With the rise of MP3 and file sharing software, such as Kazaa and WinMX, is the music industry doomed in terms of a steady cash income? What will the future hold? Napster has been dethroned, but so much more is out there. I’ve read in some places that record labels are trying to find ways to counter all this free downloading of their music, by somehow integrating purchases of albums into software, and letting the public know that if they continue to acquire songs for free, sooner or later, there won’t be any songs left to download because companies have gone backrupt. These days, it is especially hard to get started in music because once you get an album out, half the world has already downloaded it.
What kind of solutions are out there? Where is the industry headed, and what will YOU do to help save the music?
Or is the industry fine? Why do you download mp3’s as opposed to buying them?
I myself buy music as much as possible. I used to download MP3’s, but gave up when I realized what music means to me and the world. The pirating of music has drastically changed the way record labels and artists work. I don’t give a flying crap about those pop artists with tons of money, but when I see a new artist I like, or some independant band trying to get some cash, I’ll pay for it. If I see a new CD out by some of my favourite artists, I’ll buy it. Not the mention the fact that most of my listening goes towards classical music genres, and I have to order half the albums I want.
Another way to look at this is to attempt to buy your music electronically where possible. In this way, you’re convincing artists and companies that people out there will pay this way if you make it easy.
The mp3 cat is out of the baggy-bag. It ain’t never going back in. There are just too many positives about digital files and the way they change how you can handle your music. The chance for the music industry is to make their songs available legally and reasonable as Mp3 downloads. Whether that is a subscription service or a micropayment scheme, they need to get something out there soon. Many will dive on that when it works.
For now I just buy CD’s when I know I want the album. I sample the music online first. Hypocrisy? Maybe. But as a wise man said, politics is the art of the possible. This is a practical, political question, not a moral one.
I think it’s a serious exaggeration to say that MP3’s and file sharing will kill music. It may very well force the music industry to change their narrow-minded musician-exploiting ways, but the industry isn’t going to go bankrupt anytime soon. Sure, there’s no 2-trillion album selling chart conquerer like there has been in past years, but do we really want or need another Mariah Carey or Alanis Morisette? From what I see, the underground is still doing as well as it ever has. If this theory is correct, it should be the indie companies that are hit the hardest–those bands need the sales the most. But instead, the media is turning its attention again to the lesser known stuff, the less commercial stuff, and they’re selling more records than ever. It is instead the Britney Spears of the world who are hit the hardest–because no one cares enough about their music to buy it, especially when they can just download the singles. The pop acts are disappearing–the Backstreet Boys have disbanded–and I think that, combined with the shitty economy, is hurting record sales more than file sharing.
Many bands that I listen to already give away half their music–and the rest is on Kaaza, and they don’t care. Why? Because for these bands, it’s more important to create a fan base that will come to their concerts, buy their merchandise, fall in love and tell all their friends about this amazing new band. These bands don’t have the money to advertise in any way except with their music–and their songs will never get played on the radio, except maybe by a few college stations. Clear Channel and their ilk make sure of it.
So I have to confess that I’m not exactly shedding any tears because Universal’s stock has gone down a few points.
IIRC, the record companies were predicting doom and gloom when cassette tapes came out because people would start taping albums and they’d lose all their business. Well, they’re still selling gold and platinum records all over the place, so I guess that threat was overstated.
While I agree that it is likely that MP3s have the potential to cut into companies’ profits, I don’t think it’ll drive anyone out of business because planety of people, myself included, will continue to go to the source for complete albums.
No, it’s the self-absorbed, self-centered and selfish AssHats who feel and think that they are somehow entitled to not have to pay for something like everyone else does simply because they have a reasonably fast network connection that will be the death of the music industry.
Maybe they’ll start allowing the purchase of music ala carte. Instead of having to pay 18 bucks for an album with 2 good songs and the rest “filler”, you could purchase the good songs as mp3s, instantly for a couple dollars each. This is something I would support.
I download quite a bit of music, and also buy many CDs. I, too, have gotten sick of bands whose albums are one decent song and a bunch of utter crap. To try and counter this, I’ll download maybe half the album, if it’s good, I’ll buy it.
Here is a great story about Madonna’s attempt to counter piracy, and what happened. Pretty innovative idea she had, but…
No; the fact that the economy sucks and that there hasn’t been too much in the way of überpopular artists recently. CD prices are also going up; basically, the music industry is asking me to pay more for music I don’t like. When I do find a band I like (which, in the past six months, boils down to Evanesence and Dropkick Murphies), I buy the CD as soon as I can find it for a reasonable price. IMHO, 19-20 dollars is not a reasonable price. I vote with my dollars, and I buy far fewer CDs than I did even two or three years ago. Mp3s have nothing to do with it.
I think that if the industry puts the price down by a dollar or two, they’ll make more money. Supply and demand is telling them something here.
Early in the 20th century musicians protested the invention of records since it would deprive them from making a living–they thought people would no longer pay to see live performances.
The people who will make money are the ones who learn to embrace change rather than complain about it.
I’m with Tanaqui, Dread Pirate Jimbo and ataraxy22. If the music industry keeps trying to stop file sharing, they’re dead, simple as that. It cannot be stopped. There’s just no realistic way. Instead, the music industry must find new ways to make money, incorporating music files.
