The Downloading Poll (at the behest of Management)

[Belligerent]

If It wasn't for downloading I wouldnt have found as many amazing bands. Its a godsend. I still buy what I like if the $ is there.
But for bands like I dunno...Porcupine Tree for example. I dumped over 70 bucks for both Park West shows.
FOABP got downloaded because spending $35 plus for 1 ticket is enough going to one band.

 

[rushzil2112]

There are a lot of good points made in this thread. There have been many bands that people say are badass but don't fall in to my idea of badass, so I am glad I can download it and delete it within minutes. I am barely scraping buy, and especially with a baby on the way, so it is hard for me to be able to afford a lot of cds at all, but I still fork out the money if it is something I am going to listen to a month from now. If I don't like something in the first listen or two I know if it is something I won't listen to again, but yet again there have been a couple cds that I redownloaded later in life and go, what was I thinking, and then I love it. It is a very complicated issue, but the artists still get their money one way or the other if they are in the badass status. I would much rather see a band live for 20 bucks, and if a band puts on a badass show I am that much more excited to own their cds and relive the moments of when i experienced them live, and one perfect example for that would be strapping young lad, after seeing them live, I had to own all of their cds, when i only owned a couple but had the others through download. Now I will buy a live dvd any second of a band I like and would never download that, because I want the sound in 5.1 and the best video quality ever. Now I am highly anticipating Nevermore's live dvd and don't even care to see a sample of it online, I just want it and will buy it no matter what. After me babbling on, the badass bands who deserve will get the sales they want, and with all the shitty bands out there, even the ones in the prog/power realm, they won't make it.

 

[Rick Pierpont]

Just clarify Option #2... when I said "buy what you like", I meant just that. Not just CDs you love, not just CDs you feel are classics, but any CD you feel compelled to listen to four or five times.

Zod

That's me!

I probably wouldn't have ever been on this forum, any of these shows, and my CD collection would be significantly smaller! I know that I have EASILY purchase over 200 CDs based on DLs I've made. I've also savedf money by not buying stuff that I really didn't like. Before I discovered MP3s back in the late 90s, I thoguht that the only groups palying prog metal were DT and Fates Warning! A couple of bands I directly discovered through MP3s: Symphony X, Zero Hour, Enchant, Pain of Salvation, and Evergrey. I now own the entire catalog from each of those bands (except Be - which I don't listen to at all).

 

[Nightmare1z]

But the reality is, CDs are no longer in this group.

In the end, I tend to think our community isn't representative of the downloading public. We're fortunate enough to rub elbows with the musicians who provide us with all this great music. We see that they're not pulling up to ProgPower in limos and downing bottles of Dom. Consequently