Poll: If you had the opportunity to get all music for free off the internet (using programs like Napster or Kazaa) would you, or would you still buy CDs (or another means of recording)?
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Yes, free music is free music
21.74%
5 21.74%
No, it's wrong, and shouldn't be allowed
4.35%
1 4.35%
I would take advantage of the program, but still support the artists by buying the occasional album
65.22%
15 65.22%
Metallica should be beaten with concrete-filled milk jugs
8.70%
2 8.70%
Total 23 vote(s) 100%
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Music Download
#1
I use Kazaa to download music that I either can't find anywhere else, or to see if I would like the album. If I like what i hear, then I'll go out and buy the album (which is the same as getting a free demo disc at a record store). There is specifically the band 12 Rounds that I love, and would support if I was able, but their discs can't be found at any local record stores, and I have no way of buying merchandise off the web (e.g., no credit cards, etc.), so I am forced to download all their stuff off the net. It's real frustrating when I can't support my favorite artists, so I resort to downloading them for free off the net, but it's not my first choice.
Besides, if you don't have much money, then every new disc you get you'll savor all the more, since you don't have an abundance. ^_^
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#2
That's pretty much the way I feel. I use the net to see if it's worth the expense. Some bands even spread their own material through filesharing programs on top of hosting them on their website.

I find the only people who complain are the ones who make money off the industry and have huge payments to make.
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#3
I'm in the same boat as wha? expect i make millions of the recording industry:PB)
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#4
I'd just like to point out for those don't get it, they do NOT mean me!
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#5
damnit, i voted before reading all the choices
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#6
can I vote for that last 2..or do I HAVE to choose one
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#7
C all the way:P

Whenever I go down to the theatre to watch a movie I usually stop by Tower Records to check out some albums, if I see something I like, I pick it out.
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#8
Think about all the poor hapless artist that no one would ever listen to their music if not for the radio(free) or the net(free). If their music is good it will sustain and then they can raise ticket prices to see concerts since everyone is saving so much on the free music on the net. It's not the artist who will suffer, its the recording labels that probably will hurt and they will just figure something else out. Remember how many artist they screwed over making millions because they signed them early when the artist just wanted to play. An artist is gonna make music regardless of finances, its up to us to be able to listen to it.
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#9
Well, to a point Downloading music off the internet can be bad. I mean supposedly 30% of sales on CDS have gone down. I download most of the songs I get because A) I don't have a job yet to buy the cds B)CDs are expensive and lastly C) I don't like all of the songs I listen to by the same band. So I think since they're starting to crack down on the downloading music then the record companies should lower their cd prices.
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#10
competition, competition, competition. Now who ever said that it was there inalienable right to make a billion dollars off of us. Compare: a=artist selling a ton of cd's, b=artist wishing they were heard by anyone, the world is not seen by the same eyes, either way you hurt one of them.
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#11
Me and a few friends had a conversation about piracy and the future of the music/movie industry a few days ago. I really, *REALLY* doubt that there will be anything that will put a stop to piracy as it is now, small, easy to share mp3s and DIVX encoded movies that have high quality sound and picture, my friends agreed. What I beleive the next step for the industry is: Quality. Let me explain, once they realize there's no possible way of putting an end to piracy, there will be a marketing boom, the industries will have to find a reason for people to WANT to buy their movies and music, the answer? High-capacity disks. Ever seen a 50gb disk? I have, it's kept in a clear cartridge, because any small scratch will damage the disk, thus making the scratched segment unplayable. Mp3s and DIVX movies off the net are of mid-good quality, but nothing compared to 256-bit quality sound, or DvD+ quality picture (you can get some actual DVD rips off the net, but they take very long to download even on broadband). Some new encoding will have to be released, with better quality, but obviously, will have take up a lot more space. Thus, the problem is solved, people will want to buy higher quality merchandise, who wouldn't want to see The Matrix at some insane resolution on their HDTV on some super-DvD player? Or listen to 256-bit quality music over their stereo or comp?

Of course, none of this can be accomplished now, because of the small technological advances that have to take place, but I'm almost sure this is exactly what's going to happen in ~10 years.
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#12
Napster was an amazing phenomenon, and there are a lot of artists that also own (or highly invest in) record companies, for example, Trent Reznor, of nine inch nails. when that artist realizes that people are downloading music for free, not only are they losing money through their distributing industry, but they also seem to take it personally as an artist. still, i don't think it has to do with greed.

but when that artist decides to make extremely expensive and rare recordings (in three different freaking formats), then i have no choice but to get it elsewhere, when it isn't in the store, and i don't have $20 to spend on a three-and-a-half track disc. now THAT'S piracy.
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#13
You know, free distribution of music is sometimes a good thing for sales. Example, at first, I downloaded several NIN mp3s, I like his music, now I own three albums, same with Interpol.
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#14
yah, i agree. it's kind of like "word-of-mouth" on a much larger scale. so mondo amounts of people end up buying albums anyway.
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#15
totally agree....I know I will buy the CD if I like the songs on freebie...not that I ever d/l a song for free....I hear that may be illegal:rolleyes:
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#16
i said the last one cuz it sounded funny and had no point with the vote hahaa
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#17
Quote:I hear that may be illegal

Downloading songs is only illegal if you have something like 2,000... Those are people who never buy cd's and simply download every cd or song they want, I only really download songs to make mixed cd's or just songs that Aren't on a very worthwhile cd. i.e. a Three-and-a-half track $20 cd
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#18
Universal or what ever they are called up here in Canada is cutting prices very soon like maybe this week. CDs that used to cost 20 Bucks Canadian should now only cost about 15 bucks Canadian, they have said that all their CDs will be 15 bucks or cheaper. They are saying they are not doing this because people are downloading alot of songs, they say they are doing it because the people have asked for it. The people have been screaming for lower CD prices for many many years now.


