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  1. Hi everyone,

    I don´t know if a topic about this exists... I couldn´t find one

    Anyway, I created one because I think there are many polemics around this matter and I´d like to know people´s opinion.

    Are you in favor of file sharing and illegal downloading? Do you download/share files?

    Do you think that illegal downloads are bad for new musicians like Bono, Lars Ulrich and Lilly Alen think or you think that it´s a good way to promote the artist like Ed O´Brien?

    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there?

    What are the pros and cons in your opinion? What´s the future of the music industry in your eyes?

    Please share your thoughts! Thank You
  2. I thought I´d give it a go

    I don´t really have an opinion for now, but I have certain beliefs:

    music is art, but you should get rewarded

    If I made music and everyone was singing it but i never gt recognition I´d be pissed.

    I am agains piracy, but I don´t dislike sharing music for personal use. I often do it, just for pleasure and if I like it I buy the album.

    I think that free sharing is more helpful to artists because they can get a bigger fan base

    Just some thoughts though
  3. Are you in favor of file sharing and illegal downloading? Do you download/share files? I'm impartial, as I have downloaded things in the past, and still do so on occasion. I tend to find that if I download something that I like I go out and buy it anyway, so if anything it's beneficial in that sense. I do think that if you download EVERYTHING then that's bad, though, 'coz you can't justify that as fair.

    Do you think that illegal downloads are bad for new musicians like Bono, Lars Ulrich and Lilly Alen think or you think that it´s a good way to promote the artist like Ed O´Brien? I think that, to be honest, Bono isn't going to miss the odd £8 or so if a few people decide to download his music. but new musicians can't afford that luxury and need support, so I'd feel guilty downloading up and coming artists.

    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there? nah, because good music is easy to find, you just know where to look. it also gives exposure to talented musicians who otherwise would never have been noticed.

    What are the pros and cons in your opinion? What´s the future of the music industry in your eyes? the future, unfortunately, I think is in downloads. I hate the idea of downloads overtaking physical sales, but I think we're starting to head that way. basically, if you download something and like it, buy it. that's my opinion. and don't go overboard.

    there you go, man.
  4. Originally posted by wangmaster:Are you in favor of file sharing and illegal downloading? Do you download/share files? I'm impartial, as I have downloaded things in the past, and still do so on occasion. I tend to find that if I download something that I like I go out and buy it anyway, so if anything it's beneficial in that sense. I do think that if you download EVERYTHING then that's bad, though, 'coz you can't justify that as fair.

    Do you think that illegal downloads are bad for new musicians like Bono, Lars Ulrich and Lilly Alen think or you think that it´s a good way to promote the artist like Ed O´Brien? I think that, to be honest, Bono isn't going to miss the odd £8 or so if a few people decide to download his music. but new musicians can't afford that luxury and need support, so I'd feel guilty downloading up and coming artists.

    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there? nah, because good music is easy to find, you just know where to look. it also gives exposure to talented musicians who otherwise would never have been noticed.

    What are the pros and cons in your opinion? What´s the future of the music industry in your eyes? the future, unfortunately, I think is in downloads. I hate the idea of downloads overtaking physical sales, but I think we're starting to head that way. basically, if you download something and like it, buy it. that's my opinion. and don't go overboard.

    there you go, man.


    Thank u very much for taking your time to respond to this very nicely and in an organized manner!

    I agree that many people buy music after download... I did that often recently

    But I have my doubts on whether it helps or not new musiciams... I think they might not get as much money from album sales, but they might get a bigger fan base through downloads ad get more people at their shows... so i d k
  5. Are you in favor of file sharing and illegal downloading? Do you download/share files?
    I am against it. I download things when I want to know it, and if I like it, I buy it. I usually keep things that are not avaliable in my country though. I can't see a problem in downloading something that the record companies are not willing to sell me.

    Do you think that illegal downloads are bad for new musicians like Bono, Lars Ulrich and Lilly Alen think or you think that it´s a good way to promote the artist like Ed O´Brien?
    Bad for everyone, since it means less money. Worse for people that are new in the business.

