If the label no longer exists??

[Griogair]

i just stumbled accross an old .txt doc on a n old laptop drive i had on a laptop years ago. On it was my shopping list of tracks from years ago. ive been scouring online for them, but quite a few discogs confirm the label is no longer in business. It got me thinking, what is the legality downloading the track if the label no longer exists? Im sure it must be naughty, as if it weren't there would be a plethora of free music all over the web!

Can anyone shed any light?

cheers
Griogair

[trevorc]

rights would have reverted to the artist, or been sold to another label, depending on the terms of the initial contract and the conditions around the label going out of business. it doesn't mean the track becomes freely available.

why not make contact with the artist? you never know what might happen

[Griogair]

cool, cheers. I figured the artist might come into it, i may have to contact them by email and see about getting a copy!

[Hidden Driveways]

I was in a band in the 90's that put out our record. That label folded in the early 2000's, but they still own the master tapes of our album, even though the label has gone out of business. So if you were to steal one of our songs somehow, they would still own the rights to the music and I imagine they could go after you.