Start All the Illegal Downloading of Music
I heard today that Radiohead’s old record label:Parlophone is releasing a best of album and it got me thinking about all this illegal downloading of music hoopla.
It seems that labels and bands are really battling to make money these days, and with the fact that illegal downloading of music is so prevalent the music industry has been really battling to keep their profits alive. The music industry is changing with the major availability of free music downloads online.
So I say: keep changing.
For the past few years I have been saying that bands are going to have to change the way they make money. I really don’t think they will be able to stop all of the illegal downloading of music, so they should just roll with it. Like most people I am an advocate of the prospect of free music. Lots of bands now are offering their singles and albums as free downloads, which is a major step in the right direction. Sure bands will loose a lot of profit from album sales, but they can surely make it up in other areas.
This trend of downloading music off of the internet will benefit the fans in the long run. If a band cannot make money from album sales any longer they will have to figure out a new way to monetize, or work harder at current avenues of income.
Such as touring.
This is my theory: If you want to see your favourite bands live, more often. You need to start downloadiong even more of their music. This loss in sales will force bands to tour more often to make up for the lost of album sales. Sure it’s a kick in the junk, but like I said earlier: the music industry is changing. It’s now time to head to a site like Mp3Rocket.com , sign up and start downloading.
Of course free music downloading can also help new bands. I was talking to Ryan McCullagh of The Paper Cranes today and he said that if it weren’t for free music downloads they would have much less of a fan base than they do now. To me free music means that more people will be introduced to bands, and with more fans, more tickets sales for when they tour. It makes sense to me.
I don’t think that this illegal downloading of music will have a negative impact on bands if they look at this situation from a different perspective. Business models change all the time, musicians will just have to deal with it
Jun 4th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Young artists need the exposure; that’s why they don’t mind the illegal downloading of their music. However, established artists have nothing to gain from illegal downloading.
Why should they give anything away for free without being compensated? The artists aren’t at fault here, they should be paid for their work.
Jun 4th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Totally agree. To an extent. The actual revenue loss hasn’t happened yet. A lot of studios and labels keep showing PREDICTED earnings, not ACTUAL earnings. The truth of the matter is, workarounds have been happening since the late 90’s to offset these prospective losses (the CD-R levee for example). They’ve been keeping up with the times and technology as well; most recently we’ve seen a $2 levee put on MP3 players and 10% on memory cards. These revenues go straight to the labels.
On very rare occasions do the bands actually rail against downloading, simply because the downloading mostly hurts the labels. Bands make their money from touring (as you said), meager per diems for airplay and sometimes merchandising.
Since you posted their photo, let’s talk about Metallica. They’ve certainly been the most vocal about this, even going so far as to carry lawsuits against downloaders. They’re also sizeable share-owners in Warner Brothers Music, so downloading does effect them via stock pricing. Musicially, they’re uneffected. They’ve sucked fucking balls since before the inter-web got popular with the kids and they’ll continue to do so because they still get paid.
The only possible thing DLing music can do is hurt the labels. And that would mean less Miley Cyrus. Is this a problem?
Jun 5th, 2008 at 12:38 am
@Mike: Established artist may have nothing to gain from illegal downloading, but the fact is it is happening, and probably will not stop. Think about the software industry and how prices soared because of illegal downloading. This will most likely happen to CD sales as well.
I would consider ColdPlay an ‘established band’ but I never listened to their music until they offered a free download of their latest single on their website. Established bands can still grow their fan base. The “download fan base” growth is just more noticeable with young bands.
As I said earlier the music industry is really changing, I think the bands that adopt a new business model quickly will have a see some major profits when it comes to “Music 2.0″ (I though I made up that term but it seems it has been coined before).
@Robin: You stay away from Miley. I’ve got my sights set on you and their ready to aim…
Jun 5th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
@The White: Miley Cyrus has all the talent of a syphilitic nut-sac.
Jun 6th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Im gonna go with a really hardline aproach to this one. Given the digital era we live in today, where practicly anyone with half a brain, and a decent computer can rip CDs, and DVDs and all that shit….. if you dont want people to share their digital media : DONT FUCKING RECORD IT. Thats realy the only way it will ever stop the illegal trade om digital media. You dont want people to have illegal/FREE copies of your new movie ??… Too bad for you. Dont make movies anymore. Dont want people to have illegal/FREE copies of your new album ?? Again … too bad.
Im with you The White. If you want to be making money in the music biz…. its time to try something else. Cuz the Average Joe, like myself, doesnt give a crap about how much less money the bands and their superiors or subordiantes are getting. WE want to save OUR money. IF that means I have to illegaly DL music, and other such things…. Ill do it. And I wont feel the least bit bad about it.
Another thing…. if a band gets into the biz just to become super rich… its likely not a band Id be interested in anyhow. So again….. FUCKEM !!
The Duck.
Jun 6th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Personally I’m all up for doing my part and buying an album. Everyone loves to look over to their shelf of music and dream of one day having a collection that makes the Smithsonian phone up and ask to borrow it. That being said, I’m sure as hell not willing to pay 25 dollars for crap music that won’t be remebered in two months. If music companies focus on producing music that made us WANT to buy the cd, then everyone would be happier. Untill then ARRRRGGGGG I’ll be downloading a sweet booty!
Jun 8th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
As a developer of donationware, I can tell you that the easiest way to stop piracy of both software & music is to give it away and let the fans decide how much it is worth to them and how much they want to pay for it.
I am one of those people that listens to and promotes free legal music downloads, especially from independent artists. And I love CC licensed music that comes with the right to share.
There are a great many artists that are embracing the idea of free downloads. And more and more are moving into the area of self marketing, cutting out the middle man that the RIAA is, and that’s what the RIAA doesn’t like.
They want to monopolize the music industry till the end of time. They want control and a piece of the pie from every artist that records a song. In fact, they want a bigger piece of the pie than the artist gets.
They have a long history of cheating artists out of their fair share, and bullying everyone…from fans, to retailers, to radio stations, to artists. Do a little research into the plight of the average African-American artist from the 50’s & 60’s and how most ended up broke, but the labels ended up filthy rich off their sweat. They used to use Mafia tactics, where they negotiated contracts with these artists with a baseball bat…literally.
If you want to see real change in the music industry, and artists finally making the money they deserve, stay away from handing money to the RIAA. Don’t buy anything from their labels. Contact the artist and ask him if he has a paypal link and offer to make a direct donation. Then go steal his music with a clean conscience. If you can’t do that, then go see a concert and make sure you come home with some merchandise like a t-shirt.
Only purchase a CD from non-RIAA labels. You can find out who is who at riaaradar.com. They even have a mobile version of their site, so you can check while you are in line at the music store.
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