Downloaded songs = used CD store. Discuss.

[CanuckAmok]

Everybody here, I'm sure, has purchased a used CD or LP at one time or another. The artist, producer and distributor get nothing from the sale of used music.

At one point, someone (the original purchaser)'s money was distributed in such a way that the retailer and the wholesaler got a cut, and the rest went to the disrtibutor, manufacturer, and, in theory, the artist. Futher purchases of the record do not benefit anyone but the retailer.

Technically, it isn't legal to resell copyrighted recordings, but it's something which society clearly tolerates, in every town and city, on the internet, and between friends.

Interestingly, in Canada, it is technically no unlawful to download music without the copyright holders' permission, but it is illegal to resell physical copies of copyrighted works without that permission. However, I'm sure there are just as many used music stores here per capita than anywhere else in the West.

At one point, every piece of music (well, probably 99.99999%) available for download on the internet has been purchased legitimately at least once, with the proceeds going to the usual suspects. Further downloads are just as beneficial financially to the artist/producer/distributor/original vendor as much as a used copy of a physical CD/LP: not at all.

Can you draw a distinction between downloading music and buying it used? I can't but I'd like to see what others have to say.

I'm not talking about the same "downloading is killing music" argument, because I think it's pretty clear that downloading and reselling benefit the artist equally. And I think we each have decided on a personal level whether we consider downloading ethical or not.

I just want to hear what you have to say about the difference between reselling and downloading.

[Wat_Tyler]

1. Did home taping kill music?

Every generation has a technology that scares the industry, and every time the industry works out a way to continue turning a profit.

[physioex]

2. My 2 cents.....

I think downloading without paying is illegal. However as far as used CD's go, you cannot get every CD that is in print today and some are only available used. I think of used CD's like old book stores, you get tired of a particular book then pass it around. Are we going to ban old book stores as well because the author does not get royalty?

On Edit: Going through college, I only bought used books. And I would swap with friends when possible. The college bookstores themselves sell used books. What is your opinion on that?

[cynatnite]

3. Well said!

This reminds me of something I saw on MSNBC a while back.

It had to do with file-sharing and downloading from P2P networks. There was a college kid on there and some others talking about this. The host (I can't remember who it was)said the college kid was better off buying the music at the store and making copies for her friends :wtf:

Anyway, I will buy used music as well as used books. But I consider the RCAA sharks and I don't doubt they will find some way of making money off of every little way music finds it's way around including garage sales where you can buy CD's for practically nothing.

(I bought three Journey CD's at garage sales at a buck a piece)

[physioex]

5. Journey.....

Man that sure went out of style long time ago.... ;)

[tuvor]

4. Not if Garth Brooks had his way.

In around 1997 he wanted to try to get royalties from sales at used record stores.

You know, I would have been fine with that. As long as he relinquished the same royalties each time a used CD store purchased one of his CDs.

As for Canadians being allowed to download music, we've been granted that right as far as I'm concerned, by the levy added to each unit of recordable media. That money is supposed to go into a pool and then divvied up among the artists.

[CanuckAmok]

6. an aside:

as the owner of a small recording studio, I paid over $400 in 2004, via this blank media surcharge.

Not only does that piss me off because I'm recording original audio with for the future copyright holder, but because I can guarantee you that not one thin dime of it will benefit any recording artist in this country.

[tuvor]

10. And although I didn't spend as much as you...

...I had to buy about 50 blank CDs to back up dozens and dozens of movie files for work.

So, yeah, I really don't feel bad about downloading and burning. Hell, I still buy CDs if it turns out I actually like them anyway.

[Maestro]

7. I'm not a lawyer

but downloading music via P2P seems much more illegal in that no one paid the artist for the goods; whereas, in the selling of anything used, CDs included, the artist did receive remuneration the first time around. It's like selling a used a car. Ford, for example, did not receive any more money after Billy Bob sold his truck to his neighbor and it is all completely legal.

[CanuckAmok]

8. Well...here's the thing.

Being illegal isn't a matter of degrees; either it's against the law, or it isn't. There's no such thing as something being "more illegal" than something else.

And, my argument is that, evien with P2P, the music has been purchased at least once... when the original medium was purchsed in a store, then taken and transferred to someone's PC.

[physioex]

9. You forgot one thing...

When the music is transferred by a CD(assuming it is not copied) only one person retains the CD. When you do a P2P you have the CD and so do millions of others. However the rights to you were only sold once.

I am a realist when it comes to this. I think will be a chance for artists to make money other ways. And make money on things like concert, merchandise and what not. It was thought that VCRs would bring down the movie theaters at one time as well....

[Maestro]

11. You have a point.

Never really looked at like that. I still don't like downloading because I am an audiophile and can tell the difference between mp3 and the original recorded version on cd so I still buy the cd. However, recently I have downloaded quite a bit from iTunes. Many times though I downloaded something, liked it, and then bought the album.

[democracyindanger]

12. with P2P

you are duplicating and distributing. P2P is not analogous to buying a single used CD--it is making copies of the CD and distributing them.

[ghostsofgiants]

13. Well the music files had to come from somewhere.

Every cd I own is also on my computer in ogg format. The artist WAS paid for the goods initially.

Just sayin'.

I download a LOT of music. I also buy a lot of music.

[NightTrain]

14. I've downloaded shitloads of music for free, and will continue to do so.

The RIAA can kiss my :kick:

[ArmchairActivist]

15. You forgot an analagous equation:

Used CD store = place to get money to feed heroin habit.

Anybody think the bulk of those "used" CDs were sold by the original owner who just got tired of 'em?