Anyone actually pay for their music?

Kendro

Kendro

CAGiversary!
Feedback
64 (100%)
I admit that I've downloaded MP3s as much as the next guy but lately I've been thinking about just paying for it. I figure $120 gets me 120 songs and at 4 minutes per song, that equals 8 hours of entertainment. And that is entertainment that I carry with me everywhere (at the gym, on the commute to work, in the car, at home, etc.). And that 8 hours only counts if you listen to each song only once so it more like 80 to 800 hours of entertainment.

I told a few of my friends about my suggestion and they all looked at me like I was nuts. I guess the idea of spending a hundred dollars on music might sound insane but if you really break it down, is it really that much? Two Xbox 360 games? A few dinners? Two pairs of jeans?

Anyone else get their music strictly legit?
 
Hell no. If I did I'd be out like $10k. I don't value music that much. I'll just listen to the radio if they started making a big deal about downloading it. Although I do buy Vinyl's but thats a different story.
 
Honestly I don't even know how artists are able to make money with music, unless you are a big name star where some truly loyal fans will actually buy the new music.
 
[quote name='Thekrakrabbit']Honestly I don't even know how artists are able to make money with music, unless you are a big name star where some truly loyal fans will actually buy the new music.[/QUOTE]

Live shows, merchandise, advertisements, etc
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']Well, through performances, of course.[/QUOTE]

Aside from that. As in, releasing new albums I should have said. I guess they make some money from people who buy their new CDs though...only to throw onto the Internet for free. :lol:
 
Used to pirate a lot but Amazon sales make buying music nearly guilt-free. They've even gone as far to drop the price of new singles 20 cents, but I go for the $5 albums.

I mean, look, people bitching about DRM and overpriced CDs have no excuses anymore. For example, a guy like Louie CK is releasing his shit directly for $5 without DRM. Nobody should pirate something like that unless they are losers.
 
[quote name='Spokker']Used to pirate a lot but Amazon sales make buying music nearly guilt-free. They've even gone as far to drop the price of new singles 20 cents, but I go for the $5 albums.

I mean, look, people bitching about DRM and overpriced CDs have no excuses anymore. For example, a guy like Louie CK is releasing his shit directly for $5 without DRM. Nobody should pirate something like that unless they are losers.[/QUOTE]

True about the Louie CK thing, you don't see that very often. I bet too many people are stealing it though, nonetheless.
 
[quote name='Thekrakrabbit']True about the Louie CK thing, you don't see that very often. I bet too many people are stealing it though, nonetheless.[/QUOTE]

Even if they are stealing it, did you get a look at the blog post where he talks about how much money he made off of it? I'd say the experiment has worked.
 
Yes.
My last music purchases were:
Emusic.com (Emilie Autumn, Dead Milkmen) (I keep getting "Come back for .99" emails)
CD directly from the band's site (Freezepop)
CD directly from the band at a concert (Warbeast)
CDs from Best Buy (Alice Cooper, Misfits)
CD from Amazon (GWAR)

I used to download music from Usenet, but it was mainly one of two things:
mp3 versions of music I already had on cassette;
music that I would download to check out because it was not available to listen to elsewhere or was out of print.

I'd rather pay 7-10 bucks for a physical CD than 1.29 a track (although, yes, I know some albums are as cheap as a couple bucks). But I'm not averse to buying mp3 albums.

I'll admit that I might not be a good representative sample - I don't like many artists that are still performing, and I currently have approximately 10000 unheard tracks on my itunes, so it's not like i' actually need to buy music. But I do agree, if anyone says they pirate music for any reason other than "I'm cheap and just want it", they're wrong.
 
I do. Either via iTunes/Amazon, or buying CDs on eBay and ripping them (for the older stuff that isn't on either). My library has about 3,000 songs in it. All legit.

It's not that I'm opposed to piracy, I'm just "OCD" about where I get my stuff from.
I've paid $200 for one single with 6 mixes of the same song (Hammer - Good to Go), and $100 for another with 3 mixes (Hammer - Gaining Momentum). :[
 
Popular musicians probably get nothing from music sales anyways, they're rich beyond imagination through appearances and merchandise by comparison. MP3 sales are something for the record companies to abuse, really. Lesser known artists, on the other hand, often hand out their music for free because they know that's how to get a name around. They do free gigs, may even label themselves as a Christian band to get some more easy publicity. Justin Bieber really doesn't care how you got his latest single, all he cares is that you're another person who knows his name.

