Monday’s Music 2.0 Briefing: More RIAA Insanity, Ringtone Market Shrinks & More

> THE RIAA FOLLIES:

• In a new lawsuit the RIAA call ripping purchased CD’s to your own hard drive an "unauthorized use". (Slashdot) Read the original Washington Post piece that started theuproar here.
• In Maine, law students are defending their peers against RIAA lawsuits. (Listening Post)
• One blogger asks if 2008 will be the end of the RIAA. (WinExtra) Sadly, while the labels may stop funding these stupid lawsuits, the RIAA will live on.

> Wal-Mart has gotten out of the movie download business. (DMW) Are downloads next?

> The global market for ring tones is shrinking. (NY Times) But full track download slaes are growing.

> Over at OurDigitalMusic I’ve written a "Top 10 Digital Music Stories Of 2007" from the consumer’s point of view.

> cNet has their digital music predictions for 2008. (cNet)