    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there?
    No. The problem is not the fact that it is easy for everyone to record things. This is a good thing, because we are now able to hear music that probably wouldn't get to our ears in 1970 for instance.
    The bad thing are the Ipods, mp3players, cell phones, mp3 payed downloads. People in general are accepting real bad sounding stuff like mp3, and the mp3 players and such are only making it worse by making it look cool.

    What are the pros and cons in your opinion? What´s the future of the music industry in your eyes?
    The pro I think is that now we are able to hear music that we were not before. The cons are that people are getting music free, and it does not help the artists to keep making music. They have a job, like everybody else, and they deserve to be payed for what they do.



  6. Originally posted by thechicken:Are you in favor of file sharing and illegal downloading? Do you download/share files?
    I am against it. I download things when I want to know it, and if I like it, I buy it. I usually keep things that are not avaliable in my country though. I can't see a problem in downloading something that the record companies are not willing to sell me.

    Do you think that illegal downloads are bad for new musicians like Bono, Lars Ulrich and Lilly Alen think or you think that it´s a good way to promote the artist like Ed O´Brien?
    Bad for everyone, since it means less money. Worse for people that are new in the business.

    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there?
    No. The problem is not the fact that it is easy for everyone to record things. This is a good thing, because we are now able to hear music that probably wouldn't get to our ears in 1970 for instance.
    The bad thing are the Ipods, mp3players, cell phones, mp3 payed downloads. People in general are accepting real bad sounding stuff like mp3, and the mp3 players and such are only making it worse by making it look cool.

    What are the pros and cons in your opinion? What´s the future of the music industry in your eyes?
    The pro I think is that now we are able to hear music that we were not before. The cons are that people are getting music free, and it does not help the artists to keep making music. They have a job, like everybody else, and they deserve to be payed for what they do.






    I like your last answer a lot man!

    I usually download things to get to know them too

  7. Studies have shown that the people who download more, are also the ones who buy more. In other words: people who download get to know more music and will eventually buy it. If downloading would be stopped, I think the sell of CD's will decrease even more.

    The music industry has to accept the fact that times have changed. There is no way you can prevent downloading any more, people have become used to it now. Unless the wonderful free medium of internet will be turned into a controlled one, which would just be a loss for humanity in general.

    So instead of trying to fight against downloading, the music industry has to adapt itself to current times and find a way to use the internet to its advantage. The offer of legal downloading is abysmal comparing to illegal downloading. If I want to download an album illegally, I can choose between lossless and lossy, the file type, bit rate, download an extra bonus track from Japan etc. While if I download an album legally, I just have to settle for a fixed amount of tracks, with a fixed file type, bit rate, and often even files with copy protection.
    Besides that, the music industry must find ways to use free downloading to its advantage, like offering free demos before the release of an album. It's how Arctic Monkeys got their fame: their free demo album was so popular, that on the first day their debut album hit the shelves, it got record-breaking sales (into the hundreds of thousands in the UK).
  8. Are you in favor of file sharing and illegal downloading? Do you download/share files?

    I do download files, but I'm not in favor of anything. I download what I can't buy here (that goes for all non-persian artists, including U2, Coldplay, etc. and some Persian artists). But I buy everything else, albums are really cheap here, so I buy even the ones that I want to "see if I like", that could change if I was in another environment, but I would certainly buy it even if I liked and wanted to keep listening to a single track of it. This is as long as the artists consider the downloading illegal and are not happy with it.

    Do you think that illegal downloads are bad for new musicians like Bono, Lars Ulrich and Lilly Alen think or you think that it´s a good way to promote the artist like Ed O´Brien?

    As others put it, veterans won't hurt, but the new ones will. Not that they need the money, I don't believe that, the main source of income for artists is live performances. But, as long as the top lists are based on sales, it affects the new ones a lot, because the older ones like U2 have people buying their albums just because they are U2. They have a huge fan-base that will buy the album, some of them won't even open it and will keep it like that. But the new ones, why would anyone buy their work?

    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there?

    Not really, I'm happy with free download and youtube stuff, not because I get to pay less, but because it shows me angles that I couldn't see before. Because the first time ever Your Blue Room is played live by U2, I can see it online the next day. It makes me feel that I could be there.
    For me, the free downloads and the YouTube videos help me share your experiences, stuff that I can't have in my own country due to restrictions.

