Musical piracy is NOT a problem, it's an excuse.
Author: Sudara Williams , original article
It is 2012, and “piracy” is still a hot topic in the business environment. People who download music (and who simply have large music collections) are accused of harassing musicians, stealing and greed. Piracy is still called one of the main reasons for the failure of musical projects.
Apparently, independent studies do not cope with the comprehensive coverage of this complex and multifaceted situation, since people continue to believe that the losses of the music industry are directly related to file sharing.
I, as a musician and at the same time the owner of the music business, declare with confidence that the time has come to move on and channel energy to innovative, new forms of business that will allow musicians to earn. My commercial activity is focused on file sharing, but it also protects the interests of musicians. And I think this way of distribution and "chip", and the main source of their income.
')
Let me slightly inelegantly pull the "red" carpet out from under you.
To share music with someone today is worth nothing. Any song you can get immediately and for free. You can collect a collection of 11,000 songs without spending a penny. Or listen to anything online on Spotify 1 for a couple of bucks a month. Or contribute $ 250 for autographed vinyl (as well as other “goodies”) of your favorite band on Kickstarter 2 . Or pay $ 15 for an album, like in the good old days.
These are the possibilities of the listener in 2012.
Should I pretend that it is not?
Distribution of music is essentially free. Should we feel guilty? Do we have to force ourselves to always pay $ 15 for a bunch of music files, simply because we did it before?
The free distribution of music has changed our culture in absolutely amazing ways. The cultural value of this achievement is enormous. Even my grandmother understands how magical it is (she is a pretty advanced person and loves to surf on YouTube in search of a little music).
Some, it seems, do not understand this: they fear something, they strain their eyesight, looking for negative consequences. Moreover, the music business is slowly, worse than molasses, adapts to new conditions.
As a result, we hear a lot of complaints. But from a business point of view, the rejection of the current situation due to his own laziness and nostalgia looks like a sports throwing to the cat under the tail of the chances for success.
Some cranks prefer to spend 5 minutes on googling and downloading - instead of spending 15 bucks and buying an album.
Perhaps these same cranks will lower 60 bucks to get to the concert, or buy a vinyl tile - just listen. Perhaps they are now learning, and after applying for a job, everything will change. Or maybe they will "infect" the heels of their friends and they will become hardcore fans buying albums, t-shirts and concert tickets.
Who knows? Even economic experts studying this problem 3 say that they cannot understand the effect of gifts and “substitutes” 4 . All this is too complicated.
Let us for now refrain from condemning the ways in which people get hold of music. Suppose everyone does the right thing.
Do not get me wrong, I do not condone "piracy." It needs no excuses. And not going to fade. Sharing music is a cultural achievement and should be treated with respect.
The record industry has been struggling unsuccessfully for a decade, trying to stop file sharing. Companies allocated ridiculous sums of money for these purposes (and whom did they save, the burnt out groups?). They pronounce the words “responsibility” and “guilt” with a fascist accent: they threaten, try, and try to push through new legislation. And what, something has changed?
Naturally not. Because they can not change the principles of the Internet. They are still unable to wash people's brains enough to make them believe that it costs something to download an MP3 file. And this will not happen. Because it is not true.
It is a pity there was no such moment in the music business, so that content producers stopped for a second to find out what the consumers of their products really want. Perhaps then corporations would admit their own guilt. Instead, record companies made a face a brick and blamed the losses on “bad” buyers.
In business, it’s not only funny, it’s dangerous.
As a musician, I always wondered: why did the record companies decide that they were the only and unique link connecting musicians and listeners? I don't care about their excuses and accusations. I just need new solutions that will work.
I was so immersed in this question that I devoted the last two years of my life to creating the musical business of my dream: file-oriented, but protecting the interests of musicians. And three more years before that, I dedicated myself to make sure that musicians can still freely distribute their music, on a non-commercial basis .
Record music worth the money? Sure. Writing means spending time, money, other resources and love for your work. Every second of recording costs money, no doubt.
When I declare that I focus on file sharing, I do not claim that the work of musicians should not be adequately paid. That would be stupid. Actually, my business is intended to provide such payment. Just as I wrote last year, I personally think that file sharing is great for business .
There was no such artist in the history of Western music, who would not want to live off his work. They are not elves, they need to eat.
Even Bach suffered a financial collapse (despite the fact that he was widely known during his lifetime). After his death, his wife had to sell some of his musical notes to the butcher (for use as wrapping paper). Is this not an example of poverty and despair? I would like everything to be easy. But nothing happens by magic.
