the guilt in me
Should I feel guilty or not?
Does the artist get any of the money that I am spending? If so, does it even matter since it’s probably about 2 cents per album? I am torn.
All thanks to a wonderful and terrible website: allofmp3.com
Go there, check it out, see if your morals and conscience can battle through your thin wallet. Are you willing to overlook that which is right for a CD that costs $1.15?
Just how much is your soul worth?
Over the past few months I have bought 25 albums from the website, spending a total of $26.76.
I’ve bought albums by the following artists:
Alanis Morisette
Silver Jews
Counting Crows
Johnny Cash
The Boy Least Likely To
Elf Power
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness
Keane
Hot Hot Heat
Devendra Banhart
Antony & the Johnsons
Willie Nile
Babybird
KT Tunstall
Bruce Springsteen
Bob Dylan
John Lennon
Paul Simon
The Killers
Snow Patrol
Cocorosie
Josh Ritter
Madonna
Martha Wainwright
David Gray
Should I feel bad about it? Should I not care about cheating certain people out of money (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen) who have more than they could ever want? Should I not feel bad about buying albums I would never otherwise buy (Babybird, Snow Patrol, Keane)? Should I not care because the artist is dead (Johns Lennon and Cash)? What about the large amount of money I’ve already spent on certain artists who have disappointed me in the past (Alanis Morisette, Madonna)? Have I built up enough musical karma to allow for this slip-up?
For example: I already bought Bruce Springsteen’s new album on vinyl; should I have to spend $13.00 more on the CD version just so I can rip it and put it on my iPod? The man’s already got my money for this set of work. I think I’m justified in not really buying the digital files.
Or at least I’m trying to convince myself of the fact…
As Alanis says in “Forgiven” (which I am listening to as I type): “We all have illusions in our head.”
Does the artist get any of the money that I am spending? If so, does it even matter since it’s probably about 2 cents per album? I am torn.
All thanks to a wonderful and terrible website: allofmp3.com
Go there, check it out, see if your morals and conscience can battle through your thin wallet. Are you willing to overlook that which is right for a CD that costs $1.15?
Just how much is your soul worth?
Over the past few months I have bought 25 albums from the website, spending a total of $26.76.
I’ve bought albums by the following artists:
Alanis Morisette
Silver Jews
Counting Crows
Johnny Cash
The Boy Least Likely To
Elf Power
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness
Keane
Hot Hot Heat
Devendra Banhart
Antony & the Johnsons
Willie Nile
Babybird
KT Tunstall
Bruce Springsteen
Bob Dylan
John Lennon
Paul Simon
The Killers
Snow Patrol
Cocorosie
Josh Ritter
Madonna
Martha Wainwright
David Gray
Should I feel bad about it? Should I not care about cheating certain people out of money (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen) who have more than they could ever want? Should I not feel bad about buying albums I would never otherwise buy (Babybird, Snow Patrol, Keane)? Should I not care because the artist is dead (Johns Lennon and Cash)? What about the large amount of money I’ve already spent on certain artists who have disappointed me in the past (Alanis Morisette, Madonna)? Have I built up enough musical karma to allow for this slip-up?
For example: I already bought Bruce Springsteen’s new album on vinyl; should I have to spend $13.00 more on the CD version just so I can rip it and put it on my iPod? The man’s already got my money for this set of work. I think I’m justified in not really buying the digital files.
Or at least I’m trying to convince myself of the fact…
As Alanis says in “Forgiven” (which I am listening to as I type): “We all have illusions in our head.”
posted by Spec at 5:34 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Heh. I was at a Carbon Leaf concert several months ago, and at the end of the concert, a member of the band told us: If you like use, burn a copy of our album for your friends, and bring 'em with you next time! Which brings us to the point: unless you buy an album at a concert, the musicians gets very little money for their work. The musicians really care more about how many people know them, love them, and will come to their concerts. So, the question is more: do you care about ripping of the record companies? The record companies are ripping you off, so *shrug*, it's still cheaty, but maybe not downright evil.
On the other hand, if you illegally download or burn a copy of a self-released album like "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!" you're actually stealing from the musicians... but I think those cases are rare.
I'm confused about this website, even after reading some of the info they've posted. Is the site legal?
Also: you trust this site with your credit card info and soforth? I admit, Russian websites that I've never heard of make me nervous.
I say lose the guilt and enjoy the music.
Jessi explains:
1. most cd's cost a small percentage of their retail price to make. All that extra money goes to the wonderful cause of making record executives rich! (or richer!)
2. downloading music off the internet takes nothing away from the person who made the recording. In no way does the word "theft" apply (not that you used it--it's just one of those words that gets thrown around regarding this issue). No damage is done to the artist physically or economically or any other way that i can see. Downloading music from sites like allofmp3.com, or using software like limewire or piolet, is pretty similar to going to the library and reading a book, gasp, for free. Rather than "theft", the actual issue is that of failure-to-support-financially. This is a really complex issue, but the main point is that you and I do NOT have a responsibility to give Radiohead our money, even if we listen to and are fans of Radiohead. If Radiohead is operating on a shoestring budget and needs help in order to get to their next gig then it's a little different, but there's still not an explicit duty to give them your money--rather there's an opportunity (assuming you're able) to help out a band who needs it.
3. If you want to "support" an artist, that's your choice, though buying a cd from a major label is something like 99% supporting the record label, and 1% supporting the artist.
4. personally, i like supporting some artists--friends, bands i see and like, etc. But i usually only shell out money (if I've got money) for a record if it's cheap and/or if i really like the band and/or if I like the people in it. And I feel a lot better about giving money if I know that it's going to a band of people I like or to another worthy cause. The shows i go to are also, often donation based. There's no door charge, but at some point someone passes around a hat to put in gas money for touring bands. This is a great example of voluntary support for artists. People support bands (if they are able) without being coerced into doing so.
5. When art is treated as nothing but a commodity for exchange, the experience of it loses several dimensions of complexity.
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