I have some rules when I am buying CDs.

If I don't like at least 50% of the songs on the CD, I will not buy it.

If there is only like 40 minutes of songs and the CD costs more then 8 bucks, I won't buy it. That is so much wasted space that more songs could be on there.

If the CD costs more then 20 bucks, I will not buy it.


Due to these rules I have not bought many CDs in the last few years. Most of the groups I like I only like 2 or 3 songs from the CD at most. There are a few exceptions like Gwar where I like most of their songs, but around here their CDs are usually more then 20 bucks Canadian. I like them, but I'm not rich. Also Their CDs are hard to find and I usually have to take a trip into Halifax to find them.


I download music now and then. If I have much music on and a good song comes up I will download it. I will then check out the full CD. If I like most of the songs from it, I will get it. If I don't like most of the songs, I will delete the ones I don't like and keep the ones I do like.

Canadians still can't buy music online, also I don't have a credit card so even if there was a place for me to buy them online I couldn't.

Sure downloading is wrong, but untill prices get better, they stop putting filler songs on to CDs and they start filling up CDs fully, thats when I will start buying more CDs
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#19
Oh ya and I also search for very rare songs. I have a few songs that are remixes that you just can't buy anywhere and I would never have found them without the P2P programs.

I found a very rare song by Megadeth a bunch of years ago called "One Thing". I asked all my friends that like metal if they had ever heard of it before and they said no, but they loved it. It took me about 3 weeks to finally track down that it was a special release on the CDs over in Japan only.


So I find this is a perfectly good reason to download some mp3s.
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#20
Gwar..you're asking for the impossible.. more songs with lower prices?? I mean don't get me wrong I wish for that too but, I don't think that's ever gonna happen..
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#21
It may not be legal for you to download songs, but it isn't legal for the RIAA (or any other similar organization) to scan your comp for songs either, invasion of privacy, there's a big court arguement going on about it right now.
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#22
It's one of those things where the problem is only really a problem when the people looking at it don't think very well. Like that whole "faked moon landing" thing.

I know I wouldn't be looking for (or have) any albums if I didn't have illigit mp3s, and as it would appear, most people here are the same.

Two major advantages:
[*]People are more likely to buy an album from an artist, especially if they have singles playing on mass media.
[*]A band can get an international fan base without the massive expense of overseas travel.

Given the current means for online purchase of merchandise, and international shipping of said goods, those two things can mean a whole lot more cash for the people who are currently complaining.
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#23
2 major things have affected the mp3 downloading. The first being the release of broadband for home use, and the 2nd being downloadable programs to download mp3's (P2P). Their were webistes that had the mainstream radio bands singles as mp3's for download, but those would be on homemade sites, so not the easiest to find, and with a dialup modem, longer to download, it was a pain in the butt. But programs like napster made it easy to find what your looking for, and broadband made the download fast, it was then the recording companies start whinning (as well as mettallica).

Radio only has so much time to play songs (24 hours in a day) thus being limited in what they can play (ignoring the commercial aspect of it). The internet being almost infinite in what can hold and how much of it. There is a lot of music floating around on thei internet, that radio wouldnt touch with a ten foot electric branding pole, thus creating somewhere else for them to go. Where else are they going to potentially reach millions of people with their product?

I've reached a point (thanks to the internet) where i go to a music store and say "do you have any dredg?" and the reply i've gotten on more then one occasion would be "who?" So even if you wanted to support a band by buying their music, it would be difficult (espically since i dont have a credit card). BTW i have supported Dredg by going to one of their shows.
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#24
That's why my first post is the only thinkable solution:P

It's actually just innevitability, the industries just have to pull their heads out of their asses and think straight.
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#25
people have always copied video's, cassettes, and even songs on the radio,. only now that it is spreading are they complaining, how come the burners/recorders aren't illegal?
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#26
You know, it's interesting how several companies that have united with the RIAA (including Microsoft and AMD) are being paid by the GOVERNMENT to produce new software and hardware that will attempt to eliminate digital piracy, has anybody heard of Window's new plan for their future home-use OS? Damnit, if only I could find the article, read it so long ago. It's stupid, they're trying to incriminate millions and millions of people, or just set an example by imprisoning thousands upon thousands, in the end, hackers and programmers will find a way to crack it, cheat it, and pirate it. Basically, the RIAA is trying to stop the innevitable, or who knows, maybe it's just a big plan to slow it down some.
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#27
This one time I have to unite with Acid. down with the naysayers.
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#28
A point about mettallica, they actually got big on cassatte sharing, and people passing that around in the 80's, and copying it, quite similar to mp3 downloading isnt it?
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#29
Well originally Mettallica was a "f the industry, we're gonna do our own shit" kind of band, that's why a lot of people dislike the Mettallica of today.
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#30
Since the price of CD's will soon be lowered to $10 or lower, I will buy a lot more of them. I download off Kazza now, but it's such a pain in the ass to try to get a whole album of anything, not to mention the fact that you can easily download corrupt files. The quality isn't nearly as good as the real cd by the time you dl it and burn it. And it's always nice to have the case and look at the pictures and stuff too.

I don't feel bad for the record industry really for it's 30% loss in profits. Who's to say that is directly related to file sharing anyway, blame it on the economy and possibly on all the crap music that is out there. Don't feel too sorry for the musicians, most struggling bands don't make much off album sales anyway, they make their money by touring. And the bands that do make money on albums such as Metallica are filthy rich anyway, they should just be thankful people are still listening to their sorry excuse of a band, anyway!
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