Written by tea[m]ster on 19.02.2012 at 22:06

Www.bandcamp.com

I go there most of the time...

So do I, most of the time artisits put it as "Name Your Price" so...

If I find the album on Bandcamp I buy it, that site is awesome. I allso buy albums from smaller bands in ways that at least makes it feel like most of the money goes to the actual band. I must admit though that most of my music is downloaded and as I am quite young I would never be able to afford all of it. I am currently going through my music though, thinking wether or not I would have bought this album if there were no "other" way of getting it and today I ordered vinyls of "How To Measure a Planet" and "Black Light District" by The Gathering. THey are a perfect example of why I don't think pirace is neither right or the optimal way of distributing music, I can at least defend it a little. I would never have bought theese albums or any other by The Gathering if I hadn't downloaded them first. Most of their albums first seemed a bit "meh" to me and then later, in the case of HTMAP as much as a year, finally made sense. I am allso going to an Opeth consert and I doubt I would ever have discovered them without downloading and internet. They allso led me to other great progressive metal band of which many I plan to buy records from now.

I refuse to buy albums now. I can afford it, but it's not about the cost for me.

My reasoning is similar to Nefarious' response on page 5.

Buying a CD used to be a big thing until about 5 years ago when online media really took off (at least for me). It used to be the only way to get music and I used to love opening it up, reading the book etc. I have bought around 300 albums, but have not bought an album or bought a DVD since 2008.

My reasons? They are redundant and are not as compatible as they used to be. I mean, all you do is buy it, bring it home and convert it to mp3 anyway, leaving the cd on the shelf as a dust collector. I will always attend live gigs and buy a shirt to support the band.

The reason why downloading for free is more beneficial to a band than just solely having buyers, is that they achieve a larger fan base. For example, i would NEVER have bought a Ladytron album (it's electronica and well out of my interests). Thanks to downloading for free, i can listen to their music and appreciate a few songs, and show a friend, who shows their friend etc. Besides, you have youtube now which also lets people listen to albums for free.

Everyone downloads today.

I do still buy albums though...as many here know. I love to collect vinyl, cassettes, rare imports, etc...

I see downloading as a form of "window shopping," I download things I don't really know to see if I like it. Or I hit Youtube.

I download quite often( 2% out of the recent releases in various years) and mostly support buying CD's. But that too be only when it's available. Like India, where you can't get Metal CD's in nearby stores. Ordering from Amazon? naah! I don't do that. i don't support whore online chains selling random shit. I use to hit the nearby stores in Cardiff and get the CD's at much lower price >> thanks to HMV coupons.

This really is a very difficult issue, with no clear yes or no. On the upside, the internet has brought music into a golden age where a band no longer has to be signed to a major label to get attention. I download for 2 reasons. 1) I don't have the money to buy all the music I want to listen to. And if downloading wasn't around then I wouldn't know about hundreds of bands, which I now love and will at the very least see live if given the opportunity 2) It's too much of a risk to buy an album without knowing what it will be like beforehand. Music is such a subjective thing that you could end up hating what you buy, even if your friend strongly recommended it. It's not like a painting or a sculpture, which you'll know you like before you buy it.

But on the flip side of that, bands are getting screwed out of a lot of money and are just scraping by (especially in metal). Some musicians hate downloading because it cuts into their profits, and other love it because it gives them a much larger fanbase. I think the main reason why downloading is an issue isn't that people are being greedy, it's more that the record companies have not evolved past the early 2000s. Nobody has come up with a bright way of how to let downloading continue while still making a massive profit out of it, and I think that will happen soon or else they would literally have to turn the internet into a censored virtual police state. The arrival of mp3 players completely changed everything. It seems pointless to have a stack of CDs when you can fit it all onto an iPod you can carry with you. The only reason I buy CDs now is if I really like the band or if it's an undergound band whose music isn't available for download.

In short: the music industry needs to get with the times and figure out a new way to make money off the mp3 boom, because physical packaging like CDs and vinyl just aren't practical anymore.

Voted "Yes, I usually can't find CDs here", because technically there are NO metal CDs in Syria. For me, it's either downloading music or NO music at all.

Downloaded quite alot back in highschool (belive thats the right term for it) but then I started to earn some money and got spotify so my "pirate bay days" are over

I dont have enough money to spend it on cd's but also i dont know if there is any store around here where i could buy them....if i knew i would surely save some money and buy a cd from time to time....:D but for now i download stuff and also not doing that much cuz my network is slow....:(

I used to download when I was younger mainly because I couldn't afford CDs but 3 years ago I started to buy. The reasons are because I wanted to amass a collection of my favourite albums but also to support the bands I like and maybe to support my independent store. I only download now to check some albums I'm not sure about or to put some on my iPod.

I recently downloaded two recent 2012 albums, because they had just leaked and were available everywhere, but whenever I've tried to download an older album (and by old I mean 2004), the websites either try to get me to sign up and download some sketchy program, or just download some sketchy program. Never end up doing it, via being paranoid of viruses.

