Question for ALL: Why should we not download songs or buy bootleg?

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by Miss. Mocha

Besides, I kinda feel like it's a "trip" to rationalize theft. Call downloading what you want to call it, but it's theft. People are "taking" what they are supposed to be "paying" for... theft.

Were you aware that buying music has also become like buying software? Instead of "owning" a CD you have purchased, the companies wish to treat you as a licensee?

In other words, BUYING a CD is simply not enough. You break the law if you "rip" the CD and create an MP3 file in order to play it on your computer. You break the law if you transfer the MP3 file to an MD Player or MP3 player to listen to on the go. You break the law if you transfer the file to a mixed CD of artists that have a similar style. Even if you do not make it available for download or copying, you can still break the law.

So, at what point do you own the music that you have legally purchased?

[OneOneTwo]

Originally posted by straightBOS
Were you aware that buying music has also become like buying software? Instead of "owning" a CD you have purchased, the companies wish to treat you as a licensee?

In other words, BUYING a CD is simply not enough. You break the law if you "rip" the CD and create an MP3 file in order to play it on your computer. You break the law if you transfer the MP3 file to an MD Player or MP3 player to listen to on the go. You break the law if you transfer the file to a mixed CD of artists that have a similar style. Even if you do not make it available for download or copying, you can still break the law.

So, at what point do you own the music that you have legally purchased?

In My PERSONAL Opinion, I feel that it is okay to make copies for your personal use. For example, when you buy a CD and you make a copy to play in your car or for your computer at work and it is YOUR PERSONAL copy then its okay. I know of people who burn a copy or two just to play around because they have a tendency to wear out CD's and with them priced at about $20 a pop, you can't afford to just buy new CD's everytime you wear them out. As long as you are using the CD for your personal use and you aren't giving/selling away, then that is fine. I think it becomes a problem when you illegally trade mp3 or other music files or you burn a CD and you give a copy to your friend (and not give them the original) or if you are a bootlegger. That is when it becomes a problem.

However, I would be wrong if I were to come on here as holier than thou because as much as burning CD's for illegal use is wrong, some record companies have benefited. When an artist is popular enough that people are doing anything to get the CD, then the record company does take advantage of that and release the CD early. In turn, if someone's CD is on the net and people aren't feeling it, artist are more likely to go back to the studio and re-record some songs and change their album.

Either way, its still wrong, but I thought I would point that out.

[RedefinedDiva]

We all are guilty of "stealing" music. How many of you that say that you have NEVER done it have ever taped your favorite songs off of the radio to play later? How many times has your friend ever had a tape/CD that you liked and asked them to make you a copy? How many of you have borrowed a friend's CD to listen to at home? In ALL of those cases, you have possessed music that YOU have not paid for. Therefore, that makes you one of "us."

I have heard the stories about all the royalties, paybacks/loans/etc. because I have actively pursued a career in the music business. I know that a lot of things have changed since the invention of these music-sharing programs. The problem is that all of the people that are representing for the anti-downloading campaigns on MTV, etc. are multi-platinum status, Grammy winning, Bling-Bling wearing, MTV Cribs living, custom-made Bentley driving, Fendi/Gucci/Prada dressing, worldwide touring folk!!! Do you really want me to believe that you are starving?! You just sound money hungry to me. What I want to see is these poor writers, producers, and artists that every talks about. Where are they? Why don't they get on TV and speak out?

To be perfectly honest, 90% of the songs that I have ever downloaded are songs that come from CDs that I have purchased or already own. Take for instance Nas (Miss Mocha must be drunk off that Henny because everyone knows that he is MY future husband ) The songs that I have from him have been released on "The Lost Tapes," which I OWN. 50 Cent released his songs FOR bootlegging. When Nas's "I Am" made it to the streets before it was to be released, he messed over ALL the bootleggers, reworked the playlist for the CD, and made the demand for the REAL deal greater. Amerie had her entire CD on her website back in the day and that didn't stop people from buying the real CD. I can go on all day.

Instead of them attacking the people at the bottom of the chain, they need to figure of how in the hell the music gets to us in the first place. Some folks at the record companies are messing up. How is it that I can hear a song from a yet to be released CD when no singles are even played on the radio yet? Who are the people leaking the CDs? Once they figure that out, they need to check the issue at the top.

[darling1]

Originally posted by straightBOS
In regards to the topic, a few things need to be made clear before one can begin to discuss how mp3s affect record sales, if at all.

1) A portion of the sales from ALL CD-Rs, CD-Rws, and CD-Rewrittable drives sold in the US is collected in a fund that is supposed to go to the record industry to help offset any loss evenue due to burning and downloading. As of this date, none of the money has been released by the government. Why? If the artists are so deparate for compensation have they not received a legally collected tax? Because artist compensation is not the issue.

2) Large artists such as Britney Spears, 'NSync, and other top Pop artists still sell platinum albums, so, what are they complaining about? Or, are they truly complaining at all?

3) No artists will EVER make more from CD sales than from tour dates. So, if you think you are doing them a favor by purchasing a CD that others would rather D-Load, then you are wrong. You do the artists a large disservice by never attending a concert than d-loading a song. But, since the artists are employees of the record companies, they would have you believe differently. Even a very successful artist cannot live on record sales alone.

4) Has anyone ever asked how a full, fininshed album can make it to the NET a full month BEFORE it is released in stores? The record companies routinely give away the full albums--- and not just to radio and DJs. With such carelessness, is there any real sincerity in preventing the pre-release of albums?

