Several video game music composers have denounced on social networks the theft of their songs to sell NFTs without their authorization.
This lamentable maneuver occurs on the music platform NFT HitPiece, which offers users to “drop a song, build a single playlist and federate a community of artists”, as you can read in his Twitter account.
Without restrictions, it looks like what they’re really doing is scouring Spotify for songs, downloading them without their authors’ permission, and selling them without, of course, paying the rights to the creators.
Grant Kirkhope, the BAFTA-nominated composer of Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64 or World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, explained that “HitPiece, which is one of the songs on sale in what I see belongs to Blizzard Entertainment, which now it’s Microsoft Property…good luck with that”.
Just so you know @joinhitpiece one of the tracks you sell that I played on belongs to @Blizzard_Ent which now belong to @Microsoft ….. good luck with that
-Grant Kirkhope (@grantkirkhope) February 2, 2022
David Wise, another composer from sound group Donkey Kong 64, added that “please spread the message that HitPiece is trying to sell digital assets that simply cannot be legally owned. There is no legal organization with the power to authenticate these transactions, and has no contracts with composers, performers or publishers”.
Please spread the message widely that @joinhitpiece attempt to sell digital assets that they simply cannot legally own. There is no legal organization authorized to authenticate these transactions and no existing contract between composers, performers or publishers https://t.co/ICJBqXYcoi
-David Wise (@David_Wise) February 2, 2022
Gareth Coker, composer of Ori music and several Halos, says that “the HitPiece site is bullshit. Selling NFTs after downloading the entire Spotify catalog with a bot. There are a lot of people involved. In no way neither me nor the publishers support this”.
“Ori, Halo and RK’s bands are here, for starters. He’s a brom, get out.”
The website @joinhitpiece is a trash can. Sell/host NFTs after bot scraping the entire Spotify catalog. So touched. Absolutely no way me or the editors approve of this
Ori + Halo + RK soundtracks up there to start. A joke, take it away. Please report the boost pic.twitter.com/aXReVx2fQk
– Gareth Coker (@garethcoker) February 1, 2022
And not only has he seen British or American music affected, there are also cases with composers from our country. This is the case of Paula Fingerspit, the creator of the music for the independent studio Deconstructeam, who explained on Twitter that “apparently a page is selling NFTs of my music and other artists, without authorization. Obviously this is stolen and not I support”. damn NFTs for nothing. If I buy anything that I have to do with NFTs, it will be 100% unofficial and without any kind of consent”.
so apparently a site is selling NFTs of my music, and other artists, without permission, so just saying – it’s obviously stolen and I can’t stand fucking nfts at all.
if you buy anything related to nft it will be 100% unofficial and without any type of consent.– fingerpit • paula ~ 🏳️⚧️ (@thefingerspit) February 1, 2022
The HitPiece page is currently inactive and displays the message “we started the conversation and we are listening”.
In his last tweet he assured that “we have clearly touched the fiber and we are concerned with creating the ideal experience for music fans”. It also says that artists whose music is published on their platform receive economic compensation, although the statements of those affected completely contradict this claim.
This is the latest controversial case related to NFTs, which have a negative image with most of the gaming community. A few hours ago, without further ado, Team17 announced its resignation to move forward with plans to sell NFTs of its known IP worms, after an influx of negative messages from not only users, but also independent developers who publish.
