Your opinion on downloading music?

Question

I was recently looking for sites where I could read comics online for free, and for many posts, there was always at least one person against the idea of having media online for free, that it's stealing. Which got me to thinking about downloading music. I get a lot of my music from the local library system. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. In fact, most of the librarians enjoy seeing me ordering all sorts of C.D.'s. I don't know any person who enjoys music and has never downloaded at least one song. So is it really that different than downloading music? Or how about other media? TV, movies, books, comics, and so on.

Let's hear some opinions. (I know this questions been brought up before- Sorry for the repeat)

Answer 1

well i prefer downloading music because i don't have the liquid money that some do... it's hard for me to spare ten bucks.. i usually use friends' computers.. i don't have one of my own..



i thought about this too. people bring up this statment: "downloading music is piracy, piracy is stealing"



now think about this... is it stealing? when you download a file, you aren't stealing it.. merely copying the file. the original owner still has it. is it wrong to copy?



if i wanted your nice hd tv and could clone one if you let me.. would you let me?



keep in mind that this is down at the consumer level..

back up at the top (the artist who MADE the songs)



he's probably thinking...



i made one album and only half the people paid for it.. the other half didn't.. that's a 50% loss of profits... (is it a loss if it never was there? i think it's 50% loss of "potential profits")



....





bottom line, it's all in perspective. i personally don't think it's wrong, for it's merely a copy. it's like borrowing stuff from the library... you can check out a cd from the library and listen to it. so what's wrong with putting that media on your computer and listening to it later? the only difference between librarys and "piracy" is that you have to keep going back to the library, whereas piracy, you keep it and don't have to keep getting it again... big deal? it's all in perspective..

Answer 2

I personally don't have a problem with downloading music. I'm usually way too broke to buy CD's anyways...if I had the money then I would do it because I like the album art and it's just easier.



However, I will NOT download music from independent artists, I know a lot of bands who are on indie labels and they don't make hardly any money from it, and what money they do make goes back into the band. I make sure to support the underground and local underground bands. Plus, I prefer the sound of vinyls :)

But I really don't feel bad when it's a successful mainstream band...they have enough money, besides..the big bad record companies take a huge chunk of it..and I can still be supportive by getting other people into them and going to shows.

Answer 3

You can call me a flip flopper politically if you like, but I have definitely changed my position on this issue. I loved Napster back in the day, before Lars looked like a jerk and all that good stuff, but it was because I didn't really think of both the impact on the music industry in general and the little guy if you will.

The fact of the matter is that between home recording a professional product being as cheap as it's become and the importance of cost analysis that happens whenever you're talking about a high profile distributor you're talking about an excuse to take less chances financially. Thus, you're talking about justification for a lesser product. Less payout means less money put in. There is truth to the fact that mainstream music is less inventive now-a-days. Part of that has to do with internet commerce/lack of commerce.

Look. So you're denying the contract to a soon to be rich dude, but think of the second point. Think of the little guy that is teetering between being able to be a musician and work part time, when they're not touring in a record store or something a much more common story than you may think). I remember being amazed when I found out how late in their careers Rocket From the Crypt for instance got to quit their day jobs. By downloading without buying you're going right out of their pockets.

Now-a-days there are places where they will give you what you want. Why not just take that and if you want more buy a record? You can, via myspace get practically get half a record for free anyways. Or if you just like one song by a band it's all of $0.99. That's a new thing, we never had that option. It's just fair. It costs a lot of money to make a record. I think a lot of people take that for granted, especially for the little guys who don't have fat contracts.



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that's just my opinion on the subject. I'm not talking about you particularly, just the culture.



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I get what you're saying Nate, and I see the logic, but I feel comfortable saying that you don't get the big picture. That logic works great if the only bands you're downloading are Metallica, R.E.M., and Christina Aguilera, but that's not the only people it effects. It's a slippery slope. That and you're degrading the quality of what you purchase by making that decision.



Let the people decide, not to be condescending, but only if it was so simple.

Answer 4

I think the prices for CD's today are outrageous. First of all you are paying almost $20 for a CD with songs that isn't even filled up. I buy packs of CD's that have like 100 CD's for $30-40. However, I do believe that if I am going to download their music for free, I'll buy a t-shirt or something like that so the band does get the money, but all and all I don't see the problem in downloading music for free.

Answer 5

I USED to burn CDs and tapes like everyone else did too. But then I stopped many years ago because I saw that it is was wrong with the piracy stuff going on. I refuse to download anything unless I'm going to pay $1.00 for each song, etc.



