I personally find it really funny how people even now can still cry about their local store not having album X and justify their piracy that way. If you can't find an album from a trustable netstore, the album most likely isn't either worth even dowloading.

 

 

 

You obviously don't live in america mate. I can't even find bands such as mayhem or venom in local stores. A lot of bands that are worth listening to I can't find anywhere. :roll:

 

 

 

With that comment I mean internet stores. If you can't order it from the internet, it most likely isn't worth even downloading. Few exceptions of course are. Amazon for example has a lot of stuff from Mayhem and at least I trust Amazon more than Microsoft.

 

 

 

Eh I could order it online, it wasn't what you sugested however (local stores).

 

 

 

 

 

I guess what it really comes down to me is that they make most of their money from concerts and not from selling CD's. However like I said I don't think I've actually downloaded any music in a long time.

I have to download most of my songs because I cannot actually get a hold of them (I've searched and searched, but It's hard for me to buy Video game music). I guess in the end, I do own the original tracks because I always Own the games that I want the music from, ergo, I have the track, I just cant listen to it when I want.

 

 

 

Besides that, I leave you all with a quote:

 

 

 

Is a man not entitled to the sweat on his brow?

 

 

 

 

 

Think about it.

I save up and buy all my albums. I think it is unfair to the artists who are essentially being cheated out of their money by people downloading the songs for free.

It is the music industry's dirty little secret that piracy actually helps their business (Why do you think so little is done about it?)

 

 

 

Having people download songs exposes an artist to a huge worldwide audience, and if someone really likes their stuff they will, more often then not, go buy a CD or see a concert.

 

 

 

Ever since the beginning of downloading songs, the music industry's sales have shot through the roof.

It is the music industry's dirty little secret that piracy actually helps their business (Why do you think so little is done about it?)

 

 

 

Having people download songs exposes an artist to a huge worldwide audience, and if someone really likes their stuff they will, more often then not, go buy a CD or see a concert.

 

 

 

Ever since the beginning of downloading songs, the music industry's sales have shot through the roof.

 

 

 

And the proof?

I illegally get hold of most of my music. However, if I didn't do that I wouldn't have any interest in music at all. After starting downloading I have purchased 16 albums from artists who I have really enjoyed listening to. Which is 16 more albums than I'd have bought otherwise. The rest of my music comes usually from either trading CD's with friends and ripping the albums or downloading a discography from the net. I'll then listen to it for a couple of months and decide wether I would pay see the band play live, buy their CD's and merchandise.

I illegally get hold of most of my music. However, if I didn't do that I wouldn't have any interest in music at all. After starting downloading I have purchased 16 albums from artists who I have really enjoyed listening to. Which is 16 more albums than I'd have bought otherwise. The rest of my music comes usually from either trading CD's with friends and ripping the albums or downloading a discography from the net. I'll then listen to it for a couple of months and decide wether I would pay see the band play live, buy their CD's and merchandise.

 

 

 

It's true that a good 20-30 or so of my albums that i've bought I would simply not have if I hadn't been able to discover that music through downloading.

 

 

 

It is the music industry's dirty little secret that piracy actually helps their business (Why do you think so little is done about it?)

 

 

 

Having people download songs exposes an artist to a huge worldwide audience, and if someone really likes their stuff they will, more often then not, go buy a CD or see a concert.

 

 

 

Ever since the beginning of downloading songs, the music industry's sales have shot through the roof.

 

 

 

And the proof?

 

 

 

A potential source

It is the music industry's dirty little secret that piracy actually helps their business (Why do you think so little is done about it?)

 

 

 

Having people download songs exposes an artist to a huge worldwide audience, and if someone really likes their stuff they will, more often then not, go buy a CD or see a concert.

 

 

 

Ever since the beginning of downloading songs, the music industry's sales have shot through the roof.

 

 

 

And the proof?

 

 

 

A number of artists have leaked their albums to the internet a week or two before they're due to be released (mainly clean versions). The Game admitted to leaking to leaking a clean version of his album and just days ago both Kanye West and 50 Cent leaked their albums withing hours of each other (50 Cents was a clean version Kanye Wests was a full version).

