What’s your favourite genre of music, not sure? How about pirated? I’m almost positive that at least 50% of people you know have downloaded or attempted to download music at some point in their lives. Most of us don’t think twice before we click twice anymore. What are the negatives and positives of pirating music?
Among other things we use the internet for; downloading music is guaranteed to be one of our frequent and consistent activates. And why not, it’s convenient, cheap or even free. But are we affecting the cash flow of the artists who produce them? Are we having a negative effect on the music industry?
First of all, the convenience of being able browse a musical library, rather than going out to HMV or even a vinyl store, cannot be beat. Admit it you’re lazy at the best of times. Not only is it convenient to search from the comfort of your own home, but it allows for a wider range of goodies to be found, like old vinyl music but can’t find the vinyl? Download it. This bridges generation gaps; I’ve even downloaded songs for my parents before, Louis Prima, Ella Fitzgerald anyone!? I know I’m down!
My next point: we are cheap. Not many people are willing to shell out $15 for a CD when it would literally cost next to nothing to just double click. Some artists have even used this as a way to get their voices heard though YouTube and MySpace. It’s not all negative for the artists either, more people listening to their music the more their popularity grows.
But things that are abundant tend to be little of value, in regards to money. Supply and demand hurray! The whole situation isn’t just a question of illegality either, there is a moral side of the conflict that comes along and messes with our emotions too! Fact: did you know that every time you download a song, you rip a little itty bitty piece of the artists’ soul along with it? Do you even care? No right. Well good thing because that fact was in fact, not factual, it was a dirty lie and I apologize for my deception. What I could also talk about the lowering sales of cd’s having a direct effect on the music industry… but I don’t things are directly related, and I’m probably just making things up at this point.
I am all for downloading music. I’m far more concerned about the moral aspects of the dilemma than anything; I always imagined that if I were the artist, I wouldn’t want someone taking my stuff. As the interest in downloading becomes more and more popular, the more the artist’s precious work becomes just a product. But I guess that’s just one of those things you have to prepare for when you become a celebrity. So before you download, think about it, pretend to be the artist, feel sorry for yourself for just a moment, and then double click.
