"Ripped" tells the story of how the laptop generation created a new grassroots music industry, with the fans and bands rather than the corporations in charge. In this new world, bands aren't just musicmakers but self-contained multimedia businesses; and fans aren't just consumers but distributors and even collaborators.

Includes index. "Now with a new afterword"

Introduction : chaos and transformation -- Consolidated to death -- Payola blues -- Napster vs. Metallica -- Customers or criminals? -- Is Prince nuts? -- "Do not insult Death Cab" -- Conor Oberst : "He was thirteen and kicking our asses" -- "Screw the record companies, screw MTV, just go out and play" -- Everyone's a critic -- Arcade Fire : chocolate fountains everywhere -- Innovation out of necessity -- Girl Talk's illegal art -- Future shock from wham city -- "George Bush doesn't like Black people" -- A new boss, same as the old boss -- Steve Jobs and the iPod "burglary kit" -- "The feedback loop of creativity" -- "I love picking fights" -- "It's up to you" -- "Steal, steal, and steal some more".