Some people aren’t easy to defend, but someone has to do it. That’s why we have solicitors in the world. And it’s apparently in this spirit that Music Business Worldwide decided to publish an editorial late last week accusing the UK of having an “outwardly hostile” attitude to the three major labels.

As evidence for this curious claim, they cite the probe by the DCMS into the record labels. They talk about the threat a Competition and Markets Authority inquiry into their practices, and mention an investigation of Sony Music’s purchase of AWAL.

The gist of this bizarre article appears to be that Britain should be grateful that the majors continue to do business here. Naturally, the fact that abandoning the country where they get 10% of their global sales – with a 6% rise in sales last year – is never going to happen. Such a proposal simply doesn’t make sense.

So why did the normally sensible publication resort to uploading this drivel? Corporate interests seems the most likely. Music Business Worldwide is owned by Penske Media Corporation, who own numerous magazines such as Rolling Stone – who need access to major label artists in order to sell their publications.

And it’s going to look terribly strange if different magazines within the same group are saying entirely different things, isn’t it? Music Business Worldwide dare not bite the hands which feeds it so well…