Radio Kills The Internet Star

Is there a difference between an internet-based music-streaming radio program and a traditional radio station broadcasting over the internet? I would argue no, but the RIAA would disagree with me. However, I feel comfortable having David Byrne on my side. He's attracted the attention of the RIAA because he featured too many Missy Elliot songs on his internet radio playlist. He quotes Lawrence Lessig:

"If an internet radio station distributed ad-free popular music to ten thousand listeners, twenty-four hours a day, the total artist fees that radio station would owe would be over $1 million a year. A regular radio station broadcasting the same content would pay no equivalent fee.”

That's just dumb. And once again The Onion is eerily prophetic.

HT: The Agitator