People seem to expect that performing artists should be able to make a steady salary like other professional fields. You make MP3s, people buy them, and you make a living. This is complete fantasy, has never happened, and never will. Music has always been something that's been shared and spread by people, and if you make quality material, you'll reap the benefits from those same people that "stole" your product to begin with.

I do buy affordable MP3s of my favorite artists. I do go and see shows. But like everyone else, I heard about those artists from other people, and checked them out either through downloading or through online streaming.
 
No.

And I listen to primarily modern jazz/creative/avant-gardge style music. Things that are hard to find and don't get much attention.
Made by artists who probably do need my support.
 
I'll buy (New) CDs in the $8 range if the whole album is good. With MP3s you have to back them up, arrange track lists-- sometimes it's better to have the whole hog just for the sake of being organized.
 
Honestly I just listen to internet radio anymore. If I want to hear a particular song I'll dial it up on youtube.

I wouldn't mind paying for a handful of songs that I love, but I listen to music on so many devices that it's not worth figuring out.
 
Do I pay? No. Do I get it illegally? Nope. There are too many legal ways to listen and "own" music now. E-Music has crazy trials, Amazon free $2 of shit, music blogs and other things.
 
Yup, I pay but usually try to find deals. If its a song I really like then I go ahead and pay the 99 cents. There are plenty of albums you can get for $5 or lower. Some songs I can listen to for months and are great for working out, I say that's worth a buck.
 
No.

I go to shows, I buy merch, I buy music from artists who offer alternative methods of acquiring their music (read: self-released digital stuff where the artist gets all of the money), and I buy albums from small indie bands.

But I really feel no guilt taking money away from record companies, because realistically, the artist is the only person who I feel deserves my monetary support, and they get such a minuscule amount from record sales that I'd rather listen, enjoy, and then attempt to support in other ways.
 
I pay for all of my music because I typically listen to underground hip-hop and most of the artist are independent or were at a time. I buy tapes (back in the day), CDs (was the #1 source before MP3s, still once in a while), Vinyl (I bedroom DJ) and MP3s (eMusic before they changed, AmazonMP3 the best, 7digital and mixtapes from the artist that are free).
 
I pay for mine. Only from Amazon, iTunes if Amazon doesn't have something. It's not a big deal for me, because I rarely buy full albums and they sell them for $6-10 anyway. I'm fine with buying individual songs for $1.

I originally got stuff off FTP sites way back, then Napster, then iMesh, then Kazaa, then whateverthefuck. But got tired of that crap. Lots of bad song files (with the annoying "chirps"), shitty bitrates, wrong songs entirely (like a "Jimmy Hendrix" song that was actually Black Sabbath...shit like that), and just the fucking nightmare of all the shitware packaged into P2P software.

I'm *almost* to the point where my purchased MP3s outnumber all the old downloaded ones. But the vast majority of mine are ripped from purchased CDs.
 
I admit to downloading more than I should, mainly for two reasons. 1) Working retail, I don't really have a lot of money for entertainment purposes, much less music. 2) I listen to a lot of obscure stuff and bands that their only release may have been a 4 song demo back in 1983. Some of these bands, it practically is impossible to obtain legally.
 
QFT. Like exactly almost to the word what I was about to type out.

[quote name='Rocko']No.

I go to shows, I buy merch, I buy music from artists who offer alternative methods of acquiring their music (read: self-released digital stuff where the artist gets all of the money), and I buy albums from small indie bands.

But I really feel no guilt taking money away from record companies, because realistically, the artist is the only person who I feel deserves my monetary support, and they get such a minuscule amount from record sales that I'd rather listen, enjoy, and then attempt to support in other ways.[/QUOTE]
 
FWIW, while there are evil scumbags pulling the strings with their golden parachutes at record companies, record companies and record stores and Sam Goody/FYE/Best Buy do also employ lots of 'regular people' who work for them and support that music delivery chain and get a (small) piece of that money. So to say "screw the evil Big Company" is way too simplistic, regardless how popular it is to think that nowadays. (Disclaimer: I work for a Big Company, though not one in the music industry).

