Is it really a problem? (MP3 piracy)

[dutycalls5609]

A lot of you probably know I'm a huge open-source geek. I love it because I can change something about it, but mostly I love it because, frankly, it doesn't cost me a cent.

 

 

 

I like music, too. I, and several of my friends, don't pledge loyalty to bands/singers. Sure, I like a few, Pink Floyd, Green Day, Skillet, and a couple more. What we really like is the individual songs.

 

 

 

As an overwhelming majority of you know, an average musical album costs $10-$14 USD. An average non-iPod musical download costs about 88-95 US cents.

 

 

 

Why buy the whole album if you only like one song?

 

Why pay almost a dollar for a maximum of about 6 minutes of entertainment per time?

 

 

 

If you had no way of being detected, would you save that money and just download it...y'know...without paying? ;)

 

 

 

I'll admit now. If it is on my MP3 player, and it hasn't been CD-ripped, I got it free. Yup. And how? I, along with millions of others, used Project Playlist to download them (since made it harder, but still doable, as they found the problem).

 

 

 

Before I get my butt tracked down by the RIAA I'll stop talking about my music.

 

 

 

I'd like to know your opinion on this. I find it as part of the "Freevolution" and a boost for free Indie bands. Also, you'll find more bands are offering legit free downloads on their site.

 

 

 

SO, what's YOUR opinion?

[Stoop111]

So you are the artist, why make 1,000,000 when you could have made 3,000,000?

 

 

 

It wasnt intended to be free so it shouldnt be. 1$ isnt bad.

 

 

 

Reported to the feds btw

[indy500fan]

I believe that downloading music/movies/games/other stuff that is copyrighted is wrong. I'll disagree with calling it stealing, it is copyright infringement. I also choose to do it anyways.

 

 

 

I also think that the record industry should try to adapt to the changes rather than try to sue everyone. However if they do decide suing is the best way, it is their copyrights so they can do what they want.

[Giordano]

If you don't get caught, you never broke the law. :-w

 

 

 

All I'm gonna say.

[Flametrooper]

It hurts the bands, who do work for their money (If you think music is an easy, lazy man's profession, try actually doing it, it's not very easy to play good and it's a lot of work to practice) and have, in my opinion, earned it. I rarely pirate songs. If I ever do it's because I dislike the stupid RIAA and it's fun to beat the system.

[Led-Zeppelin]

 

Well, as you may see from the picture I provided, you may guess my answer from that.

 

 

 

I support the music industry, yet you are nothing better then a leech feeding on the soft underbelly of the music industry?

 

 

 

I spend my hard earned cash on it, and you do nothing, yet you claim love the music and the artists you listen to? Go play in traffic, please.

 

 

 

I mean sure, I may be a bit of a hypocryte, some of my music is downloaded, but look at my CD's, I've payed my dues. Have you?

[Barihawk]

If you don't have loyalty to bands, Cnet has a rather large rotating library of free music you can download.

 

 

 

I've gotten like 2 gigs that way, and it's opened my horizons as far as music goes.

[dutycalls5609]

It hurts the bands, who do work for their money (If you think music is an easy, lazy man's profession, try actually doing it, it's not very easy to play good and it's a lot of work to practice) and have, in my opinion, earned it. I rarely pirate songs. If I ever do it's because I dislike the stupid RIAA and it's fun to beat the system.

 

 

 

I am a musician. Not professionally, but I have been paid for it. I play trumpet, drums, and guitar. So, don't assume things about people.

 

 

 

Well, a couple of people posted stupid remarks, but I like some of the posts, even though they disagree with me.

 

 

 

This has always been a hot topic since people found out you could use newsgroups to share media and applications.

 

 

 

Anyway, let's watch this continue.

[ltb2006]

I only ever buy a cd if it's an album. With the amount of one hit wonders about getting the one song is the way to go. Yes i don't pay for 95% of the music i download but ah wel. I wouldn't call it stealing. If an artist makes a good enough album sure ill buy it.

[Errdoth]

I have tons of hard albums, but when I just want to listen to music, I usually just turn on pandora or last.fm

[No_OnE]

I believe that downloading music/movies/games/other stuff that is copyrighted is wrong. I'll disagree with calling it stealing, it is copyright infringement. I also choose to do it anyways.

 

 

 

I also think that the record industry should try to adapt to the changes rather than try to sue everyone. However if they do decide suing is the best way, it is their copyrights so they can do what they want.

 

Exactly the way I feel.

 

 

 

I think it's wrong but I chose to do it anyway.

[Flametrooper]

It hurts the bands, who do work for their money (If you think music is an easy, lazy man's profession, try actually doing it, it's not very easy to play good and it's a lot of work to practice) and have, in my opinion, earned it. I rarely pirate songs. If I ever do it's because I dislike the stupid RIAA and it's fun to beat the system.

 

 

 

I am a musician. Not professionally, but I have been paid for it. I play trumpet, drums, and guitar. So, don't assume things about people.

 

 

 

 

Hm? I'm not exactly assuming anything about anyone - I said that musicians work hard to produce what they do and music isn't as easy as some people think - how's that assuming things about people? I'm confused :?

[dwarfdude3]

Freevolution ftw!

[warri0r45]

I prefer to buy CDs. I appreciate good music and as a token of my appreciation I pay those who put thier heart and efforts into making it. I write music myself so I can sort of relate.

[fakeitormakeit]

Look I don't care if anyone makes fun of me like that South Park episode, but copyright is serious bussiness and piracy is exactly what it says, your stealing. If the artist(s) wanted to give you free music they would have put a free download on their official site/profile.

