Let me start out my blog by saying this. I am not trying to justify illegal downloading. I buy my music from time to time as well, wether at shows or in stores. But let's face it. A lot of us download. Myself included.
This blog is not about whether downloading music is wrong or not. That's a whole different argument that depends on many variables, and it's just a different can of worms that I don't want to open.
I'm not here to argue against anyone. I'm not here to justify. I'm just here to point out what I think is a flaw in the logic of those who oppose downloading.
"DOWNLOADING MUSIC IS THE SAME AS
STEALING CDS OFF OF A SHELF"
I see it all the time in people's sigs. I used to think "yeah, they're right" you know? But I thought some more.
Turns out, I don't fully agree with their logic. Sure, their stance is valid, but that one statement just strikes me as incorrect.
Stealing a CD is different than downloading it. Sure, it's the same when it comes to the basic definition, which is "taking something that doesn't belong to you without permission", but when you think about it, there's more.
Let's use a scenario to illustrate my point. Let's say you're hyped about Between the Buried and Me's newest album, The Great Misdirect. You have three choices. You can either do the right thing and purchase it, or you can steal it by either illegally downloading it or stealing it from the store.
When you buy it from the store, the money goes somewhere (usually most goes to the label) and the band gets one more sale to move them up on the charts. Don't you feel good?
When you download the CD illegally, you're depriving the band of the money and the sale count that they could get if you purchased.
Let's look at the difference between stealing physical copies and downloading data (which opponents of downloading will try to convince you is the same thing).
Let's say you decide to steal the album from the store. You walk in, stick the CD in your pocket, and walk out. You get the music, you get the case, the book, and you get to look at all the little pictures and read the thank you notes at the end of the book. Usually the band thanks the fans for their support (except for you, you stealing swine). Your money won't go to the band, and they won't get another sale to help them out in any way at all.
Now this is where the difference occurs: When you steal the album off of the shelf of the music store, not only are you depriving the band of everything they deserve, but you are also depriving other fans the chance to support the band. The removal of the disc from the shelf prevents others from buying it. When you download a CD illegally, the physical copies remain in the store on the shelf, available for all loyal fans to buy. You're still traitorous swine for denying the artists the rewards of their work, but you aren't preventing anyone else from paying for a CD.
The way I see it, there are a lot of people who download illegally. Those who oppose illegal downloading often state that doing so is no different from stealing a CD right out of the store. I beg to differ.
Nowdays, there are probably more people who will download an album than buy it. I'd be willing to bet that more people will download The Great Misdirect than buy it.
At this point in time, I've completely forgotten what I was about to write. So I'll end this blog (probably finish it later) with a quick summary.
TL;DR: Downloading isn't the same as stealing because when you steal, you prevent others from buying, but when you download, you don't.
I'd like to also add that you should buy CDs when you can. Really. If for nothing else, you can at least tell a band when you see them live that you actually paid for their work.
And if you're still going to download, then you better be going to shows to give bands your ticket money. Also, buy tshirts, bands need all the support they can get.
Pick your top five favorite bands. And pay for everything they do.
Sounds like sound logic. Though it's good to use spotify instead of downloading if you can, because then the money from the adverts goes to help pay the artist for the music you listen to. Of course that's only if you're on a computer/laptop but it's still nice to do that little bit for the artist.
Top five? I collect CDs from my top... ehh... well, all the bands I like, really. I'm a bit of a completionist (although I'm fairly certain that's not a word) that way, I like having an entire band's discography.
I almost never listen to iTunes any more though, I listen to Spotify. The reason? I'm not 18, I don't have a credit card that I can freely buy music online with and for some odd reason, most singles are never released in physical formats. Or maybe they just never end up in stores here up in Norway, I don't know. But Spotify has it all, be it the obscure albums I don't yet have, the singles that I can't find or just that bonus track from the exclusive Japanese edition of the album (Muse, I'm looking at you!).
Point in case? I buy, I pay, I don't steal. I don't know if that makes me a 'model citizen' in any way, but it's such a good feeling when I know that I'm supporting those bands that I want to hear more and more from
@aaciseric: Thanks, and thanks for bringing up Spotify, I should edit that into my blog when I get the chance
@MushroomBomb: You must have quite an extensive library then. I'm actually quite jealous. My CD library is decent, but probably nothing compared to yours. If I could, I would pay for all the music I have. Perhaps if I get rich one day, I'll buy all my CDs, even CDs I've already downloaded.
jetfuel495 wrote on Nov 4th, 2009 at 4:28am : @MushroomBomb: You must have quite an extensive library then. I'm actually quite jealous. My CD library is decent, but probably nothing compared to yours. If I could, I would pay for all the music I have. Perhaps if I get rich one day, I'll buy all my CDs, even CDs I've already downloaded.