 

 

 

The reason that they deliberately leak clean versions is because nobody is willing to keep and put up with clean versions of CD's but it does give fans a decent preview of an album and creates publicity.

It is true (at least as far as studies go) that downloading music has helped, or at least hasn't hindered, the sales of CDs. I'll also admit that this has made me feel a little better about downloading stuff illegally, even though I still believe it is wrong.

 

 

 

That's why I said earlier the companies would do well to accept it and turn it to their advantage. I still hold the view though that it is ultimately their decision, and if they want to keep suing people, it's their right.

It is true (at least as far as studies go) that downloading music has helped, or at least hasn't hindered, the sales of CDs.

 

 

 

It is estimated that from 1999 to 2002 (P2P file sharing was significantly popular first in 1999), the number of albums sold in the USA dropped from 1.05billion/yr to 825million/yr . This is a decrease of almost 20%. While it may be true that .mp3s are not the cause of this, another successful explanation has not been given for this drop in album sales.

 

 

 

[Source]

I don't think it's a serious problem. The only reason the RIAA and all of those big companies are mad is because they make most of the money when you buy a CD. The artist makes maybe $1-2 from a CD..the records get the rest. Artists make most of their money from Live shows and stuff.

 

 

 

So, in a sense.downloading an mp3 isn't stealing. Look at it this way..an Album is $10 with ten songs. Each song is then $1. The record company would get..say..80% of the profits. So the artist gets $2 per CD. That's 20 cents per song. If I download the songs, I always pay 15 cents on the site. So the artist didn't get a meager nickel.

 

 

 

Also..most of the artists people have listened to from downloads, that I know, have bought the CD in the end. My friend bought both a Nile and Dragonforce CD because of a few mp3s he found once. In a way, it is promoting buying CDs.

 

 

 

That's my view..love or hate it.

Wierd Al's reasons not to download songs

 

And with the book borrowing analogy is somewhat shaky. Remember that the book in question is paid for, and so goes for the CD. And under such conditions it's quite legal to allow your friend to borrow it. What cannot be done is for the public to view it (profit or not), or for the friend to make a copy for himself, which is what ripping songs of CDs does. If you want the actual iteration of what I said, just look at the FBI copyright infringement policy whenever you view a movie.

 

 

 

But, I am quite the hypocrite. However as much I agree that copying songs without the producer's consent is wrong, I do it all too much. To date I have only bought 3 albums, while the rest are burnt or downloaded. I suppose things that don't hurt me get much less consideration. :uhh:

I do think that downloading mp3s is wrong but having the RIAA sue you to stop is not the right way to fix it. A lot of people don't want to go through the hassle of buying them from itunes and then having to buy your music all over again when you switch to a different player. The DRM crap is losing them money.

 

 

 

If the record companies embraced digital distribution then people would cut down on the illegal crap and pay for it. I for one am not going to buy songs for my Zune and then decide to buy an ipod and all of the songs are useless. It's much easier to pirate them, it should be the other way around.

 

 

 

What realy gets me is that the RIAA is suing people and saying that you are stealing from the artists and then when they win the lawsuit the artists get none of the money.

 

 

 

The companies should treat you as a customer and not as a criminal before you do anything wrong. The Sony rootkit on thier CDs comes to mind.

Also..most of the artists people have listened to from downloads, that I know, have bought the CD in the end. My friend bought both a Nile and Dragonforce CD because of a few mp3s he found once. In a way, it is promoting buying CDs.

 

 

 

Same with me. It's how I found Skillet, one of my favorite bands. I've now bought all of their albums...

 

 

 

Also found Weird Al by that way and bought Straight Outta Lynwood. Oh and Green Day with American Idiot.

 

 

 

I found a lot of bands that way...

I remember seeing an article on how CD and MP3 Sales have risen since people started downloading mp3s. I'll admit to downloading albums - if they're good, i'll usually buy them because they're worth keeping. If they're crap, no money wasted. Seems about right to me!

The way I see it is if I'm forced to pay for it, I'm not going to buy it. But if I can get it for free, I will download it. By downloading it I will be introduced to that band, and if I like it I will share it with my friends, giving the band more popularity.

 

 

 

So, downloading it for free is much better then not buying it. And I would never pay for it, so downloading it free isn't that bad :