Since then, little has changed, except for the fact that now there are much more opportunities to show creativity. The Internet has equalized all of us in a certain sense. It allows the listener to contact the musician directly, provides ways to attract attention, and with its help everyone can spread information quickly and for free.
This is damn fantastic!
But let's get down to business. How to make a musician?
The assurance that a musician will make good (at least not bad) is the sole responsibility of the sales company. Such a “firm” could be a label, a creative association, a third party and - naturally - the musician himself.
So that a musician can earn only one thing: put something attractive for sale and sell it. Listeners will decide whether such music is worth their money. The tasks of the “firm” include promotion of goods, receipt of money and payment for the work of a musician.
As soon as you started selling music, you became a businessman. To wishful thinking, in the old way to blame someone for the failures, but not yourself ... this is wonderful. But this is not the best way to succeed. For such things, use the phrase "look for a scapegoat."
Music is just commerce on a par with other types of business. Here are the rules of supply and demand. You need to provide your customers with what they really want to buy. This is an important part of the business.
Do we need innovation - taking into account advanced technologies that attract more and more people? No question: this is also part of your business.
Do you have to compare favorably with competitors selling the same? Such is commerce.
This is a business, not a “pike dictate, my desire.” Of course, you may be angry with customers who do not wish to fulfill their consumer functions. But in the end you will still face a choice: either sell what you really want to buy, or fly out of business.
I think this: in life you cannot force someone to love yourself, but in business you cannot force people to buy from you.
In my book, I use the word “piracy” as a synonym for cheap excuses for commercial insolvency and the lack of innovative solutions. By choosing the tactics of diving head in the sand, entrepreneurs can avoid adapting to the changing market for as long as they wish.
iTunes and Spotify are the companies that actually provide the music service. They figured out what the listeners want, and just realized their dreams. But this was preceded by years of discussion, some ridiculous conventions (DRM do not want to buy?) And the demands of incredible compensation from the music industry.
Now imagine that record companies would spend these decades on the development of new technologies and the development of services in which the buyer is really interested. It is possible that we would now be happy to use the equivalent of the App Store from Sony or Warner. It is possible that in order to increase competitiveness, some labels would start to work according to the Fair Trade standard, knowing that many audiophiles will gladly accept this way of supporting their favorite musicians.
Enough to shag the topic of "poor students" and be surprised that they are not in a hurry to shell out. I, too, bin Newton! The students have more time than the example of cash (I almost translated “there is time, but I have no money” - Kassandr ). However, time is also superfluous. So by downloading music, they save both.
Where have you seen it, to squander $ 15 per album was more profitable than to have lunch or drink beer with friends? You may not like it. Yes, I do not say that it is "correct." I am simply stating a fact. In commerce you have to deal with reality. It is impossible to sell music to abstract "average buyers." This is the best way to burn out.
If you sell something, it is useful to learn more about your customers. This is called the study of "potential circle of buyers."
You figure out who brings you money and who doesn't. Quite a useful activity! This way you can focus on serving people who are interested in your content. Or change your product range to attract more customers from a specific target audience. (Pro advice: blaming buyers is the worst way to increase sales).
Students? They are not so easy to buy albums for $ 15 apiece. But they really love music! Look at them: they go to concerts, exchange your goods ... they can become your regular customers.
Let's now take people over 20 who work and have a steady income. We do not want to constantly monitor the world of music. Time is money. We want to click on the "buy" button. Many of us spend hundreds of dollars a year on music. And what do you think? Students very quickly grow to this category of people.
The record industry definitely lacks viable business options. There is no fault of the listeners. They also cannot be held liable for damages. The decline in profits is due to the fact that the market has changed, but the industry has not been able to adapt to these changes.
People will always invest in what they like. They will pay for convenience, for skill, for novelties. They will pay to help those people who care about them.
These are not just intuitive guesses. I know what I am writing about, because people spend money on my resource. Music lovers regularly pay $ 149 for a life-long subscription to Ramen . And most of the money will receive the performers themselves. Such pies with kittens.
I'm just a shizonuty musician who invested savings in the business of his strange dream. Others can do better or more. There, outside the window, many music lovers will wait for convenient marketing systems for themselves.
A new music service should have individual features, to be something unique. Especially now, when most of the major players in the music market complain about their failures. Come up with something new or tempting. Get creative.
I mean not only musical content, but also the method of its delivery, format, convenience, "highlight", the target audience, etc. Focus on the socially-oriented component, which many services lack (and listeners will appreciate it).
