What's your opinion on p2p file sharing?

Unknown

It seems that the RIAA is taking a firm step in blocking file-sharing (see here).

I was just wondering what people's thoughts are on file-sharing, the RIAA, the record industry in general.

Remember that the above only applies to the US, while we still get our crappy copy-protected CD's in small quantities.

"Sharman Networks, who operate the hugely popular Kazaa network, accused the RIAA of "declaring war on its customers", and said they themselves were more interested in working with record companies than against them in developing file sharing in the future."

Aidan Lynch

This is all very reminiscent of the time when radio stations started to play records on air (no, I'm not old enough to remember it, but I read about it!). The record companies cried foul because "who would ever buy a record if they can hear the music on the radio?" -this was even before you'd have systems for recording radio broadcasts! A compromise was agreed between the BBC and record companies where they agreed to limit the amount of records they'd play. This forced the BBC to produce their own sessions - hence those famous BBC sessions that are (ironically enough) being released by those same record companies recently.

Anyway, as we all know, the record companies didn't go bust then, and they're not gonna go bust now. Well, not because of this anyway.

I admit to using file sharing from time to time, but I also buy music. There's no way that I'd ever see music downloads as a substitute for a released CD. Sometimes you need to find rare material or even you want to sample music before buying it. That's the value of this stuff. The same goes for pirated movies that make their way onto the internet. Would you watch a scratchy jumpy version of a current film instead of paying just a few quid into the cinema to see it in full stereo and on a large screen (and the popcorn is soooooo nice....)

Right. That's my rant over. Gotta download and burn some more CDs so I can sell them on O'Connell Bridge. (I'm joking, okay?!!)

Later!
P.

DerekD Goldfish

I copy music and have no problem doing so in fact I think it help increase the amount of music sold. Sales have fallen in recent years but not nearly as much as production.
Its not that dificult to understand if less albums are released less will be bought. You could say that if I had bough all of the cd's I copied then there would be x amount extra in the music industry bullsh*t that assums that I would have bought the music if I hadent been able to get it for free which is not usually the case. Of cd's i have copied I have gone on to buy other cd's by these artists which I wouldnt have bought without piracy. I have also copied cds for friend and they have bought cds and gone to gigs they wouldnt have without piracy.
Piracy can help small bands get their music heard by a larger audence which will in time increase their sales. For larger artists its not as if they miss the money I mean does bono need the couple of euro for a cd that an artist recives. If someone copies the new u2 album they have more money to spend on other cds. they say that record companies are now run by accountants but even the most dim witted accountant could spot the record industry cannot continue down its current path. Sure S club whatever may get no. 1 x times but how long will do band like that last 1 maybe 2 or 3 albums at most. If they invested in tallent for the long term and developed artists looking at the long term picture they would do far better. They should focus on making as good music as posible and profits should follow not making as much profit as possible and hoping to make some music along the way.
As jello biafra of the dead kennadys said in mtv get of the air
and now sales are slumping
and now one will say why
could it be that they put out
one too many lousey records.

Tyrrial

i'll only buy cd's from small artists. i'm boycotting any other one's, the prices are crazy!!! there is no reason on earth why they should be ripping everyone off with these prices, that's why i download music, if i could afford to buy for any CD shops i whould!

sgarapolo

Well, one problem is that if you can't afford to buy music, and I agree that the prices are too high, you just can't have it then. If I can't afford a book, it's not cool for me to just take it, even though we really want to have it... it's stealing.

I understand that some folk, a bit younger than myself, have practically grown up with the downloading music thing, and they seem to think that it's some sort of right, but we have to remember that artists go WAY into the hole, financially, to put that record together, counting on the sales to dig them out, and those sales are lagging a massive amount, even though *everyone* seems to only download to check out a tune, then they all seem to buy the cd...

I love downloading stuff for checking certain tunes out, or learning them if necessary (I'm a musician) that's cool. But maybe they could expire, or just have samples? I don't know, but the major slump in the industry is effecting me and many other musicians, and we'll all be forced to go more Do-It-Yourself, and then new music is going to be even harder to find.

Anyway, just my rant.

so if you're looking for that DIY rock music, http://www.daphnenyc.com

or http://www.iamadrummer.com and you can help support the little people.