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I can't believe people are still using these terms, like 'making 0 dollars off of pirate bay' -- That's like saying a free newspaper doesn't earn any money from

by arnorhs 17y ago

I can't believe people are still using these terms, like 'making 0 dollars off of pirate bay' -- That's like saying a free newspaper doesn't earn any money from giving the paper away. It's a argument people often make that are so entwined in the thinking of "selling music" like it was a physical thing... This kind of thinking needs to stop. Artists have more ways of making money today then they ever did, because they can do it themselves (and/or hire somebody to do it) - Selling live shows, selling merchendise, selling music in a form that makes it a "collectable", even music for films etc... The possibilities are there, but you need more omph than just standing in the garage bad-mouthing the downloaders while nobody will sign you up...

NikkiA 17y ago
selling music in a form that makes it a "collectable" That's the big one for me. Much of the music I listen to (in the IDM, ambient and electronica genres) is sold in limited run printings now. It's not unheard of for a run of CDs or Vinyl to only amount to <100 physical copies. Ironically, that seems to make me feel more guilty about pirating the music when it's not available, although I suspect, as you say, it increases the value of owning a physical copy while decreasing the 'damage' done by piracy - I should feel less guilty that I had to download it.
Tichy 17y ago
"Selling live shows, selling merchendise, selling music in a form that makes it a "collectable", even music for films etc..." Many of which are not really making music, though. What if you simply want to make music? You might as well say "musicians can get paid for doing TV commercials for facial creams" - maybe they can, but I doubt it is what they had in mind when they went into music. In fact, if I was looking for a cleaning lady, and Bjork as well as some unknown woman would apply, I would probably prefer Bjork. So in that sense "musicians can make money by becoming room cleaners".
- ABrandt 17y ago
  As much as I would like to not put this so bluntly--that's the free market for you. "Simply making music" is fine, but that has never exactly put food on the table. The internet isn't destroying the value of music itself, its just altering the industry's viable business model. This is the same line of thinking that we are constantly applying to web apps here on HN. Sure you can make a neat little functional application, and it will take you time and effort to do so, but that doesn't just automatically mean it should pay the bills for you.
  - Tichy 17y ago
    I actually believe in the free market, and of course it is nowhere set in stone that musicians are entitled to make money off their music. I just wanted to point out that to say "but see, they have more ways of making money than ever" is a bit besides the point. I suppose some artists will find ways to survive, but just because somebody is a talented musician doesn't make them talented T-Shirt designers or even talented live show performers (making music does not imply performing anymore these days). Film music is also not a good way out, because film is plagued from the same problems as music.
Quarrelsome 17y ago
^^ downloaded a Tim Minchin show the other day. It was brilliant so I went to see him live the following week. The ticket cost most than £0.00

by arnorhs 17y ago

NikkiA 17y ago

selling music in a form that makes it a "collectable" That's the big one for me. Much of the music I listen to (in the IDM, ambient and electronica genres) is sold in limited run printings now. It's not unheard of for a run of CDs or Vinyl to only amount to <100 physical copies. Ironically, that seems to make me feel more guilty about pirating the music when it's not available, although I suspect, as you say, it increases the value of owning a physical copy while decreasing the 'damage' done by piracy - I should feel less guilty that I had to download it.

Tichy 17y ago

"Selling live shows, selling merchendise, selling music in a form that makes it a "collectable", even music for films etc..." Many of which are not really making music, though. What if you simply want to make music? You might as well say "musicians can get paid for doing TV commercials for facial creams" - maybe they can, but I doubt it is what they had in mind when they went into music. In fact, if I was looking for a cleaning lady, and Bjork as well as some unknown woman would apply, I would probably prefer Bjork. So in that sense "musicians can make money by becoming room cleaners".

ABrandt 17y ago
As much as I would like to not put this so bluntly--that's the free market for you. "Simply making music" is fine, but that has never exactly put food on the table. The internet isn't destroying the value of music itself, its just altering the industry's viable business model. This is the same line of thinking that we are constantly applying to web apps here on HN. Sure you can make a neat little functional application, and it will take you time and effort to do so, but that doesn't just automatically mean it should pay the bills for you.
- Tichy 17y ago
  I actually believe in the free market, and of course it is nowhere set in stone that musicians are entitled to make money off their music. I just wanted to point out that to say "but see, they have more ways of making money than ever" is a bit besides the point. I suppose some artists will find ways to survive, but just because somebody is a talented musician doesn't make them talented T-Shirt designers or even talented live show performers (making music does not imply performing anymore these days). Film music is also not a good way out, because film is plagued from the same problems as music.

Quarrelsome 17y ago

^^ downloaded a Tim Minchin show the other day. It was brilliant so I went to see him live the following week. The ticket cost most than £0.00