So, now I buy the full CDs to make sure the Artists get paid thier royalties, etc. I dont want to steal music from the Artists I enjoy listening too. Its a real touchy thing these days.

Answer 6

I personally don't the see the big issue with downloading music or any other type of media. A lot of times, downloading songs off of the internet help me get to know an artist and then buy future CDs and go to concerts. Big time artists make plenty of money as it is and downloading a few of their songs is NOT going to put them on the street.



It's really no different than listening to a song on the radio and recording it. It goes for any type of media really. If I find material that I really really like, it just makes me want to buy the actual thing more.



But that's just me.

Answer 7

I have not paid for a song in over 4 years. I'm not going to buy a CD just for one song. I know that Nelly ptiched a fit about it. Why should I pay "too much" for a CD. Just so he can live in a million dollar mansion? Lower the price to a reasonable amount. Then maybe we won't feel the need to download of the internet. Some may call it stealing. I don't see any difference in taking it from a shareware program or making my friends a copy from my CD.

Answer 8

I download music all the time. I feel bad sometimes, but I think of it like this, if I was a musician, I would rather have people listen to my music without me getting any money from it, than have them not listen to my music at all. I think it's more important to get your music out there than to get paid.



That said, I very rarely download entire albums without the intention of buying it later. Well, except for leaked albums. But I think the people who are so eager that they download a leaked album are the same people who's gonna buy a dozen copies of it later on and give them to all their friends for their birthdays. Basically, if I download a few songs from an album or a leaked album, and I like it, I'll most likely end up buying a physical copy.



Honestly, I don't think downloading entire albums even hurts the musician that much, I think it's just my conscience catching up to me. It's like, unless you've gone platinum, most bands don't really make that much money from selling records either way, and they get most of their salary from live shows and selling merch. It's kinda weird to say, but I think being able to download music illegally keeps a lot of bands grounded.

Answer 9

Hmmm...pay $20 for an album to listen to the one single that everybody loves, and ignore every other song, and rip it to your iPod, while at the same time feeding the douche bag record companies so they can hire more lawyers to rape all the people who don't buy CD's (which actuallynever happens anymore) or open up utorrent or limewire, type in a song name, download it in about 30 sec, then upload it to your iPod.



Don't get me started on ituenes either.



Lets let the people decide

Answer 10

I'm old-school, I love buying albums on CD. I don't download because I'd like to eventually own a big CD collection, and downloading illegally is not helping the music industry at all.

Answer 11

I don't like free music for a few reasons:

1. The song might not be the real deal.

2. Artist dersives credit for creating the music you are downloading. They should get some money for it.

3. You could get in serious trouble if you are not careful.

Answer 12

It is technically stealing because you are being able to take an artist's work and get it for free, which means they don't profit from it. However, I love downloading illegally, especially since the artists I download are sitting on piles of cash (some of it probably shoved up their arses) so why do they need MORE money?

Answer 13

I like buying CD's because I like to support bands. Plus I like to have something tangible.



Edit: In respond to the post above me, I have never bought a CD over 13 dollars. I don't know where you are getting your CD's, but you should probably change stores.

Answer 14

i buy all music. I love Cds. its just something that people who download music will never get to expierence. Also downloading music usually leads to a slow, overworked computer. When I give my friend who downloads a Cd it takes 1 hour to put it on her computer when it takes me 5 minutes.



I don't mind the money since thats practically where all of the money I spend goes to.

Answer 15

i'm a pretty old-school type for a teenager, so i prefer buying CDs to downloading music for the following reasons:

1. no one can file a lawsuit against you

2. i prefer stereo sound systems to ipods. they don't need charging, and it basically surrounds your room with sound.

3. it's quicker to buy a CD than spend hours downloading a whole album.

4. for me, a helluvah CD collection is more impressive and timeless than a 30 gig mp3/mp4 player.

-venom spd

Answer 16

Im pro limewire and w/e other program yall use.. Sharing music online is never gonna stop... i got my computer a couple months ago and ive already got 1200 songs.. so bring on the music!

Answer 17

I own 700+ music CDs, so you gotta know what I think.

downloading anything without paying is stealing, but this is the modern age, that seems to be the norm.

Answer 18

i think buy a CD is good.but downloading album on the Internet is better because you can save your money.If you downloading music in web it doesn't get lot of time.try orbit download re it is easy to download.have a nice day.



if you want to download orbit just type 'orbit download er' in google.

Answer 19

Everyone downloads music...its a good way to get the song you want at the same time you want it.

Answer 20

Illegal.