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Piracy and Rock MusicAn Investigation into Illegal Downloading within Alternative Music
Piracy is wrong. Period. But is it possible that illegal file-sharing could actually benefit artists?
Illegal downloading is having a negative affect on music sales everywhere, but perhaps the downturn in sales due to file-sharing is a fair trade for the upturn in consumer awareness? If there’s one thing everybody can agree on, it’s that stealing is wrong. It’s wrong to walk up to a book on a shelf, pick it up and take it. It’s wrong to go into someone’s handbag and help yourself to a tidy wad of cash. It’s wrong to download mp3 files of an album you haven’t purchased... or is it? That, it seems, all depends on your point of view. The Shutdown of OiNK.cdIn October 2007, the UK police shut down the most popular music file-sharing website on the internet – OiNK.cd. This caused a huge amount of controversy and sent many of its 180,000 members running for cover – lest the might of the record company lawyers track them down and punish them for their crimes. The heart of this debate lies in whether or not the illegal downloading of music is a victimless crime. Sure, the record companies will lose money in music sales, that’s undeniable, but does the consumer awareness boost gained from the free distribution of music account for those losses? According to various ex-OiNKers, yes it does. One member, who prefers to remain nameless for obvious reasons, said: “I would never have heard of half the bands I listen to now without having downloaded their music – let alone gone to their gigs or bought their t-shirts!” What do Artists think about Music Downloading?Another service that music downloading websites provided was an open forum to distribute unsigned bands’ material. This is particularly true within the alternative music scene. One of the most popular alternative acts today is Nine Inch Nails, and vocalist Trent Reznor stated in an interview: “I'll admit I had an account there and frequented it quite often […] what made OiNK a great place was that it was like the world's greatest record store. They're not stealing it because they're going to make money off of it; they're stealing it because they love the band.” (Source: 'Trent Reznor and Saul Williams Discuss Their New Collaboration, Mourn OiNK', by Ben Westhoff of New York Entertainment, published 10/30/07) Alternative Music Marketing StrategiesSo, if the artists themselves see music sharing as a great promotional tool, maybe the record companies are simply missing the point. Take Radiohead, for example, whose latest album In Rainbows was offered by the band as an mp3 download with a price tag of… whatever people feel is appropriate. That’s right, if a person wanted the album for free, they could do so; likewise, if they wanted to pay $5000, they could do that too. What Radiohead are really doing with this marketing strategy is sending a message to recording company executives – people want to consume music on their own terms. Will Mainstream Music adopt New Methods of Distribution?The alternative music scene has always been one step ahead of the game when it comes to music consumerism, and perhaps what bands like NIN and Radiohead are supporting and pioneering will eventually seep into the mainstream. Until then, music piracy will most likely continue – as soon as one illegal site is taken down, another 2 will pop up to take its place. Piracy is Bad Thing, Music is a Great ThingThere is no doubt that illegal music downloading has a negative effect on artists, including those in the alternative scene; and there is no doubt that it is morally wrong. The real crux of the issue is that music companies need to research new ways of delivering music to consumers in both accessible, and affordable, ways.
The copyright of the article Piracy and Rock Music in Rock Music is owned by Robert Taylor. Permission to republish Piracy and Rock Music in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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