That said, the companies do need to evolve more - there are many additional legal and legitimate methods of acquiring music, of which I am in full support, such as the methods you outline.
 
My wife buys about $200 a year in music. Most of it is from Amazon.com now, but she bought a bunch from itunes in the past. There's really no reason not to support music companies anymore with the options they give you to get their songs and price structure. When they used to do $17.99 for a CD when you only wanted one song I could understand, but pirating now isn't going to pull money from CEOs or established bands. It's just going to make it harder or impossible for start-ups to get in the industry (that don't look like Taylor Swift).

Nobody needs 10,000 songs as mentioned earlier, but even if that were the case, that doesn't make it okay to steal the songs just because your OCD. I mean do you expect free video games, or are they just harder to steal? Nobody needs music and if you are dead set against purchasing it, just listen to the radio that way at least advertising dollars are supporting the musicians you like.
 
If it's an artist I really love, I will buy it. I try to support the ones I really like. Otherwise, if I'm on the fence, or just a casual fan, I don't.
 
From a CD/Digital Download standpoint... for the most part, no.
From a Concert standpoint... yes. I attend a good amount of shows per year.
 
I never pirate anything. I still mostly buy CDs even though I mainly rip them to mp3s and listen to those. I occasionally buy mp3 albums from Amazon or iTunes if it's a lot cheaper and not one of my favorite artists. For my favorites I'll always want the cd to add to my collection.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Money made by top 3 women artists last year

Lady Gaga ----- $88,000,000

Taylor Swift---- $45,000,000

Katy Perry ----- $44,000,000



I'm just using them to point out examples, but I doubt they would need our additional $2 from buying their CD, MP3 albums. Download it for free.....
 
I don't pay for music, but I do try to make it up in other ways. Buying merchandise and all that. I only do that for indie stuff tho.
 
Yes I pay for music now. I don't purchase much nowadays. I buy CDs for artists I like other stuff I've obtained through promos, etc.
 
I used to work in radio so I got TONS of music for free back in the day, so it never really mattered, but since that time, I've probably illegally downloaded less than 10 songs total, and purchased all the rest of my albums and songs. Even the 10 I stole I felt dirty about. I'm rather anti-piracy and get annoyed when people justify their theft by saying the artists are making so much money, so what does their one instance of stealing do? The artists make dick on album releases. They make all their money on tour. By you stealing their songs, they make even worse than dick on the albums.

If you want a new TV and can't afford it, do you steal one or buy it? Does the excuse "well, only one channel is good and the rest are crap, so I deserve it for free work? To me, digital property should be treated with the same ethical weight as physical.
 
I think I have purchased 1 CD in the last 5 years at a concert. Legal avenues to stream online are the way I go most of the time nowadays.
 
I do a little bit of both. If it's just one or two songs I'm looking for, I'll just download them. If there is another song I want after that, I'll just buy the CD, either physical or digital version. Which then potentially leads to this: If I like the artist, I will buy their CDs afterwards. I might download the single beforehand, but I will buy the album.

A good example is Bayside. Bayside has become one of my favorites in less than a year. I heard a few of their songs on a indy radio station, liked them, downloaded them. Ended up going on Youtube, and listened to some more of their stuff. Realized I really liked their music, then I got a bunch of their albums, one of which was new and had just come out a few weeks prior.
 
[quote name='panzerfaust']Well, through performances, of course.

To the OP -- yeah, that is a lot of money to pay for music.[/QUOTE]

Unless you're one of the top grossing acts (i.e. Metallica, U2, katy Perry etc...) you're not making much on a tour. And of course if you're not at that level you're also not selling shirts, bumper stickers, tour memorabilia, etc... Then, if you're at that level, your production cost on an album is so astronomically high that record sales aren't creating a huge profit either. Factor in the clowns that think music is free because it can be gotten so and you're honestly lucky if you get 2% return on the investment. Add in declining retail sales in general, the cost of shelf space, minute profit margin on big box sales, increasing tour costs and other such things and even the "top" artists make very little these days, compared to the good ol' days at least.
About the only way to get rich in the music biz these days is to be an incredibly in demand and talented producer.

