[Golden Legacy]

Just curious on what your views are on downloading music through, well, less than "appropriate" means, we'll say.

I won't deny that I have definitely used software like LimeWire to get a lot of my music - but that hasn't stopped me from buying albums by my favorite bands, either.


That said, I found an interesting point at another forum:

Quote

So, music downloading can be good. It lets you here new bands. And you get to hear an actualy song instead of just hoping you like them. In terms of small bands, it certainly helps because it gets them exposure they would have never gotten otherwise. Large bands I guess it might not help as much, though if I really like a band I do go buy the CD. Some people just download stuff and never pay a dime. However, the larger bands it doesn't hurt because they are so big, and the smaller bands it helps because of exposure. So I don't really see why its such a big deal, except maybe the people with millions of dollars need a fifth jaguar....

Your thoughts, opinions?

[FlamingDuck]

I don't think downloading music is right. For exposure, bands can submit their music to radio stations, internet or otherwise, and people can buy it if they like it.

If you download music just to see if you like it, I suppose that's okay in small quantities. But for the people who download thousands of dollars worth of songs off the internet for free...But I found this guy who was prank calling record labels and apolgizing for downloading a song of theirs off Limewire and trying to send them money, and the people either acted really confused or just laughed at him. So I guess they really don't care.

[Sea of Time]

There was a poll I saw a couple years back on this subject. I believe the number was 66% of people download music to see what it sounds like before they buy it. A smaller 30% just download music and don't buy.

I buy a lot of albums, but I also download a lot of music. I think any government influence would be pointless, the downloading industry has grown far too big to control.

[My Best Wishes]

I know this topic has been done before.

I download music, mostly I download it to see if I like it, or to see if a band's new stuff is any good. (E.g Comparing old Finch to new Finch)

But It's so common these days, there's even a download link on most Band's Myspace's.

[Elliott]

I download music pretty frequently. I just don't really care anymore. I still do buy CDs if I really like an album, because I still think it's better to own the album in reality than to just have the tracks on your computer.

[Xelina]

Well I see no problem in downloading free music itself, however, I still buy the CDs, cause when you download music, it sometime is very bad quality and if you buy them, they are always great. Besides, I had dail up so downloading music takes me FOREVER. Therefore, I buy more then I download. Which works out both ways.

Besides the stars as more then enough money to spent all around, a few downloading won't hurt their wallet. Besides, it teach them to invest in the money then spent it on tangable goods.

[Golden Djinn13]

I don't download music very often. I really don't think its right, cause its pretty much stealing from the musicians and the industry. Thats my thought for music only, for downloading anything else....I have no comments. :)

[Neo]

Guess I'm a loner here. I never buy CD's, I always download them. I have approx. 2000 songs on my pc, and most of them are albums. For example, I have all RHCP albums and all Coldplay albums. lot's of hardcore, trance, dance etc.

Hate me for it, but it's just a lot cheaper for me and a lot easier, heh.

[Aquamarine]

The only music I download is video game music. Of video games I've already payed for. Which means I'm not breaking any rules or laws, thank you very much.

[Echo_djinn]

It's not right but I am not going to buy a CD if all I want is one or two songs from that one CD. It's just more convenient to just download music.

[Wiflewood]

If there is a certain song I want, then I'll go and download it. I don't want to waste a tenner on a **** album if it only has one song.

If I listen to a really good album, then I'll go out and buy it. Owning a good copy on a CD is useful as you can play it in CD players etc and easily lend it to your mates to listen to.

Think about it though, downloading music is hardly different from your friend buying and album and lending it to you for you to copy the tracks from, and you wouldn't say "No I'd rather buy it myself it's destroying the music industry"

[λφη]

I have a surround sound system. The quality of my speakers is so high that anything below 224kb/s sounds bad. I buy all my albums, and usually overrip at 320kb/s / 100% VBS. At that level of quality, a different instrument comes out of each speakers, not all mudged together and harsh on the ears... Its simply breathtaking for classical, and mind numbingly hardcore for hardrock.

*/rant/unintended brag*

[Caael]

Used to download all the time. Now I buy CDs and use www.pandora.com to listen to new bands. If I like them, I will listen to the album on itunes, and if I like more than half the songs, then I will buy the album. If I dont, I will download the good ones.

[Neon]

I download music. If I like it enough I buy it, even import (I buy based on how good an album is, I never ever pay for an mp3), otherwise I don't end up downloading much anyway. Though there are a few bands where I have pretty much every song of theirs I can find and havn't bought one album yet, lol (anathema).

You could argue that I'm ripping off the bands by not buying their music, but I wouldn't be listening to any of the artists I listen to now if I didn't discover their music through downloads. Other than a few artists, pretty much nothing I listen to is mainstream, and definately not mainstream down here in australia (we listen to alot of american pop artists. Amusingly, many artists that get rejected here end up with huge carriers in europe or america...)

[Mindpatch]

Here's one, you can download music of bands you really really like so they don't get enough money trough cd's so they have to go tour so you can see them live. :)

No seriously though, I agree it's not the right thing to do but it's just way too expensive to buy music from every band I like, I can't afford that many cd's.

[GangstaGeek]

I have a bit of an odd habit (you'll come to see I have a lot of these)...That is, if I want music, I buy the CD. If I can't, then no music for me. This habit, however, leads to a nice little CD collection. ^_^ I currently have around 52 CDs and growing. I often buy several at a time. But yeah. I...HAVE to have the original music or none at all. I'm OC like that. You should see my Windows Media Player 11. It looks like a mini Itunes! :D I love it.

So obviously, I don't download. I don't mind it, though. I've even heard a few of my bands say that they don't care if we download. But whatever. My belief is that bands make money off of their true fans. And if you don't buy the music in some way, shape, or form, you're not a true fan.