Bree!

Good food for thought, Bree.

But sometimes I wonder about the cost of the overhead in tracking down the so-called pirates, expenses that we who actually do buy our music all have to pay. The companies just pass these costs on to us, and they still maintain their profit margins.

Anyone ever think of that?

I want to say my downloading music is a reaction to the music industry's mentality of releasing lots of crap music instead of concentrating on helping artists to mature and grow, that I would stop if the industry would wake up and realize that it can't fight downloading technology efficiently and should instead do more to entice me to buy CD's rather than sue me if I download one, that I am in the end a silicon samurai, a keyboard cowboy.

But really it's because I don't make enough money to afford the amount of music I want. So basically, I'll start buying music when I start getting paid more. If the music industry really wants me to purchase CD's they should consider giving me a job that pays at least $25K a year (why yes, I am making less than that right now, thank you).

I think that the major problem is that people don't want to pay money to buy a CD that costs usually between ten dollars and twenty dollars because the majority of the people buying the CD's are teens, and let's face it, most teens only make minimum wage. We can't afford to buy all the music we want, that's why we download illegally. And honestly, the artists and bands don't really get much when you buy their album besides a spot on a chart.. They get all their money from touring, merchandising, and other stuff. It's the record company that gets the money, so if they want to stop it, they should lower the price a bit.

CD's are so damn expensive. I'm not going to pay fifteen to twenty bucks a pop for a CD. That's just a ridiculous waste of money. I'm sorry, but I horde my money. Unlike some people who have their mommy and daddy pay for everything, I buy the things I want for myself. So basically what the industry is insinuating is that poor people can't listen to music.

I agree with the money issue. I may only like one or two songs on a CD so I just download them. However, I really like the artist (via The Matches) I will go out and buy their album to help support them. I don't have money to just go out and buy CD's out the wazzo.

i think that if record companies want to stop peaple from illegally downloading, they are going to have to make cds cheaper. honestly, when you think about it, a full priced cd is like 15-20 dollars for maybe 13 songs. that's crazy.

i only buy the cds , if i listend to it on itunes first,and if i like loads of songs for example, like riot!
i just got the 'every second counts' from plain white t's , and it sux!! i spent 10 $ on that shit, when i could've bought something way better, or saved it or watever...

i sometimes download from itunes, but i usually go to limewire.. so i don't feel thaaaat bad, and if i realy like a band, im gona go to a concert, and buy posters... and they make money from that too, or don't they?

my mom is technologically challenged not to sure i spelled that right but seriously she cant even turn on the TV it gets really annoying so my folks dont download even if they could they dont relaly listen to music anyway to busy working to enjoy it i guess but i dont illegal download i buy CD's its kinda for the nostalgia i guess i also have an old record collection too! and a record player thank you very much.i like to collect music

khrystyan said:

my mom is technologically challenged not to sure i spelled that right but seriously she cant even turn on the TV it gets really annoying so my folks dont download even if they could they dont relaly listen to music anyway to busy working to enjoy it i guess but i dont illegal download i buy CD's its kinda for the nostalgia i guess i also have an old record collection too! and a record player thank you very much.i like to collect music

I know where you're coming from with the nostalgia thing. I think that if they offered more ways to buy CDs that are signed or special things in the case that more people would buy the albums. :) I pre-ordered my Strata CD so I could have a signed booklet and I also preordered the new chiodos cd because it was cheaper. I think that if their were more deals like that people would buy them more

yeah totally!!! *high five* sure you can get MP3 files on line but you cant hold it or keep it as a memory like you do with CD's oh and CD's that you buy at concerts are way cheaper then retail thats where i bought my santi CD and it came with buttons and stickers perks like that should be in CD's to help sales too :D

melissamalone said:

I don't know what would make me stop. Probably Paolo sobbing through a PSA about how he went without dinner because i downloaded his song, ha.

Yeah, that one was thrown in just for you ;) Haha

If people (myself included) didn't download, I think that they would miss out on a lot of great music. By downloading, they have more access to music they normally wouldn't have heard of or dared to listen to because they couldn't afford to buy a cd by someone they may have only heard of once. It has definitely broadened my taste in different types of music and has exposed me to those artists.

downloading has definitely broadened my music horizons. but i make sure to buy the cds of the artists that i really love, because i like to have something tangible, you know?
and i support the artists and bands i love by going to shows and buying merch, which is where a lot of smaller bands make their money.

I'll kinda feel like a broken record after I say this, but:
! I can't afford all the music I want to listen to. I can't seem to get a reasonable job in this damned town.
!! If I hear a whole album on the internet [or however I acquired it] I'll go out and buy the actual thing later. And if I like it enough, I'll go to shows and buy the crap out of the merch table. Srsly, I'm a good concert-goer. I buy something from everyone. I end up being the bands' favorite person. Lol.
!!! And if they'd stop making albums with only one good song on it, I'd probably be more prone to buy music, but it seems people are only making music to feed the moment. I want something I can listen to all the way.
!!!! I'm so frkn sick of this topic.

My theory is ... I save the money I spend on downloading the music to spend on concert tickets and merch. Plus I will not be into the music industry when I can get something for free. So bands ... don't get all sobby and think I'm ripping you off because I'll have you know I spend a LOAD on tickets, merch, fanclubs ... etc.