Dozens of UK pop and rock stars, including Radiohead, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Kate Nash, Gang of Four, and The Verve, are among the acts who have signed on to a new music-industry pressure group, the Featured Artists’ Coalition [via the BBC and others].

As the music industry continues to shuffle, kicking and screaming, into the digital age, the FAC seeks to protect the artists’ rights over their own music, in addition to having a greater say in how their songs are sold and getting a bigger slice of the profits.

“We want all artists to have more control of their music and a much fairer share of the profits it generates in the digital age,” the FAC said in a statement on its Website.

“We speak with one voice to help artists strike a new bargain with record companies, digital distributors and others, and are campaigning for specific changes.” [FAC charter]

It’s yet another example of a shift underway in the music industry, whether it acknowledges it’s happening or not. David may be taking on Goliath here, but Goliath has been fighting the likes of Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and other big-name artists for more than a year now. To make matters worse, the music-buying public is tired of the industry’s antics, which is reflected on the continued drop in sales.

We hope that Goliath is tiring from constant battle with bands and fans and that significant change is coming, thanks to pressure from organizations like FAC.

We did say “hope.”

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• Universal Music Group exploring ISP file-sharing tax
• After pressure from EU, Apple dumping iPhone’s Universal Dock Connector? (microUSB)
• U2’s McGuinness calls for ISPs, telecos, device-makers to combat music piracy on Web
• Nine Inch Nails follows Radiohead’s lead, strikes out on own.
• DRM-free iTunes now open for business

“In Rainbows” can be accessed on Last.fm here. Already nearly 1.5 million listeners have streamed the album.

Radiohead is a popular band on Last.fm. Its songs have been “scrobbled” more than 108 million times.

When Radiohead introduced “In Rainbows” in October 2007, it was first made available as a download fans could purchase at whatever they wanted to pay. At the time, Last.fm noticed the interest in Radiohead was high for its community of 21 million music fans.

“Radiohead understand that the Internet is changing music distribution,” said Martin Stiksel, Last.fm’s co-founder. Last.fm is now owned by CBS Corporation.

“We believe that music fans should be able to access music for free, and just as importantly, that artists and rights holders should be paid when their music is listened to. Last.fm makes this possible.”

It’s the first time Radiohead has granted a worldwide license for “In Rainbows” to an online Web music site. It’s made possible through the “one stop” digital licensing platform that Radiohead and publisher Warner/Chappell Music created at the end of 2007.

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Related Articles at last100:

• Weekly wrapup, 30 June – 4 July 2008
• Radiohead’s album “In Rainbows” draws a surprising number of “freeloaders”
• Radiohead’s new album challenges music industry’s conventional business model
• Free ad-supported music leads to more sales
• Radiohead ends experiment, heads for traditional distribution. Was it a success?