The idea of this legal campaign is intimidation, not recovery. And in that goal, the RIAA has been ruthlessly successful.
Data. Websites shut down, takedown policies of major sites (like You Tube), death of major file sharing sites. Sales are dropping for sure, but not because of RIAA's desperate attempts to prop up a flawed and obsolete system of IP and distribution, but rather because of the obsolescence of the old system.
I believe there is an increase in illegal download /upload sites. torrents, other sharing networks, and even Russian sites had w/simple web searches. Sure CD sales is dropping IE total legal sales. Besides CDs the even better alternatives (legal DL's best) are increasing at a rate that will be a long, long, time coming to match the old CD peaks in units.
IMO either people are consuming much less or getting what they want via other means that can't tracked reliably by the watch dogs that are quoting wonky percentage #s to justify their own pathetic existance.
IMO either people are consuming much less or getting what they want via other means that can't tracked reliably by the watch dogs that are quoting wonky percentage #s to justify their own pathetic existance.
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I want to buy new music. In SACD format if possible, if not, DVD-A. If not, at minimum HDCD format.
But what is released now it is borderline garbage. In content and in mastering quality.
That's their real problem, not the filesahring.
But what is released now it is borderline garbage. In content and in mastering quality.
That's their real problem, not the filesahring.
Data what Data?
I really don't believe people are consuming less! it'd be very revealing by just looking at one example
to chart the storage capacity of MP3 players (Ipod and all the others) sold alongside of reported legal DL and CD sales VS year by year.
I really don't believe people are consuming less! it'd be very revealing by just looking at one example
to chart the storage capacity of MP3 players (Ipod and all the others) sold alongside of reported legal DL and CD sales VS year by year.
There is currently a legal way to buy music and the RIAA gets no cut, but then the artist gets no cut either. I usually only buy used, with occasional exceptions ( a new purchase) made for hard to find items.
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Going Gaga
downward spiral?!?
2009 U.S. Music Purchases up 2.1% over 2008; Music Sales Exceed 1.5 Billion for Second Consecutive Year
"Digital track sales break the ONE BILLION sales mark for the 2nd straight year with 1,160,000 digital track sales in 2009."
.
downward spiral?!?
2009 U.S. Music Purchases up 2.1% over 2008; Music Sales Exceed 1.5 Billion for Second Consecutive Year
"Digital track sales break the ONE BILLION sales mark for the 2nd straight year with 1,160,000 digital track sales in 2009."
.
Does anyone know if CDs from artists in other countries that are distributed in US (say, through Century Media) have to pay the RIAA?
Yup
visit the RIAA website look their own #'s at absolute dollars not percents
2007 2008 2009 all downward from year to year
DL music is a small fraction of total music sales
Neilson? they running the books now
Exactly right. Numbers of legal downloads are increasing, there are more markets (e.g., ringtones), there's alternate sources (Net streaming, satellite radio), and there's much more open distribution. So average sales price is dropping.
FWIW, my last 8 CD purchases were direct from the artist. No record label. This is the RIAA members' nightmare- it's hurting their business and it's perfectly legal.
FWIW, my last 8 CD purchases were direct from the artist. No record label. This is the RIAA members' nightmare- it's hurting their business and it's perfectly legal.
well still no data on illegal downloads being run off by the RIAA. The only positive is that legal DL's are increasing even tho CD is still the king.
Maybe we can agree RIAA = FAIL! No matter what they say, they don't protect the artists rights, just their own.
Maybe we can agree RIAA = FAIL! No matter what they say, they don't protect the artists rights, just their own.
My take on why sales are down.
1. Over exposure. You listen to pop radio and you can expect to hear your favorite tune every ten minute. Why buy, when you can just wait it out.
2. Target audience. When you target audience is in an age range dependant on a weekly salary from their parents or birthday money from grandma ...Remember: cherry lip balm doesn't pay for itself either!
The RIAA forgets who holds the purse strings on their target audience- I know they like to toss the word 'biatch' around on gangsta rap to make it more contraversial but do you really believe a parent will be purchasing an album with a parental warning about explicit and lewd lyrics for their ten year old?
3. Cost disparity. We all know you can buy a hundred rw cd's for five bucks after rebate at Best Buy- that's one hundred cd's of customized music or more depending on the format. Why should I pay 4x that for one crappy album with 2-3 hit singles?
Too much emphasis on being a rockstar and no emphasis on where that money is coming from. Why would I want to make a rich rockstar richer?
4. Technology and cost. We had to 'pirate music' from the radio or record player using a cassette recorder. Esentially, you waited for the radio to play your favorite song, you missed the first 8 seconds trying to get the 'play' and 'record' buttons to stick then had to deal with the voice-overs for the last 15 secs if the song faded. All in glorious mono as only a few people had the technology to record in stereophonic. Records had their own problems- obviously skipping, noise (poorly grounded, pops) and the omnipotent presence of a sibling who couldbe heard years later passing gas and running out of the room in peels of laughter. Low quality tapes, if bought in quantity, were .75 a piece. Second hand and new cut-outs were a buck. To conclude- it just was not worth the effort to steal music back then in terms of either money or product when a far superior product existed for a few pennies more.
