Just when you thought the RIAA could seriously not get any worse, it does. Nine Inch Nails is currently on tour in Europe (their new album is absolutely fantastic by the way) and have been leaving special USB keys hidden in restrooms at venues. People who discover the USB drives will get access to leaked songs off the forthcoming album, “Year Zero”.

And if a fan finds free MP3s in a bathroom stall, of course they’re going to leak it to the net. Now the RIAA is sending cease-and-desist orders to sites hosting the “leaked” tracks. Even Trent Reznor himself approved this marketing campaign and OK’d the tracks that came on the USB drives. Sounds like the RIAA needs to chill out and realize that leaked songs off a new album could actually end up adding hype to a new album.

The article says the whole album hasn’t leaked, which is a lie and a half, but a few songs leaking off of a new album just isn’t a huge deal. Live with it and enjoy the increased CD sales.

RIAA Attacks Sites Participating in Its Own Campaign [Slashdot]