How to buy new album without giving money to RIAA?

[rivergoat]

They're not really trying to stop pirating/trading/illegally downloading... they know that's really impossible (at this point). But they figure the average Joe won't jump into the water if people are screaming about how cold it is. In other words, they're going to hit the biggest offenders blatantly, publicly, thereby "making an example" of them in order to discourage dilettantes from either getting into it or continuing.

just my thoughts...


goat

 

[anitram]

Is it stealing? Yes.

The biggest problem the RIAA (and music industry employees) face, IMO, is the perception among the public that these people are overpaid, greedy bastards. Clearly, this is not extended to behind the scenes workers, but the public doesn't see that. Any time I've asked someone why they download, they've told me that they don't give a shit about JLo's ass losing money when they see her parading around in clothes worth more than their yearly salary. This is the main problem - the face of the music industry are ridiculously overpaid "stars" with melodramas and clothing lines ridiculous jewelry and that's all Joe Shmoe on the street sees and when he gets up at 6 am to go to work at his factory, he doesn't give a half a crap about the 7 songs he downloaded the night before.

 

[elfyx]

Is it stealing? Yes.

No. It is not.

It is copyright infringement. There is a huge ethical and legal difference between the two. It is why in all court filings the word 'theft' does not appear.

Nor is it piracy. This disengenuous term was perpetrated by RIAA lawyers in order to psychologically associate mean, dirty, lying, stealing, murderous "pirates" with one who infringes on copyright (which in itself isn't even downloading; only uploaded or sharing). It got so bad that the US court system forced their lawyers to stop saying it.

I'm not trying to go buck on the system; just that the issue is muddy and unclear enough as it is (just the way the RIAA wants it). Copyright infringement, and fair use is pretty well defined in current US law and clearly different than 'stealing' or 'piracy'.

Not that I think it's OK- I don't. Copyright infringement is wrong, and I think real change needs to come from within - changes such as the Creative Commons License, new distribution methods to crack the recording cartel, and micropayments. There are tons of very creative, ethical, and legal solutions- but artists and consumers are working against an unethical system that would rather take the industry down with it (or better yet; legislate all of its problems away).

 

[anitram]

How is "piracy" not stealing?

Hell, there is a Chinese mall in Toronto where you can buy 4 DVDs (any movie you want) for $25. They are burned copies or official releases, and the store is directly profiting by selling and distributing them at ultra-low prices.

 

[markoajda]

Is it stealing? Yes.

The biggest problem the RIAA (and music industry employees) face, IMO, is the perception among the public that these people are overpaid, greedy bastards. Clearly, this is not extended to behind the scenes workers, but the public doesn't see that. Any time I've asked someone why they download, they've told me that they don't give a shit about JLo's ass losing money when they see her parading around in clothes worth more than their yearly salary. This is the main problem - the face of the music industry are ridiculously overpaid "stars" with melodramas and clothing lines ridiculous jewelry and that's all Joe Shmoe on the street sees and when he gets up at 6 am to go to work at his factory, he doesn't give a half a crap about the 7 songs he downloaded the night before.

That's a good point. I couldn't agree more.

 

[Zoomerang96]

So stealing is ok, then?

well then, i hope you never ever taped a song off the radio!

that'd be STEALING!

 

[cmb737]

For those of you who do not belive that downloading is hurting the industry you are living in a state of denial.

Fact: 1991 1 in 10 albums made by a major label actually MAKES money, meaning that more money is made in sales than it cost to make and promote. 1 in 10.

Fact: 2004 1 in 20 albums made by a major label actually MAKES money. That means that U2 being number one is paying for NINETEEN other albums.

There is a direct correlation between the proliferation of peer to peer networks and the mp3 codec and terrific sales losses. I believe someone earlier in this post stated that more albums are being sold now than 5 or 10 years ago. There is nothing further from the truth.

There is a large movement around the globe towards MP3 and its benefits, but it is an unsecure format. Unless artists (and more imporantly the record companies that finance them) are paid for their work, they cannot afford to sign artists, take chances on artists, promote diverse musical genres, and continue in the business.

I cannot fathom stealing an artists work because you can. It makes me sick when I fly on planes and see kids with CD books full of hundreds of burned CD's. This is not the 80's, there are not a lot of people making handfuls of money left and right in the music industry anymore. There are some, but the majority on the production side like myself struggle from job to job as an audio professional. The average assistant engineer in Nashville makes $16,000 a year, the average engineer $35,000 a year. Tough times. They also lose most of their marriages as they put in 100's of hours a week trying to make it.

U2 is a member of the RIAA by choice through their contractual association with Universal Music. They understand their copyright rights and want them protected. There are marginal estimates that state that a band of U2's size has lost anywhere from 15 to 20 million album sales worldwide because of illegal file sharing.

Sorry to rant. It just really infuriates me to read posts by people that have no working knowledge of the industry. It isn't all fast cars and heroine.

 

[Zoomerang96]

then be sure to buy the products and services advertised on your favourite radio stations.

ok, i admit that's not really all that fair...

 

[david]

Buy it used?

I'd look at the first two pages of this thread, but I am too lazy. I bet I even responded to this thread a long time ago. But I am too lazy to look at the first page.

Gosh I am lazy.