I find it highly entertaining that the MPAA/RIAA often use the justification that "artist's profits are at stake". Generally speaking, when an artist signs a contract with a major record label they sign away the rights to any royalties that may be collected from the albums produced under said contract. The artist is then given a minimized percentage of the profits made from album sales.
Of course I do not have raw statistics to back this up, but I would assert that the majority of an artist's profits are coming from touring and playing live shows. The use of file sharing programs augments the exposure an artist receives. Smart artists on smaller record labels will actually post full length digital music files on their web pages so people can be privy to their music before ultimately purchasing the music or paying to see them live.
Personally, its hard to be into an artist, have any desire to purchase any of their music, or see them live if I've never heard their music before. Plus, there is nothing you will be able to download -- at least not in the near future -- that will provide the user with the experience of physically seeing the artist.
Slashdot Mirror
I find it highly entertaining that the MPAA/RIAA often use the justification that "artist's profits are at stake". Generally speaking, when an artist signs a contract with a major record label they sign away the rights to any royalties that may be collected from the albums produced under said contract. The artist is then given a minimized percentage of the profits made from album sales.
Of course I do not have raw statistics to back this up, but I would assert that the majority of an artist's profits are coming from touring and playing live shows. The use of file sharing programs augments the exposure an artist receives. Smart artists on smaller record labels will actually post full length digital music files on their web pages so people can be privy to their music before ultimately purchasing the music or paying to see them live.
Personally, its hard to be into an artist, have any desire to purchase any of their music, or see them live if I've never heard their music before. Plus, there is nothing you will be able to download -- at least not in the near future -- that will provide the user with the experience of physically seeing the artist.
-V