Written by [user id=111774] on 14.07.2012 at 17:55

I recently downloaded two recent 2012 albums, because they had just leaked and were available everywhere, but whenever I've tried to download an older album (and by old I mean 2004), the websites either try to get me to sign up and download some sketchy program, or just download some sketchy program. Never end up doing it, via being paranoid of viruses.

Hopefully you can still get your hands on some Brokencyde. Well you'd think their seminal debut would at least be recent enough. Maybe even Tha $c3ne Mixtape if you're lucky.

Written by Mattybu on 14.07.2012 at 18:34

Written by [user id=111774] on 14.07.2012 at 17:55

I recently downloaded two recent 2012 albums, because they had just leaked and were available everywhere, but whenever I've tried to download an older album (and by old I mean 2004), the websites either try to get me to sign up and download some sketchy program, or just download some sketchy program. Never end up doing it, via being paranoid of viruses.

Hopefully you can still get your hands on some Brokencyde. Well you'd think their seminal debut would at least be recent enough. Maybe even Tha $c3ne Mixtape if you're lucky.

When it comes to Brokencyde, I only like the demos. (srs)

Written by [user id=111774] on 14.07.2012 at 18:39

When it comes to Brokencyde, I only like the demos. (srs)

I'm a mixtape guy, although I've never heard Brokencyde's (I'm sure it's great). You should check out my boy Ceddybu a.k.a "da rap sumo"'s long awaited mixtape. Pretty tight, it has Macho Man, I Got Da Juice and more.

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 14.07.2012 at 19:37
R********e

Try not to suggest illegal download links on this site. We kind of have a rule or two against doing that.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 14.07.2012 at 20:01

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 14.07.2012 at 19:37
R********e

Try not to suggest illegal download links on this site. We kind of have a rule or two against doing that.

Oh, shit. Sorry.

I apologies for my last post. I shouldn't have include an illegal download link name.

I don't download them ilegally but i do listen to them without the artist's consent...eg: full album streams on youtube.
and im sure many others do the same thing i do.

If i could buy them i surely would done this but in my country there is no original metal store but i really love to support my favorite bands if i could i would spend all my money just to buy cds

Yeah, I download A LOT of things... 2 or 3 albums per day. I simply CAN'T buy the original copy, and cd's here in brazil are a pain in the @$$. They make the albums with low quality material and production. It is fragile and sound not so good most time, and to import one from the exterior, we kinda of pay 60% of it's price when it's arrives.

I download the music I want, mainly because the albums I want went out of print a long time ago, and if they are in print, I can't afford them. The only times when I do by CDs is during my birthday and Christmas.

I don't download the files of the songs onto my computer, but I'll listen to most of an album on YouTube before I buy it. YouTube is pretty much the reason why I buy most of my albums. Without it, I'm too poor to be risking an investment in all these different groups without knowing if I'm going to get a quality product or not.

YouTube is where I first heard Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Amon Amarth, Mastodon, Death, Morbid Angel, Insomnium, Trepalium, Meshuggah, etc.

...and then there's Spotify for all the people.
There are also ways to bypass the registration if you're not in an area supported by Spotify. (Not that I'm encouraging you to do it but I'm just saying.)

I found one FanPage (if you can call it like that) on FB and for people who download albums, you can ask admin to put you album and you can downlaod it...page is still in consturction, but I talked to admin and he show me his music collection. I think it will be the good page for downlaoding. I still try to buy albums but when I have money. So if you want you can check the page here

I just voted "Yes, I usually can't find CD's here".
There isn't any store here to sell the original stuff (unless it's traditional or popular music).
And most of us don't have an international cash/debit/credit card, so we can't buy the albums digitally... or we can't order them.
Overall, Oaken describes the situation well: "It's either downloading music or NO music at all."

I have to add: I buy the albums which've released here (such as Mordab, Farshid Arabi) just to support our (nearly) dead music industry.

Written by Zombie94 on 03.06.2012 at 21:51

This really is a very difficult issue, with no clear yes or no. On the upside, the internet has brought music into a golden age where a band no longer has to be signed to a major label to get attention. I download for 2 reasons. 1) I don't have the money to buy all the music I want to listen to. And if downloading wasn't around then I wouldn't know about hundreds of bands, which I now love and will at the very least see live if given the opportunity 2) It's too much of a risk to buy an album without knowing what it will be like beforehand. Music is such a subjective thing that you could end up hating what you buy, even if your friend strongly recommended it. It's not like a painting or a sculpture, which you'll know you like before you buy it.

But on the flip side of that, bands are getting screwed out of a lot of money and are just scraping by (especially in metal). Some musicians hate downloading because it cuts into their profits, and other love it because it gives them a much larger fanbase. I think the main reason why downloading is an issue isn't that people are being greedy, it's more that the record companies have not evolved past the early 2000s. Nobody has come up with a bright way of how to let downloading continue while still making a massive profit out of it, and I think that will happen soon or else they would literally have to turn the internet into a censored virtual police state. The arrival of mp3 players completely changed everything. It seems pointless to have a stack of CDs when you can fit it all onto an iPod you can carry with you. The only reason I buy CDs now is if I really like the band or if it's an undergound band whose music isn't available for download.

