What do you do for music?

[kenyantykoon]

illegal file sharing is the bomb- am just saying

[LuxLiving]

The bomb that is the FBI showing up on your doorstop. It HAPPENS!

[disneysteve]

illegal file sharing is the bomb- am just saying

The bomb that is the FBI showing up on your doorstop. It HAPPENS!

File sharing has gone on for as long as there have been recording devices. The internet just made it quicker and easier to find any song you could ever want. Back in high school nearly 30 years ago, my friends and I spent countless hours recording each other's albums onto cassettes. Before that, we would record songs off the radio. The FBI never came knocking on our doors and you never heard a peep about illegal sharing. That's just what people did.

Now, they've criminalized the process and prosecuted 10 year olds for copying some music online. What a waste of resources.

[mom-from-missouri]

We go to the free music recitals and a couple of the colleges and high schools around. They are rather good.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Regarding music theft-- Funny how music inspires that. I have twice had illicit i-tunes charges on my credit card, despite never having made a purchase there.

Last few times I have bought music it has been CDs from half.com or amazon re-sellers. Husband borrows music from the public library.

Is there even music on radio any more?

[cschin4]

I listen to the radio on the internet. You can get tons of free stations and commercial free as well. You can buy a set of wireless computer speakers to put in other areas of the house. My TV package also comes with XM so I listen to music through my TV.
I also recycle a lot of my old music such as cassettes, CD's, etc. I find that yard sales are a great place to pick up some old cassettes for next to nothing.
And, I occassionally buy a new CD, but I usually buy collections of artists rather than individual CD's because then I know I will like all the songs. I really like the christian WOW CD's and there are many other collections you can buy used on Amazon for next to nothing.

[cschin4]

And, if you really enjoy music as I do, learn to play an instrument. For a small initial cost you can buy a quality instrument and there are free lessons all over the net. I taught myself to play the guitar and I also have all of my kids playing instruments so we make our own music as well.

[feh]

File sharing has gone on for as long as there have been recording devices. The internet just made it quicker and easier to find any song you could ever want. Back in high school nearly 30 years ago, my friends and I spent countless hours recording each other's albums onto cassettes. Before that, we would record songs off the radio. The FBI never came knocking on our doors and you never heard a peep about illegal sharing. That's just what people did.

Now, they've criminalized the process and prosecuted 10 year olds for copying some music online. What a waste of resources.

The difference is that taping your buddy's album would result in a very small decrease in sales. With the internet and digital technology, one legit copy of a song can result in thousands of perfect copies, resulting in a significant impact on sales.

Artists have a right to expect payment for the use of their products.

[disneysteve]

The difference is that taping your buddy's album would result in a very small decrease in sales. With the internet and digital technology, one legit copy of a song can result in thousands of perfect copies, resulting in a significant impact on sales.

Artists have a right to expect payment for the use of their products.

I understand the reasoning and why it creates a problem on a larger scale. I just don't like it.

I was a record collector for years. I spent many, many hours searching through used record shops, flea markets, thrift shops and record shows buying literally hundreds of used albums. Of course, the artists never made a penny from me since I was buying everything secondhand.

Downloading online is just the modern equivalent. Somebody somewhere bought the album and put it online. I then got it from them, same as if I had bought the album used.

I understand and appreciate that it results in fewer albums being sold. I have read, though, that artists make the bulk of their money from concert ticket sales and not album sales. It is the record companies and retailers who are losing money from illegal downloading moreso than the actual artists.

[feh]

I understand the reasoning and why it creates a problem on a larger scale. I just don't like it.

I was a record collector for years. I spent many, many hours searching through used record shops, flea markets, thrift shops and record shows buying literally hundreds of used albums. Of course, the artists never made a penny from me since I was buying everything secondhand.

Downloading online is just the modern equivalent. Somebody somewhere bought the album and put it online. I then got it from them, same as if I had bought the album used.

It's not equivalent though, as I already stated. Buying an album second hand results in the loss of one sale; posting and album online for anyone to download results in the loss of thousands.

I see it as theft, plain and simple.

[disneysteve]

It's not equivalent though, as I already stated. Buying an album second hand results in the loss of one sale; posting and album online for anyone to download results in the loss of thousands.

I agree. No debate about that.

I do not do illegal downloading (though I did years ago).

I do partake of legal downloading, like iTunes. As far as I'm concerned, at least for me, that costs artists a bunch of money, too. Why? Previously, if I wanted a couple of songs from an artist, I had to buy the album. Now, I can just buy the one or two songs I really want. Instead of shelling out $12 or more for an album, I spend $0.99 for one song. That works for me.

[donlat3]

I don't remember the last time I bought a cd. I have been using emusic.com and it has been great. They hook you up with a lot of free music downloads.