And you know what? If the music industry dies, I’m not going to shed any tears. Like book publishers, they’re greedy, lowlife, talentless vermin. Bottomfeeders. Parasites. They cannot be musicians or authors so they become people who make money off musicians and authors. The artists need them to publish their work and so have to put up with them, but in reality, they do no good and much harm. To hell with them.
Nothing could make me support MP3s more than the thought that they might spell the end of the music industry. I wish it were true. Both musicians and music lovers would be better off without the industry as it currently exists, and I ain’t shedding no tears for the CEOs. But it’s going to take more than that to break down the current system.
Anyway, there’s no danger at all of music itself dying out. It is probably the oldest form of art, and has unquestionably been around for thousands upon thousands of years. There was music long before anyone got paid for it, and there will still be music if people ever stop getting paid for it. Heck, not all that terribly long ago, before the music industry and the star system were as powerful as they are now, people used to sit around at home and sing songs around the piano just for fun! EVen if they weren’t much good! The end of the music industry might mean more people, not less, would be playing music, although most would of course not be as talented or skilled as the best current professionals.
No cost to the listener, mp3s are accessible at any time, and near limitless in selection and quantity. It’s an amazing privilege to be a part of this day of music.
The amount an individual can learn about the music of the world by these means is impressive.
Bullshit. I guess I am one of the “self-absorbed, celf-centered and selfish AssHats,” because I share music electronically, via mp3, with friends all over the place. And I think one factor that is EXTREMELY COMMON AND IMPORTANT, yet routinely ignored, is how mp3-sharing can and does boost music sales. Know why? The music my friends send me, and that I send them, isn’t getting radio play. It isn’t getting played on MTV or VH1. It’s cool, wonderful stuff that just ain’t Top 40 or anything like the crap that makes it into the limited, teen-targeted playlists dominating all airwaves today.
So. My friend sends me something cool. I fall in love with it and want more, and I want to be able to listen to it in my car (for example). So I rush out and BUY THE CD. I never, ever would have bought the CD if my friend hadn’t clued me into the fact that this music existed in the first place. Until the music industry markets the stuff I like, I’ll find other ways to get at it. If they don’t like the methods I am using to find it and make them money, I don’t exactly feel guilty.
My name is Beadalin, and I love the mp3 format, and I use them to financially support the artists that created the music in the first place. So there.
Utter nonsense. The only protest was when ASCAP worked so that songwriters would get paid when people perform their songs. In other words, the complaints were from people wanting to get something for nothing instead of paying the artist for his creation. Like you.
And if no one is paying to hear the music, how the hell is anyone going to make money?
The only way for artists to make money from MP3s is if someone actually pays them. Period. Do you pay for the music you download? I think not.
Do record companies exploit artists? No doubt – but those who swap files are exploiting them even more. The record companies do pay some money to the artists. People downloading MP3s aren’t even doing that.
You can’t complain about record company ripoffs when you’re not paying for your downloads – you’re just trying to justify getting something for nothing.
It’s clear what the record companies will do: more manufactured acts. Brittney T-Shirts and merchandising. Music will become even more homogenized, since fewer record companies will take a chance on an act that isn’t going to have that sort of mass appeal (yes, make the joke that record companies already do this – however bad you think it is, if people aren’t paying for music, it will get worse). And without marketing clout, even the best group is going to barely make enough to survive.
Not bad at all – if you’re interested in writing a song or two for a hobby. But tell me – can an artist go to a grocery store and buy food just because the world hears his expression?
Artists deserve payment for their work. If you like an artist, then it’s reasonable you do something to support that artist. After all, if he doesn’t make money from his songs, he’ll have to take another job and write fewer of them. Wouldn’t you rather hear more songs from a favorite instead of less?
I’m with ya, RealityChuck, I really am. I agree that the artist should be paid for his/her work. Therefore, I am attempting to encourage in my own small way the creation of a functioning system whereby artists are paid for their work and I can access such work digitally. Those plans include a Mac and an Ipod mainly to use this new online music service they’re on about.
It seems a little crazy to me, though, to worry about the bads of mp3 and not acknowledge the goods. For example, I have bought five CD’s in the last month or so that I would never have heard of were it not for filesharing services. The model is a good one for unique or niche artists who otherwise are constrained to word of mouth.
File sharing is never going away. It would be nice if everyone was moral enough to support artists basically on an honor system, but that isn’t the case. We’ll have to create real incentives to go away from free filesharing and towards a subscrition or pay-for-play service. Things like standardized track names and information, strong compression formats with copy-protection, etc. Guilt over music theft will only go so far. This Apple venture seems like a good start.
It certainly is a problem if they do so without my permission. I can recall all of the AssHats who were bleating and screeching about how Metallica sucked because they were going after Napster. What none of the AssHats remembered or bothered to find out was that Metallica was upset because demos of songs they were working on were on Napster and Metallica didn’t want them to be heard because they didn’t feel the songs were ready to be heard, because they were demos, which means unfinished tracks.
Since Metallica or (insert name of artist here) is the one who sweated and worked and spent time coming up with the melody/lyrics/arrangement and put the whole thing together I think they have every right to determine when and how that music will be released and I know for damn sure they have the right to be compensated for their work.
You just don’t seem to get it, which is sad.
The sense of entitlement some of you people have is sickening:rolleyes:
Oh, as for your poster name,:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :wally :wally .