In short: the music industry needs to get with the times and figure out a new way to make money off the mp3 boom, because physical packaging like CDs and vinyl just aren't practical anymore.

A solid answer, one which resonates with my own thinking. The conclusion, in particular, is something I agree with wholeheartedly; less middlemen, more hands-on approach, as well as adaptation. Also, use less natural resources to lessen physical objects such as cds, and utilize the immensely powerful technology that is the internet to the max. In the long run it would be more profitable for everyone concerned, artists and consumers alike.

Written by [user id=109200] on 28.01.2013 at 15:04



A solid answer, one which resonates with my own thinking. The conclusion, in particular, is something I agree with wholeheartedly; less middlemen, more hands-on approach, as well as adaptation. Also, use less natural resources to lessen physical objects such as cds, and utilize the immensely powerful technology that is the internet to the max. In the long run it would be more profitable for everyone concerned, artists and consumers alike.

Since I wrote that I've nearly stopped downloading entirely, out of guilt. I've bought about 15 albums too but I still occasionally think "what's the point?" when I can't play them on a good sound system and they're just left on the shelf to gather dust (once I've put them on my itunes).

I think the Spotify format is the future. At the moment, bands get next to nothing for their songs being streamed. But maybe, if it became the no.1 way that people listen to music, it would actually generate a decent profit for the bands.

Written by Zombie94 on 29.01.2013 at 01:16

I think the Spotify format is the future. At the moment, bands get next to nothing for their songs being streamed. But maybe, if it became the no.1 way that people listen to music, it would actually generate a decent profit for the bands.

And not just the bands; the service itself isn't making a profit at the moment, and needs to lure in more paying customers if it is to survive in the long term. Its net loss in 2011 was 57 million dollars, apparently. It's incredibly convenient for consumers, but Spotify ends up paying a lot for the free music it gives to non-subscribers. I am not entirely convinced it will be a viable business model, unfortunately. But here's hoping.

Written by Zombie94 on 29.01.2013 at 01:16

Written by [user id=109200] on 28.01.2013 at 15:04



A solid answer, one which resonates with my own thinking. The conclusion, in particular, is something I agree with wholeheartedly; less middlemen, more hands-on approach, as well as adaptation. Also, use less natural resources to lessen physical objects such as cds, and utilize the immensely powerful technology that is the internet to the max. In the long run it would be more profitable for everyone concerned, artists and consumers alike.

Since I wrote that I've nearly stopped downloading entirely, out of guilt. I've bought about 15 albums too but I still occasionally think "what's the point?" when I can't play them on a good sound system and they're just left on the shelf to gather dust (once I've put them on my itunes).

I think the Spotify format is the future. At the moment, bands get next to nothing for their songs being streamed. But maybe, if it became the no.1 way that people listen to music, it would actually generate a decent profit for the bands.

See, that's the point. Long run changes won't happen overnight. I feel a lot more guilt owning a physical cd than LEGALLY downloading music, such as using bandcamp and the like. Why? CDs/vinyls involve using resources that could've been utilized in more urgent settings. Just an example, maybe crude but still; paper is needed for the artwork which involves cutting down trees. So I would feel a lot more guilt being responsible indirectly for the destruction of trees than owning an illegal/legal download.

But yeah, I definitely see where you're coming from coz I've been through the dilemma. I also suffered (to some extent, still do) from the "collector's value syndrome", and I used to spend a good chunk of money collecting cds, be it music, games, etc. (the irony here is that these cds were all pirated, but I hope you see my point) It's not that I won't spend money on intellectual property IF I have the option. Of course I will. But just like you concluded, the bandcamp/itune stone/spotify format is where it's at in the long run. Especially considering that music is a durable consumer good and the main satisfaction that we gain from it is from listening, not owning it in a physical form.

Would also like to add that downloading per se shouldn't be stigmatized. Not at all. If anything, it's done more good than bad in the grand scheme of things. All we need to do is make sure it's monitored in a way that'll be beneficial for both consumers and artists. Outright stopping it will always be a step backwards from hereon in. It's like you have a whole set of advanced surgical instruments, but you still cling on to gouging out eyeballs with a spoon.

Written by IronAngel on 29.01.2013 at 09:23



And not just the bands; the service itself isn't making a profit at the moment, and needs to lure in more paying customers if it is to survive in the long term. Its net loss in 2011 was 57 million dollars, apparently. It's incredibly convenient for consumers, but Spotify ends up paying a lot for the free music it gives to non-subscribers. I am not entirely convinced it will be a viable business model, unfortunately. But here's hoping.

I'm about to crack and pay the ten euro for it myself. They really have the tactic of driving you nuts with all the ads down to a tee. They ruin the flow of albums.

That's a pretty big loss alright. However it wasn't even available in Ireland (and probably lots of other countries) until just a few months ago, so I'd say there's quite a bit of room for expansion into new markets.