Ilegal file sharing on its last legs?

[SMEE]

A few weeks ago, we saw Megaupload close down. Yesterday, BT Torrent shut down. Do you think that we are near the end of file sharing?

I have used them sites in the past, but have to say, that if i liked an album i downloaded enuff....i would go out and actually buy an album. Without having the option to dowload it first, it was unlikely that i would have ever bought a copy. Im sure im not alone in this. Maybe the whole thing isnt as black and white as its made out?

Whats others views on this matter?

[starchief]

With Last.FM and Spotify, is there any need to buy any music ever again? (although I do have a lot of indie eighties music that will probably never make it on there - Enormous Room anyone?)

[SMEE]

Well....im probably in the minority these days....but i love nothing better than owning physical copies of Cds and Vinyl albums. MP3 will never take its place where im concerned. I have never had it so good, coz everyone is getting rid of their CDs etc, thro sites like music magpie etc, so im able to pick up CDs (albeit pre-owned), sometimes as many as 5 for about £10 inc delivery. Long may that continue.

As for Last FM....maybe im not using it correctly, but as far as i see, you cant sit down and listen to music from a selected artist, you can only listen to <insert acts name here> Radio....which is just acts who are similar to the artist you chose.

[starchief]

Yeah, you're right about last.fm. Only, you can have it monitor what you play, so it constructs a playlist based on that (plus recommendations). I actually prefer it that way, than choosing my own sounds. I learn about new bands (Motorama now being on heavy rotation) and get welcome old favourites coming on unexpectedly.

Vinyl is lovely. CDs? Nah, cheap little silver nonsense. I have no nostalgia for them.

[SMEE]

Yeah.....your right....last fm IS a good way for discvering new music, similar to artists you already like. So...i guess it does have its uses. As far as file sharing goes....i cant see the day when we dont still have it. Theres always someone willing to go up against athourity

[Ronaldo]

Interesting debate chaps

I still play vinyl regularly along with my cd's. The music quality of lp's being analogue is better if you have no crackly bits.

Thanks for the tip of music magpie Smee!

[CaleyD]

Nothing to beat the sound of vinyl.

In regards the file sharing....won't someone please think of the poor millionaire artists!!!

[+DoofersDad]

Nothing to beat the sound of vinyl.

In regards the file sharing....won't someone please think of the poor millionaire artists!!!

There's a good analogy with football here. It's the elite who get the big bucks whilst very talented hard working folk lower down in the pecking order struggle to make a decent living in a precarious profession where careers last a few years only. The big stars can afford to lose out on the revenue as a result of file sharing but many talented artists and session musicians can't. If you want to listen to music - pay for it.

[SMEE]

Thanks for the tip of music magpie Smee!

Can i just say....i dont think you can buy from Music magpie. Im assuming that they then sell on the music and DVDs to traders, like you get on amazon and play.com, where you can then pick up some great deals. I think i bought 5 REM Cds, including a live double CD, and i got them all, inc delivery, for about £10-11. I also got brand New(sealed) Batman DVD, and lord Of The RIngs :Return of The King double DVD for £2.30 including delivery. canna go wrong with that :)

Edited February 8, 2012 by SMEE

[CaleyD]

Nothing to beat the sound of vinyl.

In regards the file sharing....won't someone please think of the poor millionaire artists!!!

There's a good analogy with football here. It's the elite who get the big bucks whilst very talented hard working folk lower down in the pecking order struggle to make a decent living in a precarious profession where careers last a few years only. The big stars can afford to lose out on the revenue as a result of file sharing but many talented artists and session musicians can't. If you want to listen to music - pay for it.

My comment was kinda tongue in cheek.

I have no real opinion one way or the other on file sharing as I actually think it does as much good as it does harm in the grand scheme of things.

I disagree with your analogy. There's a lot of artists and musicians that would have never been heard of if not for file sharing and who now get a small portion of a big pot instead of a big portion of nothing.

You are, of course, totally correct in saying that if people want to listen to music or watch a movie then they should pay for it*, but if the music industry embraced the whole file sharing concept instead of spending more money than they lose as a result of it on solicitors and lawyers (the only people getting rich from this battle) then it would be to everyones advantage.

Money made from record sales has been peanuts since long before the advent of file sharing....it's the concerts, gigs, attaching names to products (proper word for that escapes me right now) etc where the money is, and to a grater extent always has been, made in the industry which is allegedly being affected by file sharing.

*The same could be said of listening/watching football, yet there's a very large community of people who will happily watch/listen to a pirate feed instead of paying for it...where they have the option. In fact, I would go as far as saying that such behaviour is more damaging to football than file sharing is to the music industry.

[kiltarlity]

Yes I think the very casual fileshares are taking stock and less keen. Due to the problems of using torrents (visabity, reliability, traffic shaping and stupid download limits set by ISP's) and the digital economy bill etc vs the ease of itunes and the heavy discounts on physical media. The geeks never embraced torrents it was like trying to get a group of Times readers to change to the Sun.