IFPI: “Illegal File-sharing Reduces Legitimate Sales” What Do You Think?
Global recording industry trade group the IFPI predictably responded to a new UK study that downloaders of unauthorized music also spend more money than average adding to their music collections legally.
"The net effect of illegal file-sharing in the UK and elsewhere has been to reduce legitimate sales. This is why spending on recorded music has fallen every year since illegal file-sharing began to become widespread."
There have been dozens of studies that prove both sides of this debate.
What do you think?
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I’m really annoyed with the blind arguments on both sides. Clearly, the relationship between illegal downloads and ‘lost’ sales is not 1:1, as the industry likes to pretend. But it’s also obviously not 1:0 — some percentage of those downloaders would have bought an mp3 if they’d hadn’t found a torrent.
The released study seemed to imply that illegal downloading *causes* increased spending, or at least that’s how some people are spinning it. I have a much more complicated interpretation — avid music fans like music, and will often attempt to acquire it in various ways.
Agreed – it IS a more complicated issue than either side paints it (it’s also NOT the only issue effecting music sales).
However, I don’t agree that it’s the ‘avid music fans’ who are doing the most damage to the numbers.
I left a more in-depth comment on BitTorrent users on another HypeBot post (apologize in advance for the sheer length.. I was half-asleep) http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/what-are-music-fans-willing-to-pay-for.html
Answer #3 is non-exclusive.
I believe it’s a mix of #2 and #3.
In the past decade, I haven’t bought anything I didn’t download first.
it was NOT a study it was a SURVEY. a BIG freaking diff there that the author of this post should acknowledge!!
^great point Kassin
Im a 25yr old digital native and I havent purchased a cd since 2001.
But I frequently buy merch at shows.
Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter the culprit. We don’t need to keep identifying the problem over and over again; we need to find solutions.
It’s kind of like that Jack Nicholson line in As Good As It Gets, “I’m drowning here, and you’re describing the water!” The industry is drowning, and we all love to stand around and describe the water.
It’s on the shoulders of artists and labels to figure out ways to create incentive behind purchasing music again. Count your music as free (because it is, somewhere) and use it as a platform to drive other profit-earning aspects to your career.
Yes? No? Maybe so?
I believe it to be #1. Perhaps in recent years #2 has become more prominent, but only because of the change in music culture brought about by the original occurance of #1.
#3 is misleading – of course file sharing has probably encouraged some alternate and non-traditional revenue, but it in no way supports or encourages a strong market for recorded music IMO.