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Napster must apologise to rock band Metallica, if it's to convince the music industry that it's serious about becoming a 'legitimate' - in the recording companies' eyes - operation.

That at least is what Recording Industry Association of America CEO Hilary Rosen has told her opposite number at Napster, Hank Barry, according to a letter leaked on the Internet and since confirmed by the RIAA as genuine.

Nice try, Hilary, but we think Napster will see through this one, and will be as willing to say sorry to Metallica for the bands' alleged losses due to contributory copyright theft as Australian Prime Minister John Howard is to apologise to the Aboriginal people for past atrocities perpetuated against them.

Why? Because an apology would be tantamount to admitting Metallica's allegations were correct and that the MP3 sharing company is indeed contributing to copyright theft, and it sure as hell isn't going to say that, last week's deal with Bertelsmann Music Group notwithstanding.

Such an admission is really what the RIAA is after here. Rosen's letter bemoans the scorn poured upon Metallica and, in particular, drummer Lars Ulrich, the band's main spokesman. This is just plain daft.