Induction Assignment - Word Article

The Changing face of the music industry

Piracy. Most are guilty of it. Music piracy has taken the music industry by storm.

Music piracy is free exchange of music via the internet. However this concept really started before the internet played a part; compact disc piracy became a problem in the 90’s where people would buy an album and then burn it for others. Websites like Napster and LimeWire became prominent and naturally, people preferred to enjoy their music for free- than to pay. Rather than dealing with the sudden disruption, the music industry pushed for this to become illegal.

 “MP3” has replaced “sex” for the most searched word on the internet. Does that surprise you? Many websites offer illegal music, for example Flvto and MakeitMP3.

So what are the negative implications of music piracy? Record labels and music artists lose out financially. According to the guardian global music sales from 2005 to 2010 had fallen by 30%. A huge amount of the artist’s income comes from their sales. Music piracy robs them.

 American star Angel Haze gave her thoughts on music piracy, stating : “When people steal music it sucks because it takes away from all the time and money we spend putting into this music.” Jessie J also said, “You can't make music for free, you can't live for free.” 

There does, however, seem to be a positive side to music industry. Many undiscovered artists are thankful as they gain fame and popularity. Established artists can rely on their fame, but artists starting out need exposure.  In a documentary “Face the Music” it was said “music has always been a shared thing”.  Kate Finkelstein- a musician said she would be “quite flattered” if someone wanted to steal her music and even more so if they wanted to buy it.  Some artists agree with music piracy because of the benefits it brings.  Naughty Boy said, “I don't like the idea of people thinking you're never going to get rich from music. You can, even with illegal downloading.”

So is music piracy a bad practice?  I do agree that it does contribute to the loss of earnings. I also agree that everyone should be rewarded correctly for their work. However, I believe that music piracy can help and not just hinder. It gives new artists popularity, increasing their fan base.  Technology is evolving so should the record label and the music industry.