Music Downloading Creates Listener Apathy

[Onhell]

Unfortunately iTunes is VERY limited in it's Metal/Hard Rock category. And even though Metal in Mexico is scarce it still has a FAR better selection than the U.S.

 

[Anomica]

I don't identify with that at all. I do recognize that it is happening, but like SMX said, I want to kiss Steve Jobs' feet for creating the iPod, I get to listen to all my music to which I'm emotionally invested with where ever I go! That is awesome being on a 24 hour Maiden/Metal/classical/(insert whatever genre high.

What Conor said is quite true too. One of the things people tell me is, "how can you listen to such long songs?" Um... oh I don't know, becaue they're good? I think being able to listen to a 13:00 minute song is like being able to read a 800 page book or watching a 3 hour movie (that isn't Titanic...ugh). It takes deep appreciation of the art form.

Well said.
In my humble opinion, being able to download music (regardless of legality) has increased my appreciation of seriously great music. Before the Internet, I only bought albums I new I'd like and it's still the same when I buy CDs, the difference is that today I know of more bands. With a "try before you buy" attitude, I find myself buying music I didn't even know existed a few weeks/months earlier, thus my experiences are enhanced and my collection grows almost daily sometimes. I don't believe that downloading music creates apathy or causes less caring about music, it's the music industry's constant downpour of crap! Cheap one-hit wonders, the umpteenth metal/rock/pop/dance/hip-hop compilation where the kids want part 25 of the Absolute music just because 1 of the 40 songs is good. I actually feel sorry sometimes for the poor bastards that prefer pop and chart music to metal considering the amount of crap they have to wade through to find a nugget of gold somewhere. Had they only enjoyed metal, they would be able to find great music so much more easily. And if they're insecure as to what to buy, it's only to ask their local metalhead

When I listen to a great song, it's the same as when I read a great book, I get disappointed when it's over ^_^ Hence, I want long songs, really thick books with 800+ pages and so on. I don't know if you really need a "deep appreciation of the art form", as Onhell says, but at least you need to be able to concentrate for more than 3 minutes at a time, an ability I believe MTV has ruined for quite a few people. I read a lot of fantasy litterature (I know, most of it may be aimed at teenagers and I'm nearly 40, but I love it) and most books are 700-1000 pages each and almost always there are at least 3-4 books to each series (the worst example would be "The wheel of time" by Robert Jordan where I'm currently waiting for the 12th (!) book of the series I think). So, give me long songs and thick books and more movies like "The Deer hunter" or "The godfather" and I'm happy

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...the fact of the matter it, it's stealing. But then, a problem arises. Those of these friends who have a program such as "Soulseek" automatically then submit that music to the service, so that anyone can get it for free. No up and coming band or artist can afford for this to happen. Thus, instead of helping new artists, such programs are destroying their chance of success.

I don't agree with you. Stealing is when I take something from you and you no longer have it. This is copying - a small difference, perhaps, and it still means that I don't pay for it, but the distinction is important. Otherwise, public libraries could be accused of stealing as well, since I can borrow any book in their stock and read it. The writer would certainly make more money if every lender bought the book itself, instead of borrowing it. Right?

Up and coming bands are the ones that really can benefit from filesharing because they can get known to 1000s or even millions of people in a very short time. That is almost impossible if you even manage to get signed by one of the major record companies, that anyway usually are very afraid of signing untried or different style acts. Also, the bands make the most of their money not from record sales, but from live gigs, so if you want to support your favourite bands see them live. Record sales only benefit record companies. Give me a donation link at the band's web site and I'll download their music illegaly and donate money directly to the band instead. After all, how large is the percentage the bands get from every sold album?

Let's take Maiden as an example. Suppose I've downloaded all their albums and never bought a single one (I haven't but suppose). Let's say it's 18 albums in total. I either pay $20-25 per CD (Swedish CD prices are about 180 Swedish Krona or $25) and the boys in IM may earn $2-3 from each sale. Instead, for every album I download, I donate $10 directly to the band, which I definitely would do since I'm all for musicians being able to make a living off it. They'd get 5 times as much from each sale and we probably wouldn't have to see all those unnecessary compilations that the record companies try to get us to buy. A win-win situation. And by being able to get the music so much cheaper, I get to know their music better and realise that I really need to see them live; not once or twice but as often as possible. At least in a perfect world. I know a lot of people wouldn't donate but I honestly believe it's easier to convince people to give money directly to the bands instead of the music industry big-wigs.