We are still only at the top of the “musical iceberg” drifting in the ocean of the Internet. There are many opportunities, a huge scope for innovative experiments. And the task of mastering it falls on the shoulders of players in the music market.
Ideally, a musician should only create and not slowly bind commerce into the pool (except for those cases when doing business is also a thrill).
It really is. I can record an album at home on my computer. If there is a demand, I can easily distribute it, making it accessible to hundreds, thousands and even millions of listeners. Without spending almost a penny.
Can I find my audience? Who will buy my music?
This is the hardest part. But it was always difficult.
It may seem that all this is hellish torment. In fact, most of the above is not so scary. Therefore, many musicians are optimistic about further developments. They are excited about the emergence of new technologies. Now they can easily make their work accessible to one and all. And they listen.
I often meet with independent musicians. Many people told me directly that they did not want to get involved with major labels, they prefer to keep their freedom. They are not worried that the world of the (almost monopoly) music business is crumbling. Many are happy because the old system is dying. Some musicians are scared, of course, by the likelihood of financial collapse. But to depend on corporations, not to own the rights to your own songs is also pretty scary.
In my opinion, it’s time to shout out optimistic, loud “Hurray!” The world has undergone amazing changes. Chin up! Zayboyte ax charges - and go ahead, create awesome music and services: to give listeners what they want. Ideally, provide musicians with a decent reward, while encouraging the free flow of information.
Listeners have been waiting for this for too long.
And the musicians? They will do what they love, release hits. We hope the Internet is the best way to be heard and become financially independent.
It is time to stop arguing about “piracy” and help him. Do not shift from a sick head to a healthy, not manilovshchina plant, but take and implement cool features that will transform the musical life in the network.
Shl
In my opinion, we are threatening to witness an author’s dream in the very near future:
Megabox as a model of "free music"
Megabox is alive! Kim Dotcom Strikes Back
ZZY
Thanks for the comments on the transfer to the bubuq .
----------------------------------
1 What is Spotify and how to use it
2 Kickstarter - Wikipedia
3 translations into Russian
4 The substitute here refers to a pirated DVD, for example, as a “temporary substitute” for the original (in case a person buys a “company” disc after becoming acquainted with the “fake”).
It is 2012, and “piracy” is still a hot topic in the business environment. People who download music (and who simply have large music collections) are accused of harassing musicians, stealing and greed. Piracy is still called one of the main reasons for the failure of musical projects.
Apparently, independent studies do not cope with the comprehensive coverage of this complex and multifaceted situation, since people continue to believe that the losses of the music industry are directly related to file sharing.
I, as a musician and at the same time the owner of the music business, declare with confidence that the time has come to move on and channel energy to innovative, new forms of business that will allow musicians to earn. My commercial activity is focused on file sharing, but it also protects the interests of musicians. And I think this way of distribution and "chip", and the main source of their income.
')
Welcome to the internet
Let me slightly inelegantly pull the "red" carpet out from under you.
To share music with someone today is worth nothing. Any song you can get immediately and for free. You can collect a collection of 11,000 songs without spending a penny. Or listen to anything online on Spotify 1 for a couple of bucks a month. Or contribute $ 250 for autographed vinyl (as well as other “goodies”) of your favorite band on Kickstarter 2 . Or pay $ 15 for an album, like in the good old days.
These are the possibilities of the listener in 2012.
Should I pretend that it is not?
Distribution of music is essentially free. Should we feel guilty? Do we have to force ourselves to always pay $ 15 for a bunch of music files, simply because we did it before?
The free distribution of music has changed our culture in absolutely amazing ways. The cultural value of this achievement is enormous. Even my grandmother understands how magical it is (she is a pretty advanced person and loves to surf on YouTube in search of a little music).
Some, it seems, do not understand this: they fear something, they strain their eyesight, looking for negative consequences. Moreover, the music business is slowly, worse than molasses, adapts to new conditions.
As a result, we hear a lot of complaints. But from a business point of view, the rejection of the current situation due to his own laziness and nostalgia looks like a sports throwing to the cat under the tail of the chances for success.
Everyone is doing right
Some cranks prefer to spend 5 minutes on googling and downloading - instead of spending 15 bucks and buying an album.
Perhaps these same cranks will lower 60 bucks to get to the concert, or buy a vinyl tile - just listen. Perhaps they are now learning, and after applying for a job, everything will change. Or maybe they will "infect" the heels of their friends and they will become hardcore fans buying albums, t-shirts and concert tickets.
Who knows? Even economic experts studying this problem 3 say that they cannot understand the effect of gifts and “substitutes” 4 . All this is too complicated.