I only actually have about 240-ish CDs. I think I've grown a bit 'lazier' with CDs since I started using Spotify. I'll make a playlist with someone's music, listen to it for a while, then just completely forget to buy the album(s) because I'm already onto something more addictive.
I'll still go to shows and/or buy merch from these artists though, so I guess it's a positive thing overall.
MushroomBomb wrote on Nov 6th, 2009 at 5:01pm : jetfuel495 wrote on Nov 4th, 2009 at 4:28am :
@MushroomBomb: You must have quite an extensive library then. I'm actually quite jealous. My CD library is decent, but probably nothing compared to yours. If I could, I would pay for all the music I have. Perhaps if I get rich one day, I'll buy all my CDs, even CDs I've already downloaded.
I only actually have about 240-ish CDs. I think I've grown a bit 'lazier' with CDs since I started using Spotify. I'll make a playlist with someone's music, listen to it for a while, then just completely forget to buy the album(s) because I'm already onto something more addictive.
I'll still go to shows and/or buy merch from these artists though, so I guess it's a positive thing overall.
Only? Goddamn, your CD library is like ten times the size of mine!
Well yeah... that is true. Often times I've found myself in FYE or Bust Buy looking for a CD only to find that all the copies were sold (or... STOLEN!) :/
So yeah. You've got a good point. However, it's only really a small difference.
As for The Great Misdirect... dear God, I'm still orgasming. Amazing album! ...even though I liked Colors better.
Jon777 wrote on Nov 30th, 2009 at 7:59pm : Well yeah... that is true. Often times I've found myself in FYE or Bust Buy looking for a CD only to find that all the copies were sold (or... STOLEN!) :/
So yeah. You've got a good point. However, it's only really a small difference.
As for The Great Misdirect... dear God, I'm still orgasming. Amazing album! ...even though I liked Colors better.
All true
It IS a small difference, but a difference nonetheless :
Good point. I myself just started illegally downloading music a couple of weeks ago. I mainly do it for the huge bands, and not so much the lesser known ones. I support bands, not record labels.
Good point. I myself just started illegally downloading music a couple of weeks ago. I mainly do it for the huge bands, and not so much the lesser known ones. I support bands, not record labels.
I had the impression that CDs in stores were already bought - by the store. If that is true then the band does get the money, but maybe not the count of sale. /Shrug
Le_Bunny wrote on Dec 26th, 2009 at 12:29am : I had the impression that CDs in stores were already bought - by the store. If that is true then the band does get the money, but maybe not the count of sale. /Shrug
I'm ignoring that fact simply for the sake of argument with those who disagree with me.
I have to agree with you, it is good logic. When downloading, you aren't stealing anything from the band, really. But when you actually steal the physical CD, those cost money to make, package, and ship. Plus, you're also stealing from the store, which is hurting more then just the artist.
Anyway, I don't think I could steal an actual CD, just because of the 'thank you' thing at the end of the little booklet thing. I'd feel so horrible, because I know that I actually stole from an artist I love, and didn't support them in the least.
If you actually want to make sure all your money goes to a band, go to a show and buy the CD there. Most bands will make $1-2 at most from a sale in a store-- the $12ish dollars from a retailed CD is split up between the band, label, the store itself and I believe either the distributor or the publisher, and the band gets the short end of the stick in this scenario.
So tl;dr: buy directly from the band if you really want to help them out!
your logic in undeniable. I agree, but someone is goin to read halfway through this and convince themselves its okay to DL illegally. Just saying. Really good post though
There is more than a small difference; there is a rather large one. Not only is there one less for the next person to purchase, but there is one less in general. A physical unit is gone, never to be replaced.
And though the stores do buy the albums from the label, retailers and suppliers have a weird relationship. For example, if products do not sell past a certain point, many retailers (if they have the requisite pull) will just return said product and get their money back. Retailers do this with expired food and medicine, which doesn't make sense to me at all, and I suspect that if CDs do not sell up to a certain point the retailer just ships them back to the label.
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