They're coming to get us!!!

Seen this thread over on HFC HERE

I'm a big fan of p2p software, but as I say on that thread it would be a somewhat blinkered aproach to deny it's obviously damaging the industry. I feel the way I use it benefits myself, in so much as i'm able to explore new artists freely, but in turn leads to me buying MOre albums!

My "to buy" list is bulging!

A few links off that thread.....

HERE

HERE

AND HERE

 

They'll never take me alive.

Look at me ma, top of the world!

-- Ian

 

The music industry just can't get it's head around the fact that all those young people currently downloading MP3s from the net will one day tire of the lousy sound quality and will one day be able to afford to go out and buy the real thing. They will buy more CDs in the long run if they already know what they like.

I don't believe that downloading hurts music sales significantly. Those who can afford to buy music, do buy it. If all internet downloading were to somehow cease tomorrow, I do not believe that music sales would increase significanlty because the money just isn't there.

I see two major reasons for the long term decline of music sales.

1. A lot of modern music is crap and people are not buying it because it is crap.

2. Nowadays people have far more to spend their money on. When I was younger, we spent out money on cars, bikes, music and beer. Nowadays, there's video, DVDs, computer games, mobile phones, etc, etc. People don't magically have more money to spend on all this stuff. So naturally less gets spent on music.

The music industry needs to stop worrying about downloads and concentrate on making it easier for us to hear more music that we haven't yet heard. I for one would buy far more, if there were easier ways to audition stuff.

Chris

 

Agree 100%.

They seem to think that peoples resources are limitless, as opposed to just being spread ever more thinly over a wider area.

I too would buy more music, if I knew what it was I was buying.

Cheers

 

Obviously you know the crack as well. Thats exactly what I said on HFC.....

 

edited. ahem. nice weather we're having

 

Edited in response. Yes - very nice weather indeed

Michael.

 

Thats not true, 'They' only know too well that buying music has slipped down the priority list and is up against more competition these days. They spend a lot of money researching looking at buying trends of their various target audiences and markets.

Thats why they are so worried about mp3 downloads, because why spend your limited available cash on music when you can download it for free, buy the DVD and have both instead of one or the other.

I agree that easier auditioning would make me purchase more music. IMO retail outlets are missing a trick.

If you go into HMV flagship store on Oxford Street, London, you can listen to a few CDs but not many. In this day and age you should be able to listen to any one you like.

ram
________
CROP INSURANCE DICUSSION

 

The music industry is a marketplace, like any other, and it has to convince its consumers to spend their money on CDs rather than something else.

Contemporary western societies are atomised and alienated, stardom and quick-fix consumption are valued more highly than musical merit and intelligence, and popular music is now almost entirely aimed at 7 year olds. So, the music industry can't by definition offer quality. Mainstream pop music, the stuff that really makes the money, is unadulterated rubbish on the whole, and appeals to nobody apart from the very young, who have limited spending power. Music has become purely a product. (This has been happening for a long time, sure, but the movie-soft drink-fast food-video game-pop song nexus is new in its extent.)

Stuff the music industry if this sorry product doesn't appeal to enough people for them to shell out for it. If the entire music industry disappears, music will still happen, and musicians may start to get back some control of their output, and start to get paid. I hope BMG/Sony/AOL/all the other mega corporations, who have sucked the soul out of contemporary popular culture whilst simultaneously fleecing musicians, are suffering. They deserve it.

-- Ian

 

Grrrr...Tiger

Well said Ian (even though there were too many long words for me )

 

Ditto - eloquently put sir.

IMO downloading mp3's is theft. Theft is immoral. People who download "to try before you buy" will be the protagonists of their industries demise. With less and less being invested and offered by the music bigwigs (t0ssers all of em) the music will be continuously more targeted at the kids --- these are people who consume, they need to OWN the single or CD, they are the pressure behind the parents spending. One example is that abusive song about 'macdonalds/kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut' - Is this what the downloaders want more of????? I hope not.

The music industry can save itself. Reduce the cost of CDs. Remove the overhead (IIRC 85% of the cost of the CD) and sell direct to the consumer. This may be by download or mail order.

 

I download mp3's to try. If I like the couple that I have heard then fine I'll delete the mp3s (unless using them in a game) and then go out and buy cds.

If there were more variety being played on the airwaves rather than the bland, limited 3 minute one hit wonders maybe the sales of cds would go up.

 

Ian, Fantastic sir, and so very very true.

It it a situation that they have largely caused for themselves in the pursuit of trying to extract money from those who are easily led / don't know any better. If we ever have a tangle with the music industry, I think that we'll have to make you our spokes-person.

IMO though, it's not just the music inductry's fault, as davidcotton says, how much radio is also aimed at these indoctrinated sheep.

Cheers

 

Ian, very well put.

TB, I agree with most of your points particularly about the amount of crap on sale and on the air as DC mentioned, but in my view downloading mp3s is still theft. It does not matter whether it hurts music sales or not.

As I wrote on HFC there are a lot a other industries that enjoy large markups such as cosmetics, designer wear, drugs (no, not those sorts ) but would you steal their products just because they are overpriced?

If anyone here owned a music catalogue, would he/she not like to maximise their profits? :duck: Thank you Michael for this smily

 

as we well know, the music industry as well as every industry has been legally robbing us poor consumers soft for years...
so in a way its getting its come-uppance...if it didn't rip us off, we wouldn't be so keen on downloading stuff for free, and no wonder its running scared, as it will be making a whole in their exorbitant profits...more power to the consumer...
plus there is so much great music out there, really obscure stuff that you never hear on the radio stations, who play the flavour of the moment a few thousand times to many...I for one wish it was more about music (and decent tele programs) than just the populist stuff...

 

It is so comforting to see some people are willing to see the other side of the argument here. It is like talking to a brick wall over there at HFCF.

I think Lawrie is trying to keep the debate alive and interesting.

 

Welcome wolfgang

To only see one side of the argument would be naive. And as a "fan" of p2p that doesn't mean that i'm blind to the fact that many will obviously just completely abuse it. Can you blame them though?

As I've said, I use it as a means, with ends being to purchase an album that I'm confident I will like! But no doubt to many the downloaded mp3 is there "ends" which is where the problems come in.

Prices need to be dropped!

 

I agree that to download music and play it and keep on playing it with no intention of buying it does constitute theft. However, I do not think that downloading music to see what it sounds like and then deleting it should count as theft. It's more of a demo (regardless of where it came from). After all, how many other products can you think of where you have no idea what you are buying until you've paid for it and taken it home! I can't think of any.

The music industry is barking mad and now that we no longer even have decent radio (I've given up radio listening altogether as it is so crap), it's harder than ever to hear new music. Perhaps we need more bake-offs with less emphasis on cables and mains conditioners and more emphasis on the music.

Chris

 

Sounds good to me. So when is the bake off at Technobear towers? I am looking forward to hearing those Castles

Robbo

 

I have to finish the patio first. Ordered the slabs this morning. Should be all done by the end of July.

Chris