Quote:
Originally Posted by dlmorley  ?
illegal downloads is one issue (and probably not half as important as the fact that when you actually do buy a CD it has a high chance of being counterfeit) but price is another as is peoples perception of not getting good value for money.
I'll add a small simplistic summing up for them that like to read things into others comments.
STEALING IS BAD AND I DO NOT CONDONE IT |
the Fact that music is not perceived as a "good value" is driven in large part by the
users ability to download it for free with the same time commitment as it would be to
buy the same music. If their were two coolers in a store filled with the same beverage you wanted with one being free and another being $1. which one would be more popular ?
P2P File Sharing: 2006: Web and P2P Music Downloads Both Rise
On the web licensed songs double to 4 million and total downloads to 795 million with 582 million sold in the U.S.
Limewire claims a 62% market share. The average Limewire user downloaded 309 music files in 2006.
Macsimum News - Legal music downloads gain on peer-to-peer file sharing
While P2P user growth rates slowed, the average P2P user downloaded many more files in 2006 (five billion files) than the previous year, which represents a 47 percent increase in P2P downloading compared to 2005 (3.4 billion files).
“Paid usage is gaining on P2P; however P2P users tend to download many more files per user, than do those consumers who pay for music downloads,” Crupnick noted.
Another point is a label or Artist who WANTS to give their music away for free to promote their music has to compete with illegal file sharing for "shelf space". the value of promos goes way down as a marketing tool for new artists to be heard unless they have a huge marketing campaign behind them. Secondly if sales from the music are unable to sustain a salary for the artist they are forced to do "tie ins " with products / Companies that may or may not reflect their values just to keep their lights on.
Additionally the product/ companies will then be able to wield greater influence over the actual content of the music...
not good...