Let us for now refrain from condemning the ways in which people get hold of music. Suppose everyone does the right thing.
Do not get me wrong, I do not condone "piracy." It needs no excuses. And not going to fade. Sharing music is a cultural achievement and should be treated with respect.
It's a business baby
The record industry has been struggling unsuccessfully for a decade, trying to stop file sharing. Companies allocated ridiculous sums of money for these purposes (and whom did they save, the burnt out groups?). They pronounce the words “responsibility” and “guilt” with a fascist accent: they threaten, try, and try to push through new legislation. And what, something has changed?
Naturally not. Because they can not change the principles of the Internet. They are still unable to wash people's brains enough to make them believe that it costs something to download an MP3 file. And this will not happen. Because it is not true.
It is a pity there was no such moment in the music business, so that content producers stopped for a second to find out what the consumers of their products really want. Perhaps then corporations would admit their own guilt. Instead, record companies made a face a brick and blamed the losses on “bad” buyers.
In business, it’s not only funny, it’s dangerous.
As a musician, I always wondered: why did the record companies decide that they were the only and unique link connecting musicians and listeners? I don't care about their excuses and accusations. I just need new solutions that will work.
And the musician is intact, and the file sharing is full
I was so immersed in this question that I devoted the last two years of my life to creating the musical business of my dream: file-oriented, but protecting the interests of musicians. And three more years before that, I dedicated myself to make sure that musicians can still freely distribute their music, on a non-commercial basis .
Record music worth the money? Sure. Writing means spending time, money, other resources and love for your work. Every second of recording costs money, no doubt.
When I declare that I focus on file sharing, I do not claim that the work of musicians should not be adequately paid. That would be stupid. Actually, my business is intended to provide such payment. Just as I wrote last year, I personally think that file sharing is great for business .
Where is the money
There was no such artist in the history of Western music, who would not want to live off his work. They are not elves, they need to eat.
Even Bach suffered a financial collapse (despite the fact that he was widely known during his lifetime). After his death, his wife had to sell some of his musical notes to the butcher (for use as wrapping paper). Is this not an example of poverty and despair? I would like everything to be easy. But nothing happens by magic.
Since then, little has changed, except for the fact that now there are much more opportunities to show creativity. The Internet has equalized all of us in a certain sense. It allows the listener to contact the musician directly, provides ways to attract attention, and with its help everyone can spread information quickly and for free.
This is damn fantastic!
But let's get down to business. How to make a musician?
The assurance that a musician will make good (at least not bad) is the sole responsibility of the sales company. Such a “firm” could be a label, a creative association, a third party and - naturally - the musician himself.
So that a musician can earn only one thing: put something attractive for sale and sell it. Listeners will decide whether such music is worth their money. The tasks of the “firm” include promotion of goods, receipt of money and payment for the work of a musician.
This is a business, not a fairy tale.
As soon as you started selling music, you became a businessman. To wishful thinking, in the old way to blame someone for the failures, but not yourself ... this is wonderful. But this is not the best way to succeed. For such things, use the phrase "look for a scapegoat."
Music is just commerce on a par with other types of business. Here are the rules of supply and demand. You need to provide your customers with what they really want to buy. This is an important part of the business.
Do we need innovation - taking into account advanced technologies that attract more and more people? No question: this is also part of your business.
Do you have to compare favorably with competitors selling the same? Such is commerce.
This is a business, not a “pike dictate, my desire.” Of course, you may be angry with customers who do not wish to fulfill their consumer functions. But in the end you will still face a choice: either sell what you really want to buy, or fly out of business.
I think this: in life you cannot force someone to love yourself, but in business you cannot force people to buy from you.
Instead of blaming the listeners, get to know them better.
In my book, I use the word “piracy” as a synonym for cheap excuses for commercial insolvency and the lack of innovative solutions. By choosing the tactics of diving head in the sand, entrepreneurs can avoid adapting to the changing market for as long as they wish.
iTunes and Spotify are the companies that actually provide the music service. They figured out what the listeners want, and just realized their dreams. But this was preceded by years of discussion, some ridiculous conventions (DRM do not want to buy?) And the demands of incredible compensation from the music industry.
Now imagine that record companies would spend these decades on the development of new technologies and the development of services in which the buyer is really interested. It is possible that we would now be happy to use the equivalent of the App Store from Sony or Warner. It is possible that in order to increase competitiveness, some labels would start to work according to the Fair Trade standard, knowing that many audiophiles will gladly accept this way of supporting their favorite musicians.