Basically, I feel that good musicians need to be supported on all levels-- CD sales, Tour Dates, radio and video requests. And what makes an artist "good" needs to be determined by the consumer.

The issue is NOT artist compensation. It's about who has control over the industry, trends, etc. and the record companies cannot stand the fact that consumers are more informed and empowered than they have ever been. Instead of trying to corral and control consumers, give us better reasons to buy, i.e., better music and better artists to support. The sloppiness and laziness w/i the industry has caused the explosion of burning and d-loading, not geeks and nerds with time on their hands.

I agree with the points mentioned. In addition, I just refuse to pay 20 buks for a CD. It is simply crackish. As I get older I realize that I am more a listener of 'older' music and not the 'new stuff'. If I do spend any money on a CD it will be on more 'classic' music.

[enlightenment06]

The only reason for not downloading music is because you don't have the memory on your computer you're still using a dial-up modem and you don't have the patience. Downloading music really doesn't hurt anyone. I think CD sales actually went up in 2002 after Napster came out. Shoot, when casettes were still big everyone knows they just borrowed their friend's and dubbed all the songs they wanted onto a blank tape. It's the same thing, just easier.

[Bamboozled]

I have a question I've been meaning to ask for a while now. When I used to download music from Audiogalaxy, it downloaded directly into Windows Media Player and I could hear it right away, no problem. Then, I started using Kazaa and I could listen to the downloaded songs in my Kazaa library, but not in the Media Player. After not using Kazaa for several months, I went back, downloaded songs and now I can't figure out how to listen to them. I can see that they're downloaded, but even when I click on them, I can't hear them. So, get to the question already, right? How do you listen to downloaded music on Kazaa and is there any other way to download music directly into Media Player?

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally posted by Bamboozled
I have a question I've been meaning to ask for a while now. When I used to download music from Audiogalaxy, it downloaded directly into Windows Media Player and I could hear it right away, no problem. Then, I started using Kazaa and I could listen to the downloaded songs in my Kazaa library, but not in the Media Player. After not using Kazaa for several months, I went back, downloaded songs and now I can't figure out how to listen to them. I can see that they're downloaded, but even when I click on them, I can't hear them. So, get to the question already, right? How do you listen to downloaded music on Kazaa and is there any other way to download music directly into Media Player?

Well, I download from iMesh. However, I listen to and burn my songs to disk through Windows Media Player as well. My songs don't DL directly to WMP, so I do it manually. When you are in WMP, click on Media Library. When there, click on All Audio. There's a little menu bar above the library. Click on Add. Click Add File or Playlist..... go to the area that your music is stored. If it's like mine, the songs are usually in My Media or something like that. Highlight the songs. Click open. Voila. They should be added to your WMP Media Library. Hope that helps!

[Bamboozled]

Originally posted by RedefinedDiva
Well, I download from iMesh. However, I listen to and burn my songs to disk through Windows Media Player as well. My songs don't DL directly to WMP, so I do it manually. When you are in WMP, click on Media Library. When there, click on All Audio. There's a little menu bar above the library. Click on Add. Click Add File or Playlist..... go to the area that your music is stored. If it's like mine, the songs are usually in My Media or something like that. Highlight the songs. Click open. Voila. They should be added to your WMP Media Library. Hope that helps!

Yay! Girl, you are the bomb! Thank you so much. I've never heard of iMesh, but I'm going to check them out too. So, to answer the question that was posed in this thread..... Clearly, I don't have a problem with downloading or bootlegging, LOL.

[Choo-ChooAKA]

Artists make 99% of their money from tours, etc., as someone already stated. The points they get on the CD are inconsequential. As you know, record companies are the ones with the problem with downloading at this point, however, THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR MONEY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER; that's why they're in the business. Their plans is to start to dip into the lone bastion that the artists have historically had for themselves; their tours.

They will receive points from tours, t-shirts, etc. - all of the venues the artists have had total control over in the pastn - in return for giving them more points on each CD (BIG DEAL AT THIS POINT). So, the artists you love and new artists coming along will eventually feel the pinch of your downloading. You say you're tired of paying so much for CD's with one or two good songs on them; well, pretty soon, you will be paying a MINT to see a concert!! If you stop going to concerts because they're so expensive and keep downloading music because it's so expensive, there will be no more music industry. Art IS expensive. Be selective: support the artists you really think are worth it by buying their CD's and going to their concerts.

I download nothing. My husband is a song/writer and producer and once had a lucrative publishing deal (which record companies are now very slow to give and quick to cancel). If I don't like an artist's music enough to buy their stuff, then forget it; I'm not going to steal it.

NOTHING is free. You will always pay for it in one way or another.

[ClassyLady]

Kazaa is not working anymore. Where are you guys downloading music from now?

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by ClassyLady
Kazaa is not working anymore. Where are you guys downloading music from now?

www.kazaalite.com

1) TAKE KAZAA OFF YOUR COMPUTER ASAP!
2) D-LOAD AND RUN AD-AWARE 6.0 @ www.ad-aware.com

[ClassyLady]

Originally posted by straightBOS
1) TAKE KAZAA OFF YOUR COMPUTER ASAP!

Thanks for the info. What's going on with Kazaa? Will something happen to my computer if I don't? Will I be prosecuted? Do I have to move my music out of the Shared Folder?

[Cheeky_Lady]

Originally posted by ClassyLady
Kazaa is not working anymore. Where are you guys downloading music from now?

Hi I'm new here...............but Kazaa still works for me........a security issue came up with the last version so you woukld have to DL a new one