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ps139

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I think RIAA sucks. They are a rich, money hungry organization which has lost touch with what music is all about.

Bands should make their money at concerts. CDs should get people to go to shows. If you can't entertain a live crowd, then you're not worth buying a CD of.
 
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nadroj1985

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ps139 said:
If you can't entertain a live crowd, then you're not worth buying a CD of.

Why not? Maybe there are some bands that don't do well in a live setting but make great studio albums. They would be worth buying a CD of. Nick Drake is a good example. He was a very introverted guy--hated playing live shows. But his albums are simply beautiful.
 
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ps139

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Good point. I was in an angry mood when I wrote that and went a little overboard.

I do not know what to do about a guy like Nick Drake.

I still believe that a band should make most of its money at shows - and the CD is to get the people there.

However, when I download a lot of someone's songs, I do go buy the CD, out of respect for the artist. If everyone would do that then the RIAA could not complain.

I just think the RIAA takes it way too far.
 
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Marissa

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^In this case also known as stealing.


I have no problem with folks who download a song here and there to see if they like the song/artist. I think share programs are great for this. If anything it only increases CD sales. I do this myself on occasion. I have no intention of spending $20 on an artist that has been recommended to me if I don't know I'll like them. I have spent $20 on a recommended artist after downloading a song or two and discovering they are that good.

People who get all their music from p2p networks however I do have a problem with. They can dodge the issue all they want but IMHO it is stealing, and that's wrong. I've heard the claim that "CD's are a too expensive" too many times. I don't understand why that justifies stealing. If something is too expensive then you simply do without. If enough people agree, the price will come down.

The RIAA probably needs to be more careful about who it sues (a 12 year old downloading the Brady bunch isn't real good for PR), but for the most part I'm not concerned. It can't touch me.
 
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ps139

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Marissa, what do you think of bands that encourage this? There are plenty of bands I know who love this - its free publicity - and they also allow tapers to set up at their shows, record tapes and CDs, and give them out or trade them in the parking lot after the show. Its the best way to build a dedicated fan base. That is how some of these bands got started - giving away free music because they know that many people aren't going to risk $20 on a CD purchase just because some guy they know says the band is good.

The RIAA probably needs to be more careful about who it sues (a 12 year old downloading the Brady bunch isn't real good for PR), but for the most part I'm not concerned. It can't touch me.
Yeah that is horrible PR. You know what I wish - that the RIAA would at least be honest, and not sue for thousands of dollars per song. Why not take the total cost of the CD, divide that by # of tracks, then calculate the actual value of the song.
 
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Breetai

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Bjorn Lynne! Sorry, I just like his stuff. I found it on the 'net and he offers free tracks.
 
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Breetai

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http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/legal/0,39020651,39118537,00.htm

I own over 400 CDs by the way. That doesn't include burned discs.
 
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Marissa

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I really don't know.

If a band has a contract with a recording company which includes the sole right to sell/distribute their music do they have the right to encourage their fans to ignore the law?

That's a sticky question and ultimately I'd lean towards no. They gave up that right when they signed the contract. In the instance of bands still establishing their fan base it's in the interest of the record company to allow this to happen, but that decision has to include them.

The sticky part is that they're not "selling" their music, but rather encouraging others not to buy it. It doesn't go against their contract, but it is dishonest. It goes against the intent, if not the letter of the agreement.
 
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Axver

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Personally, I download - or would if WinMX would kindly connect - and I really don't see anything wrong with it. Harp on to me about it being illegal all you want, but the fact of the matter is that I just don't care. I'm sick of getting ripped off by music stores charging way too much, and if I really want something, I will buy it. But as people have said, I'm not going to buy a CD just because someone else reckons it's good. And some stuff, while I like listening to it, I'm not prepared to buy (or don't have the money to buy). Not to mention the fact some stuff's hard to get.
 
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blackwasp

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I have to agree with ps139 and Axver, here. If a band is really about the music, they won't mind people downloading their music. How much has this really hurt the industry? Think of bands that have gone quadruple platinum, and they are charging $20 for a cd. That is a pretty penny. Although a live act may not define a band, if a band wants to pay the bills, they should be on the road. Also, if you really enjoy a band, you will buy their cd. If artists started writing albums again rather than hit singles accompanied by a dozen filler songs, sales would go up.
 
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Axver

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blackwasp said:
I have to agree with ... Axver, here.
Woah, when was the last time we agreed? Heh.

How much has this really hurt the industry?
I believe the figures are grossly overstated. Personally, I feel that if downloading should be illegal, so should the radio. You get songs for free off the radio, and you can even record them so that you can play whatever you want. With downloading, you're basically just creating your own radio station that plays only what you like.

Completely agree. A band needs to be able to do it live, I have little to no respect for a band that stinks live, can't pull the crowds, needs to rely on hit singles to make money, et cetera. I admire bands I've heard of that have made extremely well-selling CDs and didn't release any singles at all. That's what I call a good band. If a band is that good, they're going to get the massive sales whether there's downloading or not.

Basically, nothing can be done to stop downloading. If there's enough, people will always get what they want, and there's definitely enough people who want to download their music. It's the new radio, really.
 
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