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Well, I've never illegally downloaded a damn thing -- though I would think that artists wouldn't mind if curious consumers grip a song here and there --- that would only seem to help an artist sell his wares. If a music fan illegally downloads a song two and likes what he hears, he'll be more apt buy that album....and possibly any other albums that artist has produced...when he otherwise would never have considered even familiarizing himself with the material (you essentially made this point earlier, sherpa). If that is the motive of the "offender" from the beginning, I suppose one could make the argument that the downloading of a mere song or two is less like stealing and more like sampling a product on the market.
But those who blatantly worm their way around the law and the enterprise to expand their personal music catalogue without paying for it -- it's flat out stealing, and stealing is against the moral fabric of every society to ever exist. Whether it's a struggling artist or a multi-millionaire has nothing to do with fact that it is a breach of the ethical code civilized human beings abide by, does it?
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But those who blatantly worm their way around the law and the enterprise to expand their personal music catalogue without paying for it -- it's flat out stealing, and stealing is against the moral fabric of every society to ever exist. Whether it's a struggling artist or a multi-millionaire has nothing to do with fact that it is a breach of the ethical code civilized human beings abide by, does it?[/quote]
I aggree with that, personally i wouldnt go around downloading whole albums...i just download a song or 2.
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man, i post waaay too much on here..
have a good day guys
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I'm not much for downloading. The only computer I own is a crappy, outdated laptop that I bought way back in 2000 (with no CD burner), so my only option is to get my music the old fashioned way. I don't own an iPod or an MP3 player. Hell, I don't even have a freakin' cell phone. I currently own about 400 CDs, and I'd say that 98% of them are store bought. I have a few burned CDs that friends have given me, but that's pretty much it for me as far as free music goes. Honestly though, I wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoy having the original packaging, artwork, lyrics, etc... There's nothing better than walking into the store on new release day, buying the CD, cracking it open, and reading the liner notes while you listen to the album for the first time. In my opinion, no amount of downloading could ever be as fun as hanging out in a real-life record store.
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11 years? Pfft. And, yeah, I downloaded it. But actually hearing it is what pushed me to actually decide to purchase it once it comes out. I was unimpressed with By The Way, so I wasn't really thinking of dropping 20$ for this. But when I heard it, it was so amazing that I know I need to buy it. The Grateful Dead understood. Word of mouth, man. It's way better than any interview or billboard or marketing campaign.
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Yeah, but what if personA one downloads an album and doesn't like it so he deletes it from his harddrive? How does that hurt the artist? PersonA WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE ALBUM without previewing it first anyway. If personA likes the album enough he is inclined to go out and buy a copy at the local music store. If not, it's just a free preview that didn't lead the person to become a fan of the band. Pearl Jam just gave a free preview of their new record, so did Neil Young. If people like what they hear, they'll buy the record. I don't want to buy an album based on one or two songs. I like actually listening to a band that can make at least 6 good songs per album. Thus, I dl full albums. Fiona Apple just gained a fan because until I heard the leaked "EM" I wasn't a fan. Without the free listening, I wouldn't have gone to the store and paid 15 dollars without being confident I would like the music. See, I mentioned the Chilli Peppers and U2 earlier but in actuality I do not have any of their albums. Maybe I'll dl a free preview and if I like it, I'll be apt to go to Future Shop and buy it.
ALSO, what about the bands that come out in the open and ENCOURAGE DOWNLOADING?
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The problem with the downloading debate is the same as with the copyright debate: it's actually big and complex and people tend to try to make it simple.
There's a big difference between downloading whole albums so that you won't have to pay for them, and downloading albums so you can listen before you buy.
And it's up to the artist and the record company to decide how to present and distribute the work, so some may actually encourage downloading while others frown on it. Different bands promote themselves in different ways, the Dead being a prime example of a non-traditional approach that worked brilliantly.
That's why the record companies' wet dream, in which we can't download anything and they control our computers, and we are struck down by bolts of lightning if we try to copy a track from a CD to an mp3 player without paying an additional royalty, is just plain wrong. There's lots of legitimate uses for the technology.
But that doesn't change the fact that downloading an album so that you can have it without paying for it is ethically equivalent to shoplifting -- what Esthete said.
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I think Skippy and Esthete hit the nail on the head here. Most people would not buy an album if they downloaded a good copy off the internet. Tiger, you deserve kudos for going out and buying the album after downloading it. What if bands and record companies made a handful of songs from new albums available before their release date and did it in such a way that fans or interested buyers could download or stream the song on a digital player for a couple days before they lose access to the songs? I think that would be a great way for bands to entice listeners to buy their albums.
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you know what, right now, I don't have any money at all to buy cd's with, and there's no friggin way in hell that i wouldn't not dl the albums i want for free...music is like oxygen to me...I NEED IT TO LIVE...i have a record collection of well over 300+ cd's (not to mention all the shitty ones i pawned or gave away)...it's not that i'm trying to cheap out, i just don't have the cash to support my music habit (not to mention my other habits)...BUT, if an artist i like makes their way to Sudbury I NEVER miss the show, and if i can i buy a shirt, because IMO, that's the best way to support a band, they see more money from the shirts, and it gets their name out there more.
i still make sure to get real copies of The Tragically Hip, anything Billy Corgan, and i'm gonna have to eventually get myself a real copy of the new Tool too...but for the most part i simply can't afford not to dl music for free, if that offends some people i apologize.
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you must completely agree with me, seeing as you quoted my entire post...
i already said i was sorry if that offends anybody, but that's the truth? what do you want me to do? start shittin' out 20's like an ATM :roll:?
