Why the RIAA sues customers, pushes DRM

One of my favorite bands, Radiohead, is now being joined by Oasis, Jamiroquai, and others who are all choosing to circumvent the established record industry and actually give away their albums on their own websites, free of charge. 

Could this be the beginning of the end for the obsolete conglomorate known as the RIAA?  At the very least, I think it’s going to redefine their purpose in a way that won’t make those sue-happy dinosaurs happy.  Good riddance, I say.  They had their chance to get a clue and give users what they want.  Instead they treated their customers like the enemy and have tried to squeeze every last penny out of something that costs them nothing via extortion and price fixing.  Now this organization has outlived its usefulness, and bands are realizing it.