More Evidence That P2P Users Buy CDs
from the once-again,-will-be-ignored-by-the-industry dept
Just how much evidence will it take before the recording industry realizes that there are multiple (possibly conflicting) effects to being able to download free music. Study after study after study after study have shown that many people who use or are interested in using free file sharing programs are likely to buy more CDs, because they view file sharing networks like a much more useful form of radio: as a way to try out lots of different music and determine what they like. It’s a “try before you buy” method of finding new music. Now, a new study is getting a lot of press because it claims that people using legal download services like iTunes tend to buy CDs, but as Jason Schultz points out, that’s basically saying that people who buy music, buy music. Big deal. What’s much more interesting is that the report notes (though, it’s hidden at the bottom) that people who use file sharing networks tend to buy CDs as well – though, not quite as many as those who use paid download services. However, if one were to believe the recording industry’s spin on things – no one would ever buy a CD if they can get those songs online for free. At what point does the industry admit that there’s an awful lot of evidence out there that they’re just wrong? It’s okay to admit they made a mistake. If they were to embrace file sharing, and realize it’s promotional powers, they would end up making a lot more money, but they refuse to pay attention.
Comments on “More Evidence That P2P Users Buy CDs”
Welcome to my Boston Tea Party
You know, I would be more inclined to purchase CD’s if it were not for the current attitude & behavior of the RIAA.
As it stands now, I refuse to financially support a dinosaur of an organization that has such contempt for its customers that it takes them to court and sues them if their extortion plan doesn’t work. ( We used to refer to these types as mafia. )
I am a regular downloader. I regularly make CD mixes for my car & for friends. I would love to go purchase the CD’s but 1. They are over priced. We were told that CD’s are cheaper to produce than cassettes yet the RIAA makes sure they sell for 3 dollars more than cassettes. How many CD-R’s can you buy for the 20 bucks you would spend on ONE lousy CD with maybe TWO songs on it you want ? 2. The CD’s that the RIAA produces ROT. Yes, they are subject to degradation over time. We were all promised that after spending thousands of dollars to replace our cassettes that our libraries would be virtually indestructible. We were lied to. 3. Finding CD’s of what I WANT to listen to is difficult to impossible. You can thank places like Wal-mart for using their market monopolization to insure that anything potentially offensive isn’t readily available. 4. I don’t sell or make a profit from making recording of the songs I download from the internet. In many cases the songs I am downloading are either not currently in production ( thanks RIAA ) or songs that I purchased many times over on 45’s, cassette’s & good old vinyl. How many times must I pay for a copy ?
I’ve taken to purchasing DVD concerts of my favorite artist. Many times you can fine ” best of ” collections on DVD that include either a concert or the videos. Generally the DVD’s sell for 5 to 15 dollars & are cheaper than CD’s. When the music industry realizes that people ARE willing to pay for what THEY want then the RIAA once again stands to make a boat load of money.
Until then …
I’ll just continue to download illegally.
Re: Welcome to my Boston Tea Party
But there’s nothing illegal about downloading… yet.
No Subject Given
The keyword in here is “likely”. The University of Toronto just did the same research and they came up with the same thing, other than the survey that were “likely” to by cd’s, but didnt actually do it.
http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=31096 (This affects more people than just music as well)