In contrast- today it costs pennies to record a clean digital copy of the music you desire, and then be able to remaster or remix that recording using more free downloaded software and add it to a compilation that fits your moods or desires. A personalised, reasonable facsimile of the original for pennies or get spoon fed an album with only 3 over-played tracks (with a bonus radio edition and Extended track) for only $19.
5. Most music sucks nowadays. My father used to buy me a different Beatles album for special occaisions like Birthdays and Christmas. That stuff was pure magic- every song was enjoyable or could grow on you. I think even early Madonna and Michael Jackson were the same way- you got five or more 'hits ' and a bunch of listenable materiel.
6. Welcome to the age of immediate gratification and self-entitlement boys. Recorded materiel from stores? I can get it from the internet- in my underwear if that be my preference-- any time I want. Other then I-tunes at a dollar a whack, what else have you got fo Me. I want it now, I deserve it now, and I will take it now. It's one of my Constitudinal rights *I think*.
Look what Red Box has done to video stores. $1 a night movies, strategically and conveniently located at fastfood and food store entrances so what's another buck?
Slightly older movies but you didn't have to look for a video store to pick them up and return them. You go on a trip for 3 days? Pick one up at the first Macdonald's you see and drop it off on your off in another state along the way with no extra charges.
My point? The music industry has failed to keep up with the desires and lifesyles of their markets. Snooze and lose.
1. Over exposure. You listen to pop radio and you can expect to hear your favorite tune every ten minute. Why buy, when you can just wait it out.
2. Target audience. When you target audience is in an age range dependant on a weekly salary from their parents or birthday money from grandma ...Remember: cherry lip balm doesn't pay for itself either!
The RIAA forgets who holds the purse strings on their target audience- I know they like to toss the word 'biatch' around on gangsta rap to make it more contraversial but do you really believe a parent will be purchasing an album with a parental warning about explicit and lewd lyrics for their ten year old?
3. Cost disparity. We all know you can buy a hundred rw cd's for five bucks after rebate at Best Buy- that's one hundred cd's of customized music or more depending on the format. Why should I pay 4x that for one crappy album with 2-3 hit singles?
Too much emphasis on being a rockstar and no emphasis on where that money is coming from. Why would I want to make a rich rockstar richer?
4. Technology and cost. We had to 'pirate music' from the radio or record player using a cassette recorder. Esentially, you waited for the radio to play your favorite song, you missed the first 8 seconds trying to get the 'play' and 'record' buttons to stick then had to deal with the voice-overs for the last 15 secs if the song faded. All in glorious mono as only a few people had the technology to record in stereophonic. Records had their own problems- obviously skipping, noise (poorly grounded, pops) and the omnipotent presence of a sibling who couldbe heard years later passing gas and running out of the room in peels of laughter. Low quality tapes, if bought in quantity, were .75 a piece. Second hand and new cut-outs were a buck. To conclude- it just was not worth the effort to steal music back then in terms of either money or product when a far superior product existed for a few pennies more.
In contrast- today it costs pennies to record a clean digital copy of the music you desire, and then be able to remaster or remix that recording using more free downloaded software and add it to a compilation that fits your moods or desires. A personalised, reasonable facsimile of the original for pennies or get spoon fed an album with only 3 over-played tracks (with a bonus radio edition and Extended track) for only $19.
5. Most music sucks nowadays. My father used to buy me a different Beatles album for special occaisions like Birthdays and Christmas. That stuff was pure magic- every song was enjoyable or could grow on you. I think even early Madonna and Michael Jackson were the same way- you got five or more 'hits ' and a bunch of listenable materiel.
6. Welcome to the age of immediate gratification and self-entitlement boys. Recorded materiel from stores? I can get it from the internet- in my underwear if that be my preference-- any time I want. Other then I-tunes at a dollar a whack, what else have you got fo Me. I want it now, I deserve it now, and I will take it now. It's one of my Constitudinal rights *I think*.
Look what Red Box has done to video stores. $1 a night movies, strategically and conveniently located at fastfood and food store entrances so what's another buck?
Slightly older movies but you didn't have to look for a video store to pick them up and return them. You go on a trip for 3 days? Pick one up at the first Macdonald's you see and drop it off on your off in another state along the way with no extra charges.
My point? The music industry has failed to keep up with the desires and lifesyles of their markets. Snooze and lose.
The wife uses a great source of free CD material, the library, membership is free most places, a wide choice of material, maybe not the latest and no isp is spying on you.
Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar - Reason Magazine
Interesting article full of links to shutdowns and changes of TOS from Grokster, Napster, YouTube...
Not around here. I'm probably averaging 3 shows a week, and seeing people I've never heard of before this year who are wonderful performers playing great music. Three great radio stations in town playing interesting and eclectic music. Without the major record labels being the gatekeepers and sole arbiters (thanks to the disappearing barriers to entry for recording and promotion), there's more music and more diverse music than ever.
Interesting article full of links to shutdowns and changes of TOS from Grokster, Napster, YouTube...
Not around here. I'm probably averaging 3 shows a week, and seeing people I've never heard of before this year who are wonderful performers playing great music. Three great radio stations in town playing interesting and eclectic music. Without the major record labels being the gatekeepers and sole arbiters (thanks to the disappearing barriers to entry for recording and promotion), there's more music and more diverse music than ever.
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