Hilary Rosen has been Napstered.
A private e-mail that the head of the Recording Industry Association of America sent to Napster boss Hank Barry demanding an apology to the band Metallica has been copied and put on the Internet.
Rosen asked Barry, or his colleague Shawn Fanning, to make an apology to the heavy-metal band that protested Napster’s alleged encouragement of the abuse of copyright law.
Referring to the deal with German media conglomerate Bertelsmann – which owns BMG Records – she wrote, “I think the band and their team feel very undermined by the deal announced [Tuesday] even though many of us support it . . . You guys have fostered the abuse that Lars and the band have taken for standing up for their rights, rights which you have acknowledged in theory in the past but now have a financial interest in supporting since you are taking Bertelsmann’s money.”
Barry told The Post yesterday, “I literally never received any e-mail from Hilary. I’d love to see it.”
Rosen told The Post in an e-mail yesterday that, “It is my e-mail but it was not intended for public dissemination. Nonetheless, I stand by my sentiments and have not heard a reply from Barry.”
Ulrich and his band have been vilified by fans for criticizing Napster and accusing them of copyright violation.
“Hilary is aware of the irony of Napster doing a deal vindicating what the RIAA has said all along about artists needing to be compensated for their work,” said a RIAA spokeswoman.
In April, Metallica sued Napster to force the company to block users from exchanging MP3 files of Metallica songs for free, which is the basis of the software’s massive popularity. The Napster deal won’t stop that lawsuit – or the RIAA’s – although BMG has said it aims to settle with Napster.
Metallica’s lawyer, Howard King, said, “If that letter was sent it shows what a class act Hilary is. She didn’t have to do it. Lars Ulrich hasn’t been running around crying about his feelings.”