“…Bruce Springsteen — who has released six CD’s of material in the Internet era, with another album on the way this month — has thwarted prerelease file-sharers not through digital protection or online policing, but with an old-fashioned lock-and-key approach. In the weeks before a release, his albums barely see the light of day, frustrating not only downloaders but even music critics and other industry insiders who cannot put their hands on his work…”
“…Recording labels usually ship dozens or hundreds of albums to radio stations, journalists and others involved in the industry months before they go on sale. Mr. Springsteen’s organization, on the other hand, sent out fewer than 10 copies as of early July, and only a handful more will join them 14 days ahead of the store date — if at all, according to a spokeswoman, Marilyn Laverty of Shore Fire Media. Insiders who do obtain advance copies do not distribute them, said Gary Graff, a music journalist at Reuters who has interviewed Mr. Springsteen on several occasions. He said no one wanted to anger the Springsteen camp. “That’s almost the best weapon they have,” he added…”
Click here to read the full New York Times article (free registration required).
