resurrectionsong

September 09, 2003

Questions of the Day (Updated)

With the RIAA using their own shock and awe tactics to try to stem the flow of free music across the Internet (I mean, really, filing a suit against a 12 year old?), we have a couple interesting questions to answer.

Question 1: Will the threat of a lawsuit deter you from trading music through a peer-to-peer network?

Question 2: If the answer to number 1 is "yes", will your reduced trading lead to the purchase of more CDs? Or will it lead to the increased use of services like BuyMusic.com (eww) or the Apple Music Store?

My own answers are that I was never a heavy file trader, anyway. Most of my searching for music was for unreleased, live, or import music that I simply couldn't find in the US. I also did most of my downloading from work (nice fat pipe). I will not be doing that any longer from work, and quite minimally from home. So, yes, the threat has curtailed my trading somewhat. I don't think it is acceptable for me to put the company that I work for at legal risk.

I also really enjoy Apple's Music Store. Easy, convenient, reasonably priced, and quick. I use it--but not much. It isn't that I don't want to use it, it's just that the music isn't really representative of my own taste. You'd think that a library of over 200,000 songs would be pretty comprehensive. You'd be wrong.

The ideal service would be priced around Apple's price-point, but would have a truly comprehensive listing of out of print, rare, and older work. I realize that getting deals for these works would be challenging, but for many of us, that would be the compelling, killer application that brought us over to a service.

When AudioGalaxy was at the top of the file sharing game, their listing of songs was immense. I found things on there that I never even imagined existing in a digital format; the service was sometimes slow, but was, in my experience, immensely more reliable than things like Napster. I loved it.

What I want from a legal downloadable music site is that level of choice combined with speed, reasonable cost, and reliable service. When I get that, they'll earn my money. Until then, Apple Music Store is an extremely well-designed novelty.

Update: I think Ron's opinions on the subject are pretty self-evident.

Further Update: Kevin is worried what effect these new services will have on the album format.

Posted by zombyboy at September 9, 2003 11:05 AM | TrackBack

Comments

1. I haven't done much since the demise of Napster. And even then, I was like you, I looked for obscure, unreleased, demo, live, import, etc. tracks. I don't currently have any file sharing software installed. But the way things are now, any urge I might get to install something would probably be tempered by all this litigious nonsense. Way to go, RIAA.

2. I don't think I'll use BuyMusic or the other. But here's the thing. I very rarely buy new CDs. Of the 400 or so CDs I've bought since about 1998, probably 388 have been USED (we had two amazing used stores in Irving -- one even had a 50 cent and dollar section). Why isn't the RIAA going after used-CD stores and Amazon's "peer to peer" Marketplace service? Once in a while I'll pay retail prices for something, but it has to be something special.

And it's not that that one CD isn't worth full price to me; it's that I know I can get it cheaper (but not for free) by other means than paying full price right away, and I like such a variety that paying full price for everything would quickly become unfeasible.

IF a band were charging the going rate for a CD but I was assured the RIAA as middleman was being bypassed and the label was an independent, I'd be much more willing to pay.

This won't stop me putting an MP3 up publicly once a week or so, and it won't stop me PRIVATELY sharing music through FTP or through just recording a "mix tape" (on MP3) for a friend once in a while as a gift. Mix tapes were always a great gift back in high school for your buddy or for that girl you really liked...

Posted by: Kevin White at September 9, 2003 12:54 PM

PS: I also worry abou the death of the album.

Posted by: Kevin White at September 9, 2003 12:56 PM

I've been mentally composing a post on nearly the same topic.

Like you, I was more interested in out-of-print, live, "strange" rare stuff. AudioGalaxy was the BOMB!

I don't use Apple's store, but I have purchased from BuyMusic.com. (Please enlighten me on the "Eewww." I really want to know.) I have already had an issue with them regarding a few Billy Joel cuts I bought, so I'm curious as to your opinion of them.

You're right, most definitely, about the lack of depth at present. The RIAA fire-breathing "sue everyone" assholes don't realize that they'd win nearly everyone (except for a few "rebels") to their side if they'd offer the people WHAT THEY WANT. (Ahem. And not everyone is breathlessly awaiting the latest "smash release" from Britney Spears.)

Pay for the music you want. It's the right thing to do. But DAYUM, I want some GOOD, REAL music.

Posted by: margi at September 9, 2003 03:25 PM

1. Yes, slightly. I've stopped sharing files, which should limit my exposure, and I'll move to an encrypted/proxy-style p2p network when they are viable. I'm also trying to buy most of the songs I've downloaded on CD so I'm protected by fair use. If I do get sued, I'll go buy all the CDs and fight it.

2. Yes.

Posted by: Matt Moore at September 9, 2003 07:06 PM

AudioGalaxy. *sniff*

Now that, my friends, was a Celestial Jukebox.

Posted by: Dave at September 10, 2003 08:06 AM

I should also mention that I find the quality of mass-recorded MP3s unacceptable. I'm an audiophile, and I wouldn't pay for music that only came as a 128 MP3.

Posted by: Kevin White at September 10, 2003 11:15 PM

My thoughts on this subject have hardened. I have rarely purchased a CD at full retail price.
I do buy and sell CD's at a used CD place and I buy CD's at shows from local artists or independents.
I have not, nor will I, purchase music from the "Big 5" until this copyright fiasco is figured out so that it is a win/win for all.
I also agree that mp3's, at 128kbps or less, should be free. The only quality of compressed lossy that I find acceptable is an ogg vorbis at a -q 7.50 VBR.
But even then a 4 minute song will be about a 6.5 meg download... a good 30 minutes on a dial up, at best.

Posted by: Ken at October 28, 2003 10:46 AM