Music Piracy: Should It Be Allowed?
Downloading music on the internet has become a big controversial issue over the past years. The question is: Is it okay? I think yes. Music is a creative process (#3), that should be shared and enjoyed by as many people as possible. However record companies around the world believe that they should get money for every single song (or album) released, either online or offline. This has caused a big battle with music-buying consumers and greedy record companies and artists. The controversy started in early 1999, when a program called Napster appeared on the Internet. The program allowed various online users to search and trade files called MP3s. MP3s are small sized, computer files which are songs that can reach sounds up to CD-Quality. At Millions of people traded songs daily. While lesser known acts and bands supported Napter, many superstar acts were angry about Napster. Rock band, Metallica, were so outraged that hundreds of their songs were being traded online, that they sued Napster in spring of 2000. Many lawsuits followed, and in early 2001 Napster finally shut down. However, with it's "death" other peer-to-peer services were created, the most popular being WinMX and Kazaa.
Microsoft may refuse to give away their software for free, but researchers from the organization concluded that efforts to stop music piracy is pointless. This is due to the continuing spread of peer-to-peer sharing programs and updated in their organization and efficiency. An estimated 31 million Americans have used their computers to share music, that's over 10% of the nation. "No action may be brought under this title alleging infringement of copyright based on the manufacture, importation, or distribution of a digital audio recording device, a digital audio recording medium, an analog recording device, or an analog recording medium, or based on the noncommercial use by a consumer of such a device or medium for making digital musical recordings or analog musical recordings." A preconception that musicians will end up homeless and bankrupt is false. Several bands and artists have gone bankrupt, including TLC and Toni Braxton. Not by the downloading of music, but because of money mismanagement. Since most of an album's sales are given to the record companies, many artists make their money by the selling of merchandise, going on tour, and money collected from commercial airplay. Also if music was free, artists could set up a website where people can donate money if they liked the music or not. I, personally would not mind giving a dollar or two, to artists who music I enjoy.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Regional Board, Alfie Kohn, Industry America, Act AHRA, CDs CD-Rs, INTRODUCTION Downloading, Toni Braxton, Napster Rock, Jennifer Lopez's, Music Philosophy, record companies, downloading music, record company, music industry, music creative process, software free, album released, cd prices, analog recording, song album, digital audio recording, record companies artists, music retailer,
Approximate Word count = 1660
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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