Enough to shag the topic of "poor students" and be surprised that they are not in a hurry to shell out. I, too, bin Newton! The students have more time than the example of cash (I almost translated “there is time, but I have no money” - Kassandr ). However, time is also superfluous. So by downloading music, they save both.
Where have you seen it, to squander $ 15 per album was more profitable than to have lunch or drink beer with friends? You may not like it. Yes, I do not say that it is "correct." I am simply stating a fact. In commerce you have to deal with reality. It is impossible to sell music to abstract "average buyers." This is the best way to burn out.
Business 101
If you sell something, it is useful to learn more about your customers. This is called the study of "potential circle of buyers."
You figure out who brings you money and who doesn't. Quite a useful activity! This way you can focus on serving people who are interested in your content. Or change your product range to attract more customers from a specific target audience. (Pro advice: blaming buyers is the worst way to increase sales).
Students? They are not so easy to buy albums for $ 15 apiece. But they really love music! Look at them: they go to concerts, exchange your goods ... they can become your regular customers.
Let's now take people over 20 who work and have a steady income. We do not want to constantly monitor the world of music. Time is money. We want to click on the "buy" button. Many of us spend hundreds of dollars a year on music. And what do you think? Students very quickly grow to this category of people.
No more charges, more innovations
The record industry definitely lacks viable business options. There is no fault of the listeners. They also cannot be held liable for damages. The decline in profits is due to the fact that the market has changed, but the industry has not been able to adapt to these changes.
People will always invest in what they like. They will pay for convenience, for skill, for novelties. They will pay to help those people who care about them.
These are not just intuitive guesses. I know what I am writing about, because people spend money on my resource. Music lovers regularly pay $ 149 for a life-long subscription to Ramen . And most of the money will receive the performers themselves. Such pies with kittens.
I'm just a shizonuty musician who invested savings in the business of his strange dream. Others can do better or more. There, outside the window, many music lovers will wait for convenient marketing systems for themselves.
A new music service should have individual features, to be something unique. Especially now, when most of the major players in the music market complain about their failures. Come up with something new or tempting. Get creative.
I mean not only musical content, but also the method of its delivery, format, convenience, "highlight", the target audience, etc. Focus on the socially-oriented component, which many services lack (and listeners will appreciate it).
We are still only at the top of the “musical iceberg” drifting in the ocean of the Internet. There are many opportunities, a huge scope for innovative experiments. And the task of mastering it falls on the shoulders of players in the music market.
Ideally, a musician should only create and not slowly bind commerce into the pool (except for those cases when doing business is also a thrill).
Now is the best time for musicians.
It really is. I can record an album at home on my computer. If there is a demand, I can easily distribute it, making it accessible to hundreds, thousands and even millions of listeners. Without spending almost a penny.
Can I find my audience? Who will buy my music?
This is the hardest part. But it was always difficult.
It may seem that all this is hellish torment. In fact, most of the above is not so scary. Therefore, many musicians are optimistic about further developments. They are excited about the emergence of new technologies. Now they can easily make their work accessible to one and all. And they listen.
I often meet with independent musicians. Many people told me directly that they did not want to get involved with major labels, they prefer to keep their freedom. They are not worried that the world of the (almost monopoly) music business is crumbling. Many are happy because the old system is dying. Some musicians are scared, of course, by the likelihood of financial collapse. But to depend on corporations, not to own the rights to your own songs is also pretty scary.
Create it and they will come
In my opinion, it’s time to shout out optimistic, loud “Hurray!” The world has undergone amazing changes. Chin up! Zayboyte ax charges - and go ahead, create awesome music and services: to give listeners what they want. Ideally, provide musicians with a decent reward, while encouraging the free flow of information.
Listeners have been waiting for this for too long.
And the musicians? They will do what they love, release hits. We hope the Internet is the best way to be heard and become financially independent.
It is time to stop arguing about “piracy” and help him. Do not shift from a sick head to a healthy, not manilovshchina plant, but take and implement cool features that will transform the musical life in the network.
Shl
In my opinion, we are threatening to witness an author’s dream in the very near future:
Megabox as a model of "free music"
Megabox is alive! Kim Dotcom Strikes Back
ZZY
Thanks for the comments on the transfer to the bubuq .
----------------------------------
Notes
1 What is Spotify and how to use it
2 Kickstarter - Wikipedia
3 translations into Russian
4 The substitute here refers to a pirated DVD, for example, as a “temporary substitute” for the original (in case a person buys a “company” disc after becoming acquainted with the “fake”).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/147168/
All Articles