[Grey Wolf]

http://www.riaa.com/about/members/default.asp

Personally, as much as I'd like to not buy RIAA stuff, there are a few artists on some of the more minor labels that I'm going to have to keep buying.

[WMCoolmon]

Find a good used music store. You can't get stuff as soon as it comes out, unless you're pretty lucky. But it's usually a lot cheaper so less money goes to the RIAA. Not sure if used music stores still have to pay the RIAA for used music,  but at least they'll be getting less.

[phreak]

http://www.riaa.com/about/members/default.asp

Personally, as much as I'd like to not buy RIAA stuff, there are a few artists on some of the more minor labels that I'm going to have to keep buying.

Text Not Found: Century Media
Text Not Found: Nuclear Blast

[redmenace]

You break the law, you pay the price. I have 0 compassion for this fellow. Frackin buy his music used or something. He knew he was a poor college student and could not afford to be sued. Basically if you can't pay the price, don't do the crime. If RIAA committed a real crime I would say the exact same thing.

[aldo_14]

You break the law, you pay the price. I have 0 compassion for this fellow. Frackin buy his music used or something. He knew he was a poor college student and could not afford to be sued. Basically if you can't pay the price, don't do the crime. If RIAA committed a real crime I would say the exact same thing.

What if you're downloading music you already own, but the likes of DRM prevent you from burning an mp3 for use on your player?  Or if you lost the CD.  Or if the track itself is literally unavailable in the shops due to it being old, obscure and/or from a band that has long since vanished?  Or if it's an unobtainable b-side (from a delisted single) or live/accoustic rarity? 

[Mefustae]

What if you're downloading music you already own, but the likes of DRM prevent you from burning an mp3 for use on your player? Or if you lost the CD. Or if the track itself is literally unavailable in the shops due to it being old, obscure and/or from a band that has long since vanished? Or if it's an unobtainable b-side (from a delisted single) or live/accoustic rarity?

Or you don't want to pay $12 for a CD that should cost $3. They gouge the prices, they can expect people to bypass them altogether.

[Nuke]

http://www.riaa.com/about/members/default.asp

Personally, as much as I'd like to not buy RIAA stuff, there are a few artists on some of the more minor labels that I'm going to have to keep buying.

Text Not Found: Century Media
Text Not Found: Nuclear Blast

ah yes, labels i know well. its such a shame that satyricon's new album came out on a lable under the tyranical grasp of the riia. good album, but they ****ing sold out.

What if you're downloading music you already own, but the likes of DRM prevent you from burning an mp3 for use on your player? Or if you lost the CD. Or if the track itself is literally unavailable in the shops due to it being old, obscure and/or from a band that has long since vanished? Or if it's an unobtainable b-side (from a delisted single) or live/accoustic rarity?

Or you don't want to pay $12 for a CD that should cost $3. They gouge the prices, they can expect people to bypass them altogether.

i agree. if you remember before the cd came along, an album cost anywhere from 5 - 8 bucks. the cd comes along, which is cheaper to reproduce and has poorer sound quality to analog media, yet they double and in some cases tripple the price (and early cds cost as much as $25). and dont you ****ing dare blame inflation!

[redmenace]

If you own the CD i believe you are allowed to do so under license. I am not sure if DRM is on CDs? I haven't ripped a Newer CD in a long time. If you lost it, well I hope you atleast still have the case. Now if it is rare, search harder. Now if it is live recorded music, I don't believe this is technically the same thing. But I highly doubt that our little MIT student was downloading any of the things you mentioned before. Lets face it, he is likly downloading crap like Green Day etc.

[aldo_14]

If you own the CD i believe you are allowed to do so under license. I am not sure if DRM is on CDs? I haven't ripped a Newer CD in a long time. If you lost it, well I hope you atleast still have the case. Now if it is rare, search harder. Now if it is live recorded music, I don't believe this is technically the same thing. But I highly doubt that our little MIT student was downloading any of the things you mentioned before. Lets face it, he is likly downloading crap like Green Day etc.

