Over 600 musicians and artists have signed an open letter demanding Universal Music Group (UMG) and other major labels drop their $621 million lawsuit against the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library.

Notable signatories include Tegan & Sara, Open Mike Eagle, Amanda Palmer, and Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna. The letter, organized by Fight for the Future, outlines three key demands:

1. Partner with organizations like the Internet Archive to preserve original recordings and music culture
2. Allow musicians to keep 100% of merchandise sales
3. End vertical investments in streaming services like Spotify

The lawsuit specifically targets the Internet Archive's Great 78 Project, which preserves over 400,000 recordings from 78 RPM records, including works from Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra.

Artists argue that while the music industry projects revenues exceeding $100 billion by 2031, musicians struggle with:

• Live Nation's touring monopoly
• Unfair streaming revenue models
• Demonetization and censorship by DSPs
• Loss of physical archives due to corporate practices

The potential $621 million in damages sought by labels covers music streamed through the archive since 2006. This legal battle follows the Internet Archive's recent loss in an appeal regarding ebook lending practices.

The musicians emphasize that while the music industry thrives, artists continue to struggle, calling for immediate industry-wide reforms to protect both their legacies and futures.

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