Legally Available Music on the Internet

Since it fits the topic, again a link to my website:

http://www.ratingfreak.com/home/music/websites.xhtml

I already have about 100 websites bookmarked which I need to add - wenn I get around to it.

Firepuck wrote: After all the talk recently on P2P I thought I would try to open a discussion on legally available internet music...   Several developments have occurred in the industry that I really like and will hopefully stem the tide of illegal P2P downloading. My brother asked me last week if I had ever heard of a group called IQ, and thanks to this site the answer was yes. He is a big Yes and Genesis fan and came across this group and started listening to MIDI files on their website - and on the weekend he bought his first IQ CD. Other groups have music available for download on their websites - a perennial favourite of mine is Steve Hackett. His site has fully 30 songs available for download. This site - OMG - you could download music for days (I know!) and fill CD after CD. I've made several various CD's with music just from this site. Internet radio - a great boon for us progheads. Much has been said about the difficulty in finding music, just tune in and don't worry about it. Internet video - love watching prog video (ie. google video, U tube).   In reality - I never need buy another CD. There is more music available legally on the internet than one could possible ever listen to. Comments?

I really think this is nonsensical.

First I hear everyone saying that illegal downloading is "bad" because you don't support the artists and so on, and now I read that you say that you can always burn yourself a lot of music found LEGALLY on the internet - but I ask - what is the difference? Tell me. By downloading free whole songs from official websites, labels, genre related sites, etc. the artists, once again, don't gain anything.

Moreover, you can illegally download whole albums and an experience of a whole work is incomparable to that of mere MP3's. Illegal downloading, although indeed "bad", is a better way of finding out about new music instead of getting cut tracks, samples and just pieces of a whole concept.

I am surprised to see nobody besides me object, but I don't believe my eyes having read this thread.

 -- Ivan

^ Hey, I kind of agree with you guys (Ivan and Progtologist). I'm merely stating that there are legal alternatives to P2P downloading. Let me explain...

I buy (on average) 3 - 4 CD's a month, so I'm supporting the artists.

I go to (on average) 3 - 4 concerts a year, so I'm supporting the artists.

At these concerts I usually buy a souvenir (t-shirt, programme, etc.), so I'm supporting the artists.

But I also; download music from the internet, listen to internet radio and watch internet video - so, am I punishing the artists?

Ivan, you said,

"First I hear everyone saying that illegal downloading is "bad" because you don't support the artists and so on, and now I read that you say that you can always burn yourself a lot of music found LEGALLY on the internet - but I ask - what is the difference? Tell me. By downloading free whole songs from official websites, labels, genre related sites, etc. the artists, once again, don't gain anything."

I disagree, the artist gets recognition. And that leads to CD sales and a greater fan base attending concerts. Otherwise, why would the artists agree to having their material available on the internet?

"Illegal downloading, although indeed "bad", is a better way of finding out about new music instead of getting cut tracks, samples and just pieces of a whole concept."

To correct one of your points, cut tracks and samples are certainly available but so are full songs (ie. check out Steve Hackett's website).

If I understand you correctly what you are saying is illegally downloading music is bad (bad, bad, bad), but legally downloading music is worse???

It appears to me that some artists and record companies are embracing the power of the internet and looking for ways to successfully harness it's potential.

Firepuck wrote: ^ Hey, I kind of agree with you guys (Ivan and Progtologist). I'm merely stating that there are legal alternatives to P2P downloading. Let me explain...   I buy (on average) 3 - 4 CD's a month, so I'm supporting the artists. I go to (on average) 3 - 4 concerts a year, so I'm supporting the artists. At these concerts I usually buy a souvenir (t-shirt, programme, etc.), so I'm supporting the artists.   But I also; download music from the internet, listen to internet radio and watch internet video - so, am I punishing the artists?   Ivan, you said, "First I hear everyone saying that illegal downloading is "bad" because you don't support the artists and so on, and now I read that you say that you can always burn yourself a lot of music found LEGALLY on the internet - but I ask - what is the difference? Tell me. By downloading free whole songs from official websites, labels, genre related sites, etc. the artists, once again, don't gain anything." I disagree, the artist gets recognition. And that leads to CD sales and a greater fan base attending concerts. Otherwise, why would the artists agree to having their material available on the internet? "Illegal downloading, although indeed "bad", is a better way of finding out about new music instead of getting cut tracks, samples and just pieces of a whole concept." To correct one of your points, cut tracks and samples are certainly available but so are full songs (ie. check out Steve Hackett's website). If I understand you correctly what you are saying is illegally downloading music is bad (bad, bad, bad), but legally downloading music is worse???   It appears to me that some artists and record companies are embracing the power of the internet and looking for ways to successfully harness it's potential.

You've misunderstood me greatly, but that's what I expected anyway.

Legally downloaded music isn't worse than illegal. Definitely not, although I still stand by my point, being that you have greater choice and wider range of music works if you download illegally.

First of all, you don't have to prove anything to me, and neither should anyone else. I know this is not the case of you, but it simply drives me mad when somebody claims to be a "more fiery fan" than someone else merely because he bought all artist's/group's CD's and attended their concerts frequently, or that he is above all other fans of music because he bought two thousand records legally. Basically, what I mean is that all people are even.

Returning to my main point, I need to make it clearer that my intention was to say that illegal downloading is nothing bad. You tell me that people buy CD's having listened to a legal MP3, well, what's different between listening to an illegal album first and then buying it after you understand you enjoy it? I think there's no difference and illegal should be neglected and bashed only by commercially interested people in the world of today's "greed" business.

 -- Ivan