Blender magazine has named the war on the Internet, and the failure of record companies to capitalize on Internet growth as the biggest “screw-up” in music business history.  Well, there is some truth there, but far too often it’s easy to sit on the sidelines and toss hand grenades at an entire industry.  Did the music industry go a little nuts?  Yes, but they were also witnessing the widespread theft of their product.

Few people would defend six figure lawsuits against a single mother who downloaded a handful of tracks.  Still, one can hardly blame the music industry for their intial “blinders on” attitude.  One can’t imagine Wal-Mart would be too pleased if people en masse began piklfering from their music department.  A screw-up that it didn’t instantly come up with the idea of an iTunes like music service?  Sure, but hardly one most companies wouldn’t have made, too.

Others making the list were Dick Rowe, who turned down the chance to sign The Beatles.  Also listed was the selling of Motown Records, the dropping of Neil Young by Geffen Records and the signing of REM to an $80 million contract back in 1996.

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