums, but once they charge a couple of quid for them, it’s all okay? Wouldn’t that fuel other, more serious, illegal activities. Of course, your record company won’t mind that either- they don’t have staff or other personnel, not necessarily on the higher level of employment- such as Executives, on excessive salaries- who would be affected by lack of income?  I’m not for piracy, not at all, but I certainly think a new route needs to be reached for the future of the music and entertainment industry. Could this be a publicity stunt? More than likely.

Let’s see how she reacts when someone starts to sell copies of her concerts on CD and DVDs outside other gigs and arenas.

photo credit: benzpics63