Music Industry Internet Sales
How has the internet affected the music industry?
Issues such as illegal downloads, and sales of songs through the internet?
The internet has set up the music industry to fail and lose money. People can easily steal music and make their own CD’s except for going and paying the original price for a CD.
As with any new technology, there are many different aspects of the Internet that have only begun to be explored. One particular aspect is the transfer of music over the Internet. Although it is still in its formative stages, the ability to transfer music over the Internet has become incredibly easy, and in some cases, free of charge. The music industry itself has only just begun to attempt to compete with web sites such as Napster. The point of concern, though, is that sites like Napster are hurting the music industry by making free music available virtually to anyone with an Internet connection. “More than 16 million digital music downloads take place daily” (“Mubu Launches,” 2000). As more and more information becomes available on this issue, it’s hard to say whether or not web sites like Napster and others that use similar technology are hurting the music industry, or actually helping it. In one sense, these free music sites have no legal right to be allowing Internet users to obtain copyrighted material free of charge. On the other hand, these sites have created a market that the music industry could truly benefit from if somehow everyone involved could work together. Until very recently, the Internet was doing way more harm than good with respect to the music industry. However, the availability of music on the Internet, when properly provided will affect the music industry in positive ways.
When music is made available for free on the Internet, for example through sites like MP3.com or Napster, the music industry is affected in negative ways. Many people in the music industry have complained that people are not buying as much music through retailers anymore because they can get almost anything they want for free, and the technology has created a digital transfer system that provides the same quality on the Internet as a CD. As one writer points out, “With the advent of the CD, the pirate gained access to the equivalent of a master recording which will not degrade no matter how many times he copies it. We now face a new threat – that of CDR’s. With CDR’s the pirate now has the ability to tailor his pirating according to demand – no need to worry about inventory” (Tyrrell, 2000). Despite the use of this new technology, though, it has not been proven for certain that the music industry has suffered a financial loss: “…there are conflicting studies as to whether the unauthorized copying of music is hurting or helping sales” (Gessell, 2000). The numbers actually indicate that the music industry as a whole is not suffering any losses, but evidence does show that “sales of music in record stores rose 12 percent in the first quarter of this year, sales at outlets close to universities – where Napster has been popular – fell by 4 percent” (Parkes, 2000).
Another growing concern is that free music on the Internet violates copyright laws designed to protect artists from pirating. Record sales not only benefit the record labels, but they also benefit the songwriters. “The obvious problem is that more than 90 percent of the music tracks that are being shared for free through services like Napster are copyright-protected works. Napster, however, makes no provision for collecting royalties for the owners of these copyrights, nor does it provide any other means of compensating artists and record labels” (Toomey, 2000). The president of Time Warner, Richard Parsons, has been vocally opposed to web sites, such as Napster, because he believes that they are encouraging illegal acts like piracy: “‘Digital music is illegal,’ he said. ‘They are ripping off artists and hiding behind third-party neutrality. The music being passed around on the Internet is stolen, and the artists have a right to be paid’” (Katz, 2000). As one writer points out, the “music lovers” who helped create this sort of technology and all those who use it should recognize that what they are doing is in many ways wrong: “The Internet music entrepreneurs who operate with business models that do not compensate musicians should be held accountable for enabling piracy. They should be held accountable not only by the courts that protect intellectual property rights, but by the fans who want access and recognize the need to compensate artists” (Toomey, 2000).
music industry suffering of lack of cd sales
|
|
Back to Basics TEM4500 4-Slot Egg-and-Muffin Toaster $45.90 This revolutionary way to make breakfast is going to have a great impact on the rate and enthusiasm with which you get out of bed. Simply pour about 2 tablespoons of water in the egg poaching tray, crack an egg in it (scrambled or whole) then add meat and bread in the toaster. Push the button and pull the lever, and in about four minutes you’ve got a healthy, great start to the day. A measuring cu… |
|
|
Must Love Dogs (Full Screen Edition) $0.99 The combined charisma of Diane Lane and John Cusack gives a lift to Must Love Dogs, a romantic comedy built on the comic potential of internet dating. Sarah (Lane, Under the Tuscan Sun), a preschool teacher and recent divorcee, has her entire family bugging her to get back in the dating pool. Finally her sister (dependable second banana Elizabeth Perkins, Big) puts an ad for Sarah online; a host o… |
|
|
Logitech Wireless Mouse M505 (Red) $39.99 Get more of what you need to get more done more fortably and more battery life. The ability to use it in more places! It is a more convenient wireless receiver and a more fortable shape.Primary InformationInput Device Type : Mouse Device Form Factor : External Connectivity Technology : Wireless Buttons Qty : 2 Inte… |
|
|
TP-Link WL TL-WA901ND 300Mbps AP $42.99 If you are looking to establish or expand a high speed wireless N network while also having the option to connect multiple Ethernet enable devices to your network then the TP-Link TL-WA901ND Wireless N Access Point is what you need…. |
|
|
MoPlays Mobile Beats $4.99 4+~~MoPlays~~Ken Wilkinson~~http://itunes.apple.com/app/moplays-mobile-beats/id471211196?uo=5~~ken wilkinson 2011~~1.2~~4938217~~233681~~~~http://moplays.com |
|
|
PwC E&M Outlook 2011-15 $94.99 4+~~PwC Australia~~PricewaterhouseCoopers Services Pty Ltd~~http://itunes.apple.com/app/pwc-e-m-outlook-2011-15/id448857988?uo=5~~2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers, Australia~~1.1.1~~4365161~~8398918~~http://~~http://www.pwcoutlook.com.au |