Do you buy music which can be found for free?

Mr ProgFreak wrote: KingCrimson250 wrote: I voted for the second last option, totally depends on the quality. If I download an album and there's only one or two songs that I like, I'm going to keep those songs and not buy it. Isn't that a bit hypocritical? I mean, either you like the songs (then you should buy them) or you don't (then you shouldn't). I hope you are aware that today you can also buy single tracks. BTW: If you only like some of the tracks of an album that doesn't necessarily mean that the other tracks are crap ... and it certainly doesn't mean that the artist doesn't deserve to get paid for them.

Thank you all! Your opinions are really interesting!! Please continue to vote 

Also, keep in mind that Radiohead made more off of In Rainbows than of any other album. I feel no guilt whatsoever by not paying anything for that album.

I'll always buy music...

I did a fair bit of downloading in my day, but not anymore.

I don't think its "Stealing", but I would rather support an artist through buying CD's.

And Yes - I understand they get very little of what I pay.

-Joel

By the way, the streaming tracks on this site have been tremendously helpful in aiding me to find more new music than I really needed to. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

Some of what little I have downloaded was available free and wasn't available for sale.  I downloaded for pay Radiohead's In Rainbows.  Probably paid too much as went out and got a hard copy as soon as it was available.  Excellent cover art, by the way.  NIN's The Slip I downloaded for free and then bought a hard copy.  Same deal with the new Marillion. 

I can't cope without hard copies.


Edited by Slartibartfast - July 28 2009 at 23:21

I voted for the second last option, totally depends on the quality.

If I download an album and there's only one or two songs that I like, I'm going to keep those songs and not buy it. If the artist chooses to make crap music floated by a couple of flagship songs then he/she has got to pay the price, which is no financial support from me (I could go into a big rant on this but I won't).

However, I will buy music as often as I can if I feel that it's worth buying. In fact, that's what I'm doing now for the most part, purchasing albums that I downloaded in my less-scrupulous days. To me purchasing albums is really important; not only does it provide the artist with more income, but also every time I buy a prog album that is one more statistic rolling into the music industry's number crunchers saying that I like prog and that I want to hear more of it. It's a bit like voting, in that sense. We may be voting for some smallscale, independent party but we are voting nonetheless, and every creative album purchased says "Give artists more creative freedom!"

That being said, the collective opinions of proggers is little more than a drop in the bucket as far as the industry is concerned, and most things are going indie and online now anyway, which is only a good thing. Still, at least it's something

Of course, sometimes you're stuck. I downloaded both of Anglagard's albums because I'm not sure where I could purchase them - as far as I know they're out of print, and I'm not going on ebay and giving some middle-man an obscene profit which the band will never see. But when they do re-release their albums I will be the first in line, cash in hand. That is a band that needs to be supported.

I download records and then if I like them a lot ( and are avilable in my country) I spend money on them.

I used to download. I hardly do anymore, unless I know it will still benefit the artist, such as a place like  newgroovemusic.com