Blur drummer Dave Rowntree is calling for recording artists to be given a cut of internet music sharing profits.

The SONG 2 hitmaker is campaigning for musicians to be rewarded by the organisations who have benefited from the recent surge in music downloads, in a scheme called Value Recognition Right.

Rowntree says, “The changes that have happened in the past few years are here to stay. It’s not realistic to think that we can un-invent the internet, MP3 players, or recordable CDs, or stop people sharing music by telling them we don’t like it. Music is a social activity and always has been. It’s fashion.”

“That’s why I like the idea of the Value Recognition Right. It lets us take a cut of the money being made by industries that profit from music sharing. It gives us the right to grant a license to ISPs, MP3 player manufacturers and others, so we can give consumers the right to do what they’re going to do anyway. “

“We’re pragmatic people and we don’t want to put anyone out of business.”

via contactmusic.com