We all know that Metallica are a bunch of millionaires, but think about how much time is spent in rehearsal, travelling, writing, recording, re-recording, doing press/interviews, showing up for non-concert events and you start to realize that they're making about $40 an hour.

Now take a lower tier band that's busting their ass on a self-financed tour to sell their CDs at shows for $10 (at a production cost of $9.50) and split that 4 ways amongst the band and you realize that they lose money hand over fist.

Then look at how the music industry works as a business model and discover that "the talent" is the lowest paid person in the whole enterprise outside of roadies (and they only do it for the pussy). The reason that you get overproduced garbage a la~ Bieber is because it sells to the demographic that isn't spending money on much of anything else. While payola may be illegal, it's there in spades outside of radio these days. Do you think the Yahoo! music site really finds that many interesting tidbits about a 17yo Canadian kid? Or is it that his label and his handlers want his name out there as much as possible to keep interest afloat?

Long story short, support the bands that you like by BUYING their product or watch them disappear more and more in favour of crappy bubble gum pop that will always sell no matter what.
 
[quote name='nasum']Unless you're one of the top grossing acts (i.e. Metallica, U2, katy Perry etc...) you're not making much on a tour.[/QUOTE]

This is true, but you're making a hell of a lot more than you are on record sales. You're making money on the paid gig, and the ability to sell merch.

And of course if you're not at that level you're also not selling shirts, bumper stickers, tour memorabilia, etc...
Click to expand...

Then you're doing it wrong. People absolutely DO make T-shirts, bumper stickers and other stuff to sell at these shows. Even comedians all hawk their CDs at mid-level comedy venues.

About the only way to get rich in the music biz these days is to be an incredibly in demand and talented producer.
Click to expand...

Indeed, but producers always made waaaay more than the artists. I don't think that's really a new development.

Long story short, support the bands that you like by BUYING their product or watch them disappear more and more in favour of crappy bubble gum pop that will always sell no matter what.
Click to expand...

100% agreed.
 
[quote name='berzirk']
Then you're doing it wrong. People absolutely DO make T-shirts, bumper stickers and other stuff to sell at these shows. Even comedians all hawk their CDs at mid-level comedy venues.
[/QUOTE]

I don't think he meant they don't sell them. I think he meant that if your not that popular you don't sell many of these things and you aren't able to take advantage of economies of scale because your not having as many of these things made, so overall unless you're a popular act these will only make you a small amount.
 
[quote name='smallsharkbigbite']I don't think he meant they don't sell them. I think he meant that if your not that popular you don't sell many of these things and you aren't able to take advantage of economies of scale because your not having as many of these things made, so overall unless you're a popular act these will only make you a small amount.[/QUOTE]

Ah, fair enough. My apologies if I misunderstood. Everybody starting out in entertainment has it rough. The most talented don't necessarily make it all the time. The hardest working ones have more success, at least that's how it seems to go in stand up comedy.
 
[quote name='iamsobroke']Money made by top 3 women artists last year

Lady Gaga ----- $88,000,000

Taylor Swift---- $45,000,000

Katy Perry ----- $44,000,000



I'm just using them to point out examples, but I doubt they would need our additional $2 from buying their CD, MP3 albums. Download it for free.....[/QUOTE]

I guess if you only download those three singers illegally nobody will get hurt. But the vast majority of performers struggle to make money funding their music ventures will their day jobs while hoping they hit it big, which rarely comes. Nice cherry picking though. It's like saying the average salary of an NFL player is $3 million so I'm not hurting anyone by sneaking into my son's high school football game (all the while the school is considering cutting sports).
 
I buy most of my music legally, mostly CDs but I buy some stuff off iTunes if the CD isn't easily obtainable or too expensive. The only stuff I download illegally are things I may have a passing interest in, am not sure about whether I want to pay for it (if it's good enough I will delete it and buy it legally) or if I just cannot get it any other way. I want to support every artist I have an interest in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top