The founders of file-sharing website The Pirate Bay have been charged for breaking copyright laws and have been sentenced to a year in prison in Sweden for helping millions of users download music, movies and games.

Some believe that this landmark trial could be the initial first step in ending illegal downloading which has cost entertainment companies billions of dollars.

“The four were also ordered to pay $3.6 m (£2.4m) in damages to copyright holders, including Warner Brothers, MGM, Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox Films, Sony and Universal, according to Swedish media reports.” (Telegraph)

File sharing sites like Pirate Bay diminishes the value of music , undermines investment in music, and do nothing to reward artists and creators.

Check out the track Take and Take by Garfield Mayor -Â KOARs new favorite singer/songwriter. Mayor cites Bob Marley, Paul Simon, The Eagles, Gomez, and Pink Floyd as influences. Apparently, the pro writers and musicians are rooted overseas. Garfield Mayor, who hails from Coventry, England is the first artist to sign to R-Tel, a new start up label started by Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas and EMI Publishing Executive Evan Lamberg. In fact, Rob Thomas will tour in support of his upcoming solo record ‘Cradlesong’ this June and touted Garfield Mayor as the opening act. Check out the video for Take and Take.

KOAR favorite A Verse Unsung has signed to Photo Finish Records. Photo Finish is an imprint label owned by booking agent Matt Galle who books My Chemical Romance, Boys Like Girls, Metro Station, and Circa Survive. The band has upcoming dates on Vans Warped Tour. For fans of Rise Against and Against Me. For more information email kent@kmmpc.com.

Static Summer, an alternative rock band from New York City just finished recording 4 songs with an eclectic selection of producers – Jay Gordon, Mitch Allan (Daughtry), and Jay Baumgardner (New Found Glory, Evanescence). The band cites influences everything from Duran Duran, The Cure, to the Foo Fighters. The band recently played to a sold out crowd @ the Blender Theatre and ‘She’s Not a Lover’ was just played on New York Rock Station 101.9 by Matt Pinfield. Check out the tracks She’s Not a Lover and Simple Again.