Piracy Vs. Consumer

So long as the radio and internet coexist they must remain mutual friends because of their fans. The issue is pressed on harder and harder every time anyone makes a big stink over it. Copyright infringement is seeping into nearly every crevice on the web. It is a big deal and it affects our everyday internet. This is why we should at least have an idea of what is happening- or what could happen because of this.

Let us start by analyzing the corporate music industry. They sign bands who come from nowhere and everywhere. Some of these bands have never truly struggled in their career. At the same time, others have earned their spot at the top of the charts. Once the band is signed, they are bound legally by contract to whatever label they choose to sigh with. The label takes the rights of the music to produce anything from cds to action figures of the artists. If the artists are good enough musicians they will keep with with the industry by conforming to the new sound. The new sound is determined by corporate labels. The labels take the money of their featured artists and invest it into a new sound. Bands who cannot adjust quick enough get left behind with a short-lived music career and only a fistful of dough. They get left behind because the label takes over for “the best interest ” for the artist.

The ones fighting piracy are usually the biggest, baddest, richest bands trying to hold on to their popularity. To these artists it is not a matter of a loss of sales (like they need them anyways), it is much larger. An example would be the lyrics or music being given to fans for free.The idea of paying for a once free commodity is totally ridiculous.They want security. They need assurance to know their material is not being given away. It seems like a very conceited and greedy thing to do, but it happens. If the same artists had enough confidence in themselves not to worry, they might produce better material.

Now let us look at the flip-side of this deal. Those “pirates” make up the base for these labels and artists. These pirates download music to fit their own needs. If I download a song and like it, I’ll go see the band and buy the record and a t-shirt. This money goes more directly to the artist than any other (besides mail orders) option. The ones deemed as pirates are the fans who make the music world go round. Some of them are songwriters/performers themselves. These people write their own music, book their own shows/tours, and produce their own cds/merchandise. Often times these musicians are underrated while they go broke funding their dream. It is this attitude one must understand to know how much hard work goes into the music business. With that being said, how could you slay the dreams of kids trying to find themselves?

Piracy will never go away. Piracy was here before the internet. The internet only provided an easier to access communications
network (P2P). Nearly anyone can find just about anything they want on the net. If they cannot find it here, they will find it there. Piracy will adjust to new laws and capitalize on new ideas to get what is in demand. Fighting piracy will only compel the users to become more resourceful. Compromise might salvage a little hope for the industry.

Before piracy there were composers who were recognized for their uncanny ability to write amazing pieces. Piano teachers teach their students these pieces. Is it fair to protect modern music and disregard the classics? Someone had to write the music of the sixties and seventies for others to learn. These original artists have out-lived themselves to continue to bring us great music. Imagine how much more confused the world would be if nobody knew what they wanted.