There is another thread on this which came up a while back. My opinions stay the same though.

I disagree with downloading files if it’s music that you really like and it is readily available to buy. Especially with the smaller independant dance music labels/artists. They cannot survive without help and this is why many vinyl labels have shut up shop due to the illegal downloading boom and digital dj’ing.

However, if it’s a track that’s hard to get hold of and no longer for sale then I don’t see a problem with downloading it for free. Also, if it’s music that you would never normally spend money on then I don’t see it is a problem. For instance if there is an artist I know little about and I’m not a usual fan of that style of music then I’ll download it.

If I really do like it then I usually go and buy it anyway because I prefer the better quality and I like to have something you can actually see and hold. The digital revolution is great and clearly has some major benefits but I’m still a little uneasy with having all my music/pictures/films stored as data on a magnetic disc, no matter how many times you back it up. It just feels a bit risky and somehow soul-less (if that’s even a word).

Ahh, found it: http://www.partyvibe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=20673&highlight=downloading

I forgot to mention that using 192kbps and above MP3’s at home should have little noticeable difference unless you have a auidophile set up.

no it’s not stealing … if the person whos tune it was lost it when you downloaded it from them .. then it would be stealing if they didn’t know about it … but other wise .. free music should be the way forward .. i give all my tunes i make to every one i know to use … :bounce_fl

probably got it allready .. but here ya go again …
http://www.sendspace.com/file/j695lg

Downloading mainstream music is actually beneficial to the music industry as the four monopolies of record companies (Sony, Universal, Warner, EMI) stifle creativity, as they look for music that sells rather than music that is innovative and original. Taking money away from these companies reduces their influence and will hopefully lead to a change in the music business.

However a lot of content on SoulSeek is small, independent labels which need the money to continue releasing good music. This is where it becomes more unclear, and, in my opinion, less acceptable.

i like your way of thinking :bounce_fl

I don’t download music… (except for streaming things like on Last.fm)
…this is because I don’t generally listen to music on my pc or mp3 player.
Also, because if there’s an artist’s music I really want,… I’m the sort of person who’s gonna want the CD packaging as well.

I did use Soulseek occasionally to get oldskool tracks (or just copied them from the collection KDW32 and friends had amassed back in Reading). But these were tracks that we had wanted for 16 or more years yet couldn’t get on vinyl because they were long deleted. I don’t download music much these days as music plays less of a role in my life than it once did.

TBH I think it can’t be stopped anyway. its gone too far, and cultural changes act with market forces to increase their power.

I think its not just a cat let out of the bag, but a half-starved leopard being tipped out of a mail sack into a room full of music industry types.

You can hope it will want to chew on the fat manager/accountant types, but in reality everyone is going to get scratched and clawed up a bit unless they run for the fire-exits.

In a few years much of the commercial music business will be dead.

There will be far less rich pop stars. The accountants and managers will survive, but they will have to be a lot more shrewd and ruthless.

As the revenue streams diminish, investment capital will be taken away from the big labels and they will end up downsizing. (this is already happening).

Of course local concerts, gigs and music scenes will still happen but they will be on smaller scales as there will be commercial competition for spaces such as venues as for a building owner a restaurant or a shop is a less risky and more profitable proposition than a music venue which attracts potential hassles from locals and authorities (noise complaints, licensing, cops etc)

People will still produce music, but less and less of them will be able to make it a primary source of income – it will be something people do in their spare time whilst keeping a normal day job.

it’s not easy to stand firmly at one single side.
It’s a fact that musicians do need a source of income, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to make their music reach the public, and if that would be the case how would we be able to experience the pleasure of listenning to music. To create good music, right after tallent and creativity you need commitment and hard work, long hours to explore it, this wouldn’t be very easy while maintaining a “normal” job.
On the other side, if it weren’t for downloads I wouldn’t probably know has many bands as I do. Eventually I do end up buying CDs if I really like the music.

record companies are being forced to change their strategies, which as some of you have already mentioned is not a bad thing at all.