RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol makes the extraordinary leap in thought by comparing hacker attempts to steal source code and spy on the gMail accounts of human rights activists to the RIAA’s battle with illegal P2P.

NPD Group claims 24 million fewer people bought music in 2009, and that more troublingly, despite a decrease in the amount of music files being shared on P2P networks, the number of people buying digital music declined as well.

Says legal action is not the best first contact with alleged illegal file-sharers, and that it should be “reserved for the most persistent or serious offenders.

After having offered to settle the case with Jammie Thomas for as little as $25,000, down from the $1.92 million original verdict, and from the most recent $54,000 judgment reduction on appeal.

Angry royalty groups demand monthly fee for listening to music with customers, tell customers to bring iPods instead. Hairdressers in Spain have decided to protest a recent crackdown by royalty collecting groups there by silencing their salons and urging customers to bring in their iPods instead.

Criticizes Pharrell Williams’ stance on illegal file-sharing, and insists that it can be stopped if only we would “take the gloves off.

Tells audience at MIDEM, the world’s largest music industry trade fair, that technology has increased consumer options and choices and that record labels are to blame for its struggles with digital music for trying to ignore it.

Angry over not guilty verdict that sent Alan Ellis free, and even let him keep the ₤200,000 pounds ($320,000 USD) he collected in user donations for running the famed BitTorrent tracker site.

Says consumers wont get music “when, how, or where they want it until we address piracy” in its annual Digital Music Report, the one that shows digital music sales are up some 940% since 2004.

Association of Independent Music (AIM) head also wants ISPs to be pressured into helping fight illegal file-sharing.

A sneak peek at the latest ad-supported music downlaoding website in the war against illegal P2P.

Takes only 90 minutes for a UK jury in a unanimous decision to negate more than 4 years worth of work by the music industry and the prosecution, clearing Alan Ellis, former admin of the famed BitTorrent tracker site, of conspiracy to defraud.

Ad-sponsored digital music download service announces the inclusion of additional tracks from Universal Music Group.

Finnish rock label Lions Music says illegal file-sharing is “killing independent music and making it impossible for many great musicians to have a chance to release albums and have a musical career even as a part time job.

Says fight against child porn and success by Chinese govt in content tracking prove fight against illegal file-sharing is winnable, and that P2P is rewarding ISPs “whose swollen profits perfectly mirror the lost receipts of the music business.

Search engine indexes hundreds of thousands of music sites, blogs and artist pages and lets you lets you build playlists, stream songs, and download them.

Highly anticipated collaboration between Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins’ debuts on BitTorrent tracker sites well ahead of its March 9th, 2010 release date.

Consumer survey proves proposed “three-strikes” legislation will have little effect on levels of illegal file-sharing.

Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins’ new band Broken Bells make “The High Road,” a song from their upcoming self-titled album, available as a free download.