Several unreleased tracks by the singing superstar and 2006 X Factor winner Leona Lewis were reportedly hacked from Simon Cowell’s record label databases, including a song that was being considered as the first single from the sophomore album, slated for a November release.
“Don’t Let Me Down,” a collaboration with Justin Timberlake and producer Timbaland, spread virally online and found its way onto a YouTube video within a few hours of the leak, according to the Telegraph. Though many of the links have already been taken down, a spokesperson for the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry confirms that more may be “out there.”
A spokesperson from Cowell and Lewis’ label, SyCo, said: “We will certainly look to bring charges against those who are responsible. We cannot give any more details at this stage for operational reasons.”
There are apparently a number of people being investigated by the international police in both America and Europe, and Cowell’s label is working closely with authorities to identify the culprits.
A representative from the label made it known that leaked tracks do not always appear on finalized albums, saying: “It’s not what any artist wants out there because it’s stolen and not representative.”
Hackers aren’t generally interested in profits – though some have been known to try to sell stolen tracks – but rather in the thrill of having an unreleased track featuring their audio tag circulating the web.
An industry insider told the Telegraph: “It’s not the equivalent of stealing a CD. It’s about distributing copies of an album or track to millions of people worldwide. These guys have systematically targeted releases from all kinds of record labels and won’t be allowed to continue. Everything is being tightened up.”



















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