To a Mother Concerned About File-Sharing
Posted by Erik Peterson | Filed under industry, technology, trends
First, I would like to indicate that this post is in response to MusiciansWages group blogging event for all music and musician bloggers, also brought to us in part by; Music Careers at About.com and KnowtheMusicBiz.com
A mother of a teenage son is concerned about his online file-sharing:
I have a teenage son who tells me his pirating music is no big deal. Since he is a musician himself, I point out to him that someday that’s going to be his money people are stealing. But he remains unphased.
He tells me the record sales make money for the record label, not the artist. He says that the artists make all their money from touring and live concerts. He thinks the pirated music promotes the concerts and therefore helps the artist make more money. I still don’t allow pirating in my house.
But tell me what you think - as artists out there having your work “shared,” are you just glad to have it being enjoyed, or does it bother you? Admittedly, he is stealing music that is recorded by major record labels, so maybe its different than the independent musician working for his living. But I’d still like to hear what you think. ~Valerie
It’s true that mainstream artists see little in direct compensation from music sales, however it’s a common misconception that major labels do not pay artists for their work. It may not come in the form of pocket money or a salary, but payment comes in “advances” and supporting a large network of promotional/distribution avenues (ie: music videos, airplay, TV/radio spots, etc), producers, songwriters, recording and sometimes even tour support for the artist. If it weren’t for this support network, most of us would never know about some of our favorite artists. Although the music industry may be very slow in adapting to new technology, music sales are what currently feeds this support network. Essentially, when pirating or illegally sharing music on a mass scale, one is biting the hand that feeds them what they love.
Also take into consideration that, illegal file-sharing is looting what most artists hold near-and-dear to their hearts. Last month I read an article about U2’s Bono, and his thoughts on music piracy. I thought he did a great job of putting it into perspective:
“because people think people like me are overpaid and overnourished, and they’re not wrong,” the U2 singer says. “What they’re missing is, how does a songwriter get paid? There’s no space for a Cole Porter in the modern age.
“It’s not the place for rich rock stars to ask for more money, but somebody should fight for fellow artists, because this is madness. Music has become tap water, a utility, where for me it’s a sacred thing, so I’m a little offended.”
When it comes to independent or D.I.Y. musicians, making a living at music becomes tougher with piracy. Often, pay for live performances is quite low and merchandise sales don’t work for every genre, or fan base. Music sales help the indie artist make ends meet. It’s one thing if an artist intentionally allows his music to be downloaded for free and/or to be passed around freely, it’s quite another thing when an artist relies on music sales as part of their business strategy.
I can’t speak for all musicians, but I would think that most do not care about anyone sharing their music with close friends, and probably even encourage it. However, it becomes quite a different scenario when their music is freely being shared and spread between tens of thousands (or possibly more) of other file-sharers, if the artist is relying on music sales.
Ultimately, it’s not really up to us to decide whether or not who gets paid and who does not get paid. It’s only our decision if we enjoy what an artist has to offer enough to pay for it. I’m fairly confident that most people, including your son, would not at all be cool with strangers deciding if they should be paid or not for their hard work. Especially when it’s for survival. There’s no way to stop piracy, but we don’t have to contribute to it. There are plenty of new ways for music fans to legally share and discover music these days, and new technologies and music services are popping-up almost daily, quite often for free.
Bottom-line is, if the artist or record label does not authorize a free download, it’s stealing. Just because it’s easy to take without getting caught, and other people are doing it, doesn’t mean it’s okay.
April 16th, 2009 at 8:34 am
[...] - Erik from Plugola Inc. [...]