 

 

 

And also how would you like it if you were losing thousands if not hundreds of thousands because people decided just to download your song for free without your permission?

 

 

 

Copyrights were made for a reason, not so they culd just be stepped on

[Sir_Alex85]

The only time I download is if I want to see what a band sounds like. I download one or two songs, then buy an album.

 

 

 

And if I don't like them, I don't buy it, and delete it.

 

 

 

Youtube, lately, has been where I check bands out, however. ;P

[cyco]

Look I don't care if anyone makes fun of me like that South Park episode, but copyright is serious bussiness and piracy is exactly what it says, your stealing. If the artist(s) wanted to give you free music they would have put a free download on their official site/profile.

 

 

 

And also how would you like it if you were losing thousands if not hundreds of thousands because people decided just to download your song for free without your permission?

 

 

 

Copyrights were made for a reason, not so they culd just be stepped on

 

 

 

So if I go get my friends CD and put the songs on my computer I'm stealing?

[Flametrooper]

I prefer to buy CDs. I appreciate good music and as a token of my appreciation I pay those who put thier heart and efforts into making it. I write music myself so I can sort of relate.

 

Yeah, that's basically my standpoint. Being a musician helps you walk in the artist's shoes.

[Led-Zeppelin]

Look I don't care if anyone makes fun of me like that South Park episode, but copyright is serious bussiness and piracy is exactly what it says, your stealing. If the artist(s) wanted to give you free music they would have put a free download on their official site/profile.

 

 

 

And also how would you like it if you were losing thousands if not hundreds of thousands because people decided just to download your song for free without your permission?

 

 

 

Copyrights were made for a reason, not so they culd just be stepped on

 

 

 

So if I go get my friends CD and put the songs on my computer I'm stealing?

 

 

 

This is what also confuses me, and if that is the case, wouldn't borrowing a book off a friend, or even a magazine be illegal?

[Rebdragon]

Youtube, lately, has been where I check bands out, however. ;P

 

Hehe, me too :-w .

 

 

 

I don't really download free music, as I don't really get into music that much :-k . Some artists/bands that I love, like Three Days Grace and Evanescence, I buy CD's from. Other than that, don't do much other than using Youtube a lot just for listening to songs XD.

[Nadril]

For me a lot of times buying a CD is just a pain. I like to listen to a lot of bands that I can't find in local shops. I don't find my self really downloading as much lately though, really can't during school.

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the money the actual bands make at any rate is through concerts and other sales, not CD sales.

[assassin_696]

I believe that downloading music/movies/games/other stuff that is copyrighted is wrong. I'll disagree with calling it stealing, it is copyright infringement. I also choose to do it anyways.

 

 

 

I also think that the record industry should try to adapt to the changes rather than try to sue everyone. However if they do decide suing is the best way, it is their copyrights so they can do what they want.

 

 

 

Very similar to how I feel as well.

 

 

 

The RIAA need to pull their finger out and wise-up to the new generation of music consumers. They can't seem to grasp that suing people left right and centre for downloading music does nothing for their image and indeed nothing for the music. Even buying stuff online is too much, they could easily cut the price of a song down to about 10p each and I would buy absolutely all my music. Because a quid here and there isn't much to me. But ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâã10 for an album you're not too sure about? Too much for me.

 

 

 

Statistics have shown that people who download music often go out and buy CD's, in a twisted way internet piracy is helping CD sales. I buy a lot of CD's, I love buying them, but sometimes it's nice just to be able to have a good listen to what you're going to buy before diving in. I love supporting new artists who I feel want the official sales and money, but think about it, do The Beatles or other massive bands really need to give a monkeys?

 

 

 

Besides, the artists are hardly complaining, it's the bigwig executives who want more money lining their pockets.

[Guest]

I enjoy downloading from the dodgy sites which tell me its completely legal. Denial is good. :P

 

 

 

Joking of course.

 

 

 

 

 

But yeah its a problem but I don't see there being any answer to the problem.

[How2PK]

The 'industry' was too late trying to find something so they would fit better in the culture change that came aong with the internet. They're paying the price for that now. That's not an excuse though. I rarely download. I just look something up on youtube and sometimes I download something to get a bigger impression. But the thing I love most is go to the record store, get a bunch of CD's, go to the headphones, listen them and then decide to buy them or not. And you get out a bit more, socialize a bit with other customers and the guy/girl behind the counter. Instead of staring at your screen looking for fr33 st00f plx. It's a lot better to have a physical thing, with a booklet, the disc itself. It also feels better if you've paid for it (for me atleast).

 

 

 

I have got no problem with people like Assasin or Indy by the way. It's the ones acting cool and being oh so proud that they've downloaded 100.000 songs but never bought a cd. I can't stand that attitude.

[Jaziek]

The 'industry' was too late trying to find something so they would fit better in the culture change that came aong with the internet. They're paying the price for that now. That's not an excuse though. I rarely download. I just look something up on youtube and sometimes I download something to get a bigger impression. But the thing I love most is go to the record store, get a bunch of CD's, go to the headphones, listen them and then decide to buy them or not. And you get out a bit more, socialize a bit with other customers and the guy/girl behind the counter. Instead of staring at your screen looking for fr33 st00f plx. It's a lot better to have a physical thing, with a booklet, the disc itself. It also feels better if you've paid for it (for me atleast).

 

 

 

I have got no problem with people like Assasin or Indy by the way. It's the ones acting cool and being oh so proud that they've downloaded 100.000 songs but never bought a cd. I can't stand that attitude.

 

 

 

I tend to use youtube to sample music a lot too.. If i really like a song, then sure, i'll buy the album...

 

 

 

I dont download music or films.. anime yes.. but that may be slightly more legal.