    What are the pros and cons in your opinion? What´s the future of the music industry in your eyes?

    Explained above. Pros, the experience sharing and the discovery of music and action that we could not have discovered 20 years ago.

    Cons are the hurting new artists, and only them. I really don't like it when Mr. McGuiness starts complaining about poor album sales due to piracy. He is right, but really, how much difference does it make for a band like U2? How much more money do you need?!

    I don't know what the future will be, but I think a good way for them to go would be to make all albums downloadable. If you can't beat them, join them, right? And you surely can't beat them. They could make all albums free to download, and make profits in other ways, and find a new system for the top-lists, maybe based on some online secure rating system, or stuff like that. But not on the sales.
  9. Originally posted by RDB92:Studies have shown that the people who download more, are also the ones who buy more. In other words: people who download get to know more music and will eventually buy it. If downloading would be stopped, I think the sell of CD's will decrease even more.

    The music industry has to accept the fact that times have changed. There is no way you can prevent downloading any more, people have become used to it now. Unless the wonderful free medium of internet will be turned into a controlled one, which would just be a loss for humanity in general.

    So instead of trying to fight against downloading, the music industry has to adapt itself to current times and find a way to use the internet to its advantage. The offer of legal downloading is abysmal comparing to illegal downloading. If I want to download an album illegally, I can choose between lossless and lossy, the file type, bit rate, download an extra bonus track from Japan etc. While if I download an album legally, I just have to settle for a fixed amount of tracks, with a fixed file type, bit rate, and often even files with copy protection.
    Besides that, the music industry must find ways to use free downloading to its advantage, like offering free demos before the release of an album. It's how Arctic Monkeys got their fame: their free demo album was so popular, that on the first day their debut album hit the shelves, it got record-breaking sales (into the hundreds of thousands in the UK).


    What you said is very true, but once I heard that the files of the songs are much smaller than on a cd, so on the PC its worse... is it true? or is it BS?

  10. Originally posted by Ali709:
    Mr. McGuiness starts complaining about poor album sales due to piracy. He is right, but really, how much difference does it make for a band like U2? How much more money do you need?!

    I don't know what the future will be, but I think a good way for them to go would be to make all albums downloadable. If you can't beat them, join them, right? And you surely can't beat them. They could make all albums free to download, and make profits in other ways, and find a new system for the top-lists, maybe based on some online secure rating system, or stuff like that. But not on the sales.




    nice
  11. I'll just throw this out there... (in regards to illegally downloading files)

    Around 2005/2006, I discovered BitTorrent, and really went nuts downloading a ton of stuff. Complete discographies of bands I was only pretty sure i liked...Dave Matthews Band, U2, Coldplay...and since then, after discovering my love for U2, I've spent probably close to $1000 US dollars on them. Between deluxe DVDs, going back and re-buying hard copies of the album, T-Shirts, concert tickets, etc....they've definitely BENEFITED from my illegal download a long time ago.

    And it's true, the ones who download more buy more. I download ALL THE TIME, but usually to finalize a buylist. Example? Downloaded the lead single off 30 Seconds To Mars' "This is War", and promptly rushed out and bought the entire album the next day. And I'll probably buy their earlier ones too, after hearing how much I loved the new one.

    People who only download because they don't want to spend any money shouldn't be doing it. But illegal downloading paves the way for recognition, recollection, and popularity for some artists. I'm in a cheap little garage band right now, and if we made an album, I would rather 1000 people illegally download it and share it with their friends, spreading our popularity and increasing our potential for sales, than I would making sure the album ONLY sold, and thereby drastically reducing our fan base.

    Artists like Billy Corgan really grind my gears as well. But I'll let someone else muse over that one; I don't want to burst any blood vessels.
  12. Originally posted by NLOTH_Victor:Hi everyone,


    Do you think that online free downloads, youtube, etc will lower te quality of music because technology makes it easy for anyone to record something and put it out there?




    I will say that this has bothered me over recent years. It seems as though true talent now has to be dug up from underneath the masses of crap that's so easily tossed onto the radio via Myspace or the likes. Didn't it used to be that you had to be talented to be heard by the masses? And now it's like you have to be part of an elite group of hunters to discover the truly beautiful.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.