Piracy: ꜱᴀɪʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴇᴀꜱ

54577 readers

198 users here now

⚓ Dedicated to the discussion of digital piracy, including ethical problems and legal advancements.

Rules • Full Version

1. Posts must be related to the discussion of digital piracy

2. Don't request invites, trade, sell, or self-promote

3. Don't request or link to specific pirated titles, including DMs

4. Don't submit low-quality posts, be entitled, or harass others

Loot, Pillage, & Plunder

📜 c/Piracy Wiki (Community Edition):

💰 Please help cover server costs.


Ko-fi	Liberapay

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

A New Documentary Traces How Piracy Overhauled the Music Industry (hypebeast.com)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

22 comments fedilink hide all child comments

May be of interest to fellow pirates... youtube trailer | invidious trailer

Ah, the good old days of Kazaa, Bear Share, LimeWire, and Morpheus. What do you guys think - did piracy permanently devalue the music industry as claimed? Or were the record companies just massively overcharging for music in the first place? Given that record companies have been stiffing artists since forever, what is the best way to support your favorite musicians today?

In the streaming age, the concept of music piracy seems eons behind us. Back in the early 2000s, however, pirates shook up the industry by stealing and illegally distributing MP3s, which listeners would otherwise have to pay for.

How Music Got Free takes viewers back to the ‘90s and early aughts, when the FBI launched a sprawling investigation into music piracy to identify – and convict – those stealing music. Even once the thieves were discovered, mass music piracy was blamed for permanently devaluing music.

Directed by Alexandria Stapleton, the two-part documentary premiered at SXSW earlier this year.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Some of us still prefer Bandcamp over Spotify since artists actually get paid worth a shit from it, but that's just me.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Just buy merch

[–] [email protected] 14 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Unlike Spotify, if I download the music, I get to keep it. It doesn't disappear from the streaming service because of licensing issues. Even if it disappears from Bandcamp itself, if I already have a local copy, I get to keep that local copy.

For 15 years the only way I could listen to 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul was to listen to the rip of a CD I made years earlier, because licensing kept it off of streaming services.

Spotify can and will remove music from their library. Bandcamp can't remove my files from my PC and various backups. It's the equivalent of having a physical copy, but in digital format and is transferable and able to be backed up.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Buy merch on Bandcamp, on a Bandcamp Friday. 100% of the money goes to the artist/label. They do these once a quarter or so IIRC.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

There was just one on May 3rd. Upcoming ones are on September 6th, October 4th, and December 6th.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Tbf, that's not really Spotify's fault. After operating costs and the cut to the various app stores they're on, the larger record labels hoover up all of the profits. Spotify has actually operated at a loss the past few years.