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Why buy no CDs at all, instead of buying from independent labels like these that don't sue people for downloading their music? And if none of those record labels have music that suits your tastes (I'll admit I lean towards hipster garbage in music taste), check RIAA Radar before you buy.

Because a non-essential, impulse purchase is stifled by a "mother may I?" check?

For most people on slashdot, the RIAA is just a justification to make themselves feel better about downloading instead of buying.

No, the reason we don't buy CDs is because of network effects. Once we stopped buying and looking at the big label CDs we had much incentive to go to a music store to look at the other 1% or whatever (by volume).

For example, since CompUSA and Circuit City both went down the drain, I go to BestBuy and GameStop LESS often to look at stuff. Taking a trip for just one store isn't worth it to browse. This is why malls and shopping centers are good for business.

Personally, I think I've bought 5 CDs since Napster was shut down - 2 of those for the DVD with the videos, 2 japanese sountracks and a musical for my gf. I don't illegally download it, or buy it online now, I just don't bother with music. If I listened to music even a tenth as much as I used to, I would buy a Zune and a Zune pass and get it there.

Why buy no CDs at all, instead of buying from independent labels like these that don't sue people for downloading their music? And if none of those record labels have music that suits your tastes (I'll admit I lean towards hipster garbage in music taste), check RIAA Radar before you buy.

For most people on slashdot, the RIAA is just a justification to make themselves feel better about downloading instead of buying.

Not purchasing any CDs is stupid if you also avoid buying them from non-RIAA labels. That said, there are a number of labels I like that provide non-RIAA music.

Also: I'll probably be modded down now for suggesting that you should buy music instead of pirate it.

A boycott wouldn't do much because almost no one would bother with it. Instead, try having a day or a week of protests - picketing outside theaters, chain record stores (Best Buy, Tower, Virgin, HMV, et al). That would be great because it's actually somewhat realistic and unlike simply not buying things, it sends a clear a direct message to the companies that people are pissed off at them, while it also educates consumers who don't know any better.

Of course you could always try buying indie music as well, though some have major label distributors, you can always find others.

Hey musicians: here's an idea. Stop signing shitty contracts! If the bloated RIAA (sic) chums can't sign any new acts, they'll very quickly be fucked. Which would be nice, IMO. They may be evil, but they are not a necessary evil, as Courtney so clearly stated.

Of course, I will make exceptions for some of the smaller indie record companies (such as 4AD, who seem to be a bit more focussed on creativity rather than the lucre. I know that with them, if they have an artist I like, they are likely to have others. This is a good thing.

"The greatest trick the record companies ever pulled was convincing the world that the bands they signed are the best."

In-your-face advertising. Completely sensory immersion for a generally sedentary society. For some, advertising could be the only exciting thing that ever happens. Promoters know this.

Wouldn't it be nice to have digital music recorded 32 bits per channel, 500kHz sample rate? A lot of classical music would sound a hell of a lot better.

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And the typical person out there isn't going to want to sort through a million unsigned Hootie and the Blowfish soundalikes

No that's why they can go use Napster and find the band that their friend was talking about, or they heard about someplace, or read about on a website.

Distribution isn't just about getting it to people, it's about getting people to want those products.

I totally agree, but what I would rather is that the promotion and distrubution move to a more distributed environment. If you allow people to freely pass digital music, demand will surface. It's why I got the CD I'm listening to right now.

because there's a certain guarantee of quality there.

Yes, but I'm not sure that means what you want it too. Unless you think the Spice Girls are musical geniuses.

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