[ghx]

Yeah, the story isn't quite as compelling when you put it that way. That first album would cost millions of dollars to release if they put it out today. The list of expensive samples (Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, etc.) on that album is totally out of control...

[e12e]

Oh, I don't know -- at least now new artists can (more easily) sample them, and continue making art under equally unclear legal status. One can always hope this will help push fair use to become broader, rather than narrower.