How Has P2P Effect Music?

[brandondrury]

How do you guys think that peer to peer software and "illegal downloading" has effected music and the music industry?

Brandon

[lostpossum]

It has definitely created a huge drop in albums sales.... But here's the thing... CD's are MUCH cheaper to make than albums or cassettes, so why has the price steadily gone up? We know that albums can be sold cheaply. Go to Target, they sell new albums for 6.99 sometimes... So it's possible to do it. And sure, they are probably not making much off those records, but....

The focus needs to be shifted away from the industry and back to the bands. There is no other business that I know of, that deals like the music industry. If I make chainsaws, I build them, and ship them from my factory to each and every retailer... From me to Walmart, and that's where you buy it.

The music industry makes my album, then ships it to a distributor, who buys it, then they mark it up, and sell it to retail. Why do we need the middleman raising the price? Why should they get a cut of my art?

If we could go out and buy an album for 8 to 10 bucks, more people would buy more cd's. Period. Who wants to pay 18 dollars for a CD, I sure don't.

Number two... Less shitty music. If we have one stupid pop princess, that's enough. This is totally the labels' fault. It makes sense when you hear U2 or Springsteen say that if they came out today, they would never make it past one album. Labels never think longterm anymore. I give you William Hung...

I think the idea of file-sharing is a cool idea. But it's just been used in the wrong way. The bands should have taken control early on and set the market for what was being traded... Offer free live songs, or unreleased tracks here and there. But instead, they all sat back and didn't know what to do. And just waited, got mad, and tried to fight it. All that does is piss off your fans.

I've seen several bands more than once. I have their albums, I have bought T-shirts, etc... And then there's Metallica. I have always somewhat liked Metallica, but I never bought any of their early work. And I never planned to. Instead, I borrowed all the early stuff from a friend and burned it. (for the sake of the argument, let's say I downloaded it all) Now that I have heard it, I am more apt to go see them live. And I never would have before.... And I might buy a shirt, and I might also buy their next album.

Had I not gotten a copy of their music, I wouldn't consider any of this... So, are they losing??? Or are they winning in the long run?

I don't agree with downloading everything. I am a music fan, so I buy albums... I will continue to do so, as long as decent music is coming out. Most of the people who are downloading, are just casual listeners, who would never buy the stuff anyway.

I have been to a few people's houses and seen the playlist on their computers... It's crap. You could pop a tape in and record the pop station and get the same effect.

I would imagine this is the majority of the downloading that's going on. "I want this song by that guy, and this song by that other guy" blah blah....

The best way to fight this, is by offering better music at a better price. And by giving the artists more control and more profit from the sale of their music. The industry is slowly starting to do this. Bands are now including bonus stuff in their albums, DVD's, etc...

It is slowly headed in the right direction, it's just a shame that they only move defensively, and never offensively. Why do it just to slow downloading, why not do it to reward the people who support your business... Without consumers, you have no music industry.

[brandondrury]

Good post, Lostpossum.

You made a lot of great points. In my opinion, the only sales that have been lost due to downloading are the compilation cds and one hit wonders. I remember all those god damned MTV Party To Go deals when I was in my early teens. All the "Heartland Music Presents" type of deals. Those are done. I'm guessing that not many people are rushing out to pick up each Bananarama album when you download Cruel Summer and be done with it. In fact, Cruel Summer is fun twice (my threshold may be higher than yours). After that, I'm bored. You'd certainly not use Cruel Summer as a motivator to buy an 80s pop music compilation anymore.

I always say "hear" a song because I really don't totally understand what it means to own a song. I can own a cd. So for me, I don't see an overwhelming difference between hearing Micheal Jackson on a NBC show vs downloading and hearing it. I guess Micheal is getting paid on NBC.

I actually like the way that Courtney Love said it in her I article that I linked to somewhere around here. She compared a musician to a waiter. If you like them, you give them a tip. To me, especially at this stage in my life when I'm not easily impressed, I'm not going to be blown away often. When I find something I like, I feel obligated to leave a nice tip.

Of course, there was a day when you had to shell out $15 or more to even hear a song. The fact that it's optional means that the people are less likely to actually spend the money. However, in my case, my Christmas list is not exactly full. Meaning, there haven't been that many cds released that are worth a shit. This is the problem for me.

Brandon

[TAlderson]

The problem is, msuic has become another form of merchandise, something to listen to while wearing your brand-name clothes, walking in your brand-name shoes, and obsessing over what to get. Buying music (or what passes for it nowadays) has become the same to many as buying an Abercrombie sweater, just another way to show that you are cool. So, like the outrageous prices for clothing (Like paying $40 for a t-shirt that cost 50 cents to make), music prices have risen. Except, you can download and share music. So, people have fought back. I think that P2P is a good thing, because it will eventually force the labels to lower their prices in order to get people to stop sharing and start buying.

-Tyler

[brandondrury]

Interesting your mention overpriced clothing.

I've always been knowing for being anti fashion. I'm still wearing my junior high basketball camp shirts and I'm 25.

I saw some idiots wearing $80 jeans recently and the most ridiculous shirts. My brother said " Wow!! They stole clothes from you". I guess I'm actually hip now by total accident. How does this happen? How is that people will just wear whatever is expensive at the mall? I couldn't imagine having an ethernet cable shoved in my skull just waiting to be updated by some programmer. Amazing.

Maybe music isn't much different than a stupid looking tshirt. I've never thought about it that way. Obviously, if you dedicate your life to music, then there is a deeper connection. hmm

Brandon

[TAlderson]

On the subject of clothes, have you seen the new "pre-ripped" jeans? It's the new fad, and, get this- They COST MORE than regular jeans? Same goes for pre-scuffed polo shirts.

My theory: Some poor sweatshop worker fucked up on the sewing machine. Afetr beating him and enslaving his family, they had to decide what to do with the jeans. "Let's make a new fad!" said one intern. "Good idea!" said the CEO.

So, the CEO took the idea (the intern was paid off so that he wouldn't talk), and Voila! New Fad!

-Tyler

[brandondrury]

I just got into a big discussion at home about this last night.

The ripped jeans phenomenon was huge back when Def Leopard was dominating Dial MTV. People were paying extra for the holes back then too.

Brandon

[prophecy]

honestly yo, screw the music 'industry' it aint supposed to be about the money, music shud be free to everybody (and i dont mean radio) look at p2p, and think about if u didnt have it, would u know about all the songs u got on ur pc, would u have EVER heard some of em...i think p2p owns :-) 8)

[brandondrury]

look at p2p, and think about if u didnt have it, would u know about all the songs u got on ur pc, would u have EVER heard some of em...

There are thousands of songs that I would have never even known about if it weren't for P2P. It's been a powerful marketing tool. I delete my mp3s every 3 monthes or so. Most of the time a band does nothing for me so I feel no need to buy the cd.

BRandon

[richiebee]

Originally Posted by TAlderson

have you seen the new "pre-ripped" jeans? They COST MORE than regular jeans?

Of course it does... there's an extra process.


R.