MysterionMuffles Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 I wanted everybody's opinions on this debate ever since Napster came out. I remember more than a decade ago when that first P2P application was available, I went wild downloading music all for free. Back then, as far as I know, there weren't any torrents to easily download a full album so you had to find an album list and download all the songs individually. But if it was a band I really liked and their newest album was leaked, of course I would download it before release date, enjoy the hell out of it, but I would resist burning myself a CD copy. Only when the album really dropped, I would go buy it when HMV was still a good source for getting music (the ones near my town are shrinking thanks to iTunes and piracy). That way I still feelt like I was contributing to the artist, even though they only make a small fraction from album sales. Fast forward to today, between back then and now, I've downloaded many albums for free and enjoyed them all immensley. I am forever grateful for the existence of Youtube, Purevolume, and Bandcamp in particular for helping me find artists that cater to my personal preferences, that I would have never found if I only relied on radio and TV. You know, I can't stand maost mainstream music because I'm such a hipster and all. But yeah, back in my pirating days Arrrghhh I be enjoying this bountiful booty at a five fingar discount, ye scallywag! And always rationed it as, "they don't make much off album sales anyway, and bands get most of their money from performing shows. I shouldn't feel bad, because if they were true artists, they would care more about people simply enjoying their music with all their heart than how much money they would be making." Lately though, I have been finding fresh and new artists who are just coming onto the scene, some of which I am unable to watch live performances of because they live and perform in far off countries. And when it comes to consuming their music, if I couldn't at first find a free downloadable torrent, I would resort to actually paying for their music on iTunes. I love iTunes because it reduces the need for CD's, which for the most part have become unneccessary. Though back in the day I did always enjoy popping one into the stereo or my walkman and read along with the lyrics booklet the first few times. Anyways, yeah it first started as my last resort, but now I really enjoy paying for my music through iTunes or the band's Bandcamp page, especially when they have a name your price option so I can show them how much I value their music. My question: I'm helping only a tiny bit in comparison to the people who truly fund the bands through IndieGoGo campaigns or live shows, but I still like to give value back from which I gain a ton a value from. However, I don't HAVE to be paying squat since digital files don't hold any real value just like a physical CD or vinyl. But I do highly consider the work artists put into refining their craft to deliver me the music I enjoy on a daily basis, and want to give back in any way possible if I can't go to their shows for either laziness and lack of bigger funds, or simply because they only perform in other countries. Am I wasting my money? Or am I driving the market in the right direction? Because I believe that what you buy is a reflection of what you value in the market, and that drives that market to thrive etc etc. Your thoughts?
Cosmin Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Of course you're not wasting your money. Indie musicians have bills to pay too, right?
Wesley Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 My method (which is not philosophically thought out) is that I download whatever I want. Then, if I like it and gain value or want to support the artist then I buy the album/ a t-shirt/ an indie go-go campaign or whatever. I have a handful of CDs and movies that I never even opened because I had already consumed them before I bought them to support the creators. I think it is not an issue of morality, but of reciprocity and showing appreciation for something you value.
Ruben Zandstra Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 I have a similar approach as Wesley. I've bought the occasional game online after having played it mostly through already, and I'll buy some music every once in a while. With movies though, not so much, even if I would like to on principle. It's mostly because it is just too much work compared to free downloading. The movie industry will simply have to provide me with a service that is less intrusive, and more respectful of my time in order for me to give up the free downloads. I've tried netflix the first day it became available in the Netherlands, and was quite disappointed by what they offer. It would be absolutely great if they had the same amount of content that is available in newsgroups, and I would be willing to pay a decent fee for that.
MysterionMuffles Posted October 29, 2013 Author Posted October 29, 2013 Yeah I love Netflix and all, but the choice seems limitted. Indie films are even harder to get a hold off. I guess it would be easier for me to have had downloaded The East, put it on a USB with even more movies to share and watch with others. But I actually bought the Blu-ray from an electronics store and got in the mail the day before its release. (Hooray for pre-orders!) I don't know why I enjoy having that Blu-Ray disc. Me loving the movie and thinking it's highly rewatchable has no bearing on why I should even have the physical copy, but I do.
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