DRM is on many CDs nowadays, particularly those from the large labels tat run the RIAA.  Usually rootkit based self-installing stuff, like sony but not so publicised (for whatever reason).

[redmenace]

oh well, it is a case of the few spoiling it for the many. Not that I like it. I don't. But DRM wouldn't be an issue if people didn't steal music or go around passing it around like the common cold.

[aldo_14]

oh well, it is a case of the few spoiling it for the many. Not that I like it. I don't. But DRM wouldn't be an issue if people didn't steal music or go around passing it around like the common cold.

That would imply that downloading music was an automatic lost sale.  Many of the albums I own, I bought as a result of downloading tracks from the artist.  It's pretty much de-riguer for me to download a few tracks before deciding whether I want an album; I think that is what musiccos are scared of.

[redmenace]

well doing one then the other basically violates the economic restriction on information(you know, perfect information). In essence, I am sure you are partly right. But there are many that don't buy the music and just copy the CDs etc.

[aldo_14]

well doing one then the other basically violates the economic restriction on information(you know, perfect information). In essence, I am sure you are partly right. But there are many that don't buy the music and just copy the CDs etc.

Or tape it off the radio, or copy the CD (through aux if need be) and take it back to the shops, etc.  I mean, we have to get the punishment proportional to the crime, here.  I've never, ever, heard of an albums' poor sales being blamed on downloads; the opposite in fact (for example, the ArticMonkeys - UK band - surprinsing success was widely attributed to the free distribution of demos before it was released).

[karajorma]

Thing is there always have been. People copied CDs onto other CDs before the net, Tapes onto tape and even simply recorded stuff from the radio.

Now the record companies put out nothing but unimaginative tat and blame piracy for their falling sales. It's not piracy. That's not really any worse than it's always been. It's the fact that the music is ****e that no one wants to buy.

[Martinus]

Thing is there always have been. People copied CDs onto other CDs before the net, Tapes onto tape and even simply recorded stuff from the radio.

Now the record companies put out nothing but unimaginative tat and blame piracy for their falling sales. It's not piracy. That's not really any worse than it's always been. It's the fact that the music is ****e that no one wants to buy.

And the truth will set you free!

[aldo_14]

Thing is there always have been. People copied CDs onto other CDs before the net, Tapes onto tape and even simply recorded stuff from the radio.

Now the record companies put out nothing but unimaginative tat and blame piracy for their falling sales. It's not piracy. That's not really any worse than it's always been. It's the fact that the music is ****e that no one wants to buy.

Don't forget overpriced!

[redmenace]

The internet has only made distrobution of material easier. But the truth is that it is difficult to tell what is causing what. Simply saying that RIAA is producing **** and that is why they are pursuing these people isn't any better than someone saying that improved job growth in the US is the result of Bush's economic policies of the lack therefore.

[karajorma]

The fact is that in the UK album sales were actually UP a couple of years ago. Funnily enough no one seems to want to mention that over here when they complain about internet piracy causing a loss in sales.

[redmenace]

The truth is that you cannot get any good statistics on the matter. No one really is going to say to a pollster, yeah I pirate music all the time without buying a solitary one of the albums. Besides, do we know for a fact that these people are continueing to keep these songs even after a 24 hr period. Meaning, when the RIAA busts them do they have oogles of music on their hd? or are they going on some sort of online tracking on kazaa or the like? Basically, I am asking do these morons keep all this music that they are "sampling?" I have to claim ignorance because I am unaware as to what the legal evidence RIAA has for doing this sort of shakedown.

[Inquisitor]

If you want it, pay for it.

If you want to punish them, don't buy it.

Vote with your walllets. What you are really saying is, you want it, but you don't want to pay for it. So you perpetuate the bull**** that the RIAA pulls off, you GIVE them targets for this insanity by stealing it.

They have it, they charge for it, you get it without paying for it. Justify it all you want with word games about "property" but you got something you didn't pay for.

Stop giving the bastards the satisfaction of being right.

Oh yeah, it's not about not wanting to pay for it, it's about freedom. I forgot.