A Dying Industry

A friend of mine wrote a great blog about the effects of illegal downloading & how it's threatening the music industry. Below is an excerpt followed by a link to the article.  Great read!

How to Support the Music -- and Musicians -- You Love]

We talk often about what we can do to help the artists we support, whether it's a newly-signed or a more established, but still needing our help.   It's actually simple.  The number one thing music fans can do to support the musicians they love is to BUY their records. Illegal downloading of music is threatening to kill (if it hasn't already killed) the music industry.....Read More

Check out some of the comments made on this subject


Danny: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa; not enough $$ for entertainers to sling around??BULL!!


Debby: Thats like saying aspirin is killing the need for doctors. I dont believe it. We have people starving out here and this is nonsense!!!!


John:  Would you shop lift a candy bar from Wal-Mart even though they make billions? It's a moral thing. .99 to $1.25 is pretty affordable per download. You can hardly get a coke for that price. lol

Most musicians will perform in hole-in-the-wall clubs their entire lives & barely make ends meet. Very few will get an opportunity to be signed to a record label, & even if they do that doesn't mean they will sell enough units to get signed again.

Shari: From my daughter (the writer of the article): You say "moralizing" as if we're "bedazzling" the issue. As John said, it IS a moral issue. Also, theft should not be put in quotes...just because it's not a tangible theft doesn't make it any better than walking into Wal-Mart and stealing a CD off the shelf. And also, just because they choose to be an artist doesn't mean they should have to conform to these thefts. The public should conform to the law, plain and simple.

Debbie: Wow i wish we could get this fired up when a Soldier dies. Yes they choose that job also but it still devastates their loved ones. Do you see a priority issue here

Deborah: Everyone gets very upset when our soldiers die. When a family member dies or our pet dies for heaven sake. Of course we do. This is just a seperate issue and it is stealing and it is a moral issue. Lots of issues here.

Brandi: I am one who can see both sides of this issue. It is theft if the cd or song is not purchased legally. Most cds you buy now,however, have an anti-theft program imbedded in them to disable the ability to copy them. Most websites where you can download music require a membership of some kind. That being said, if we are to include sharing of music by copying an album and giving it to friends, then that too should include, recording shows from television, giving a friend a magazine or book that you have finished reading, or even bluetoothing a ringtone to friend. If one area is covered then so should all media. Like someone else stated previously...theft...is theft.

Danny: it ain't theft if I leave the keys in my truck and put a sign on it test drive at will; if I was that concerned I would take other measures to ensure MY STUFF stayed mine so I could continue to live as extravagant a lifestyle as I chose. I'll say this to, even musicians that won't copy others music for their own pleasure are in the minority.

Cheryl:  Plain and simple. Theft is theft and don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to you! : ) Everyone deserves payment for their hard work. If they want to give it away then it should come from them and no one else.

Wow, there's nothing like a good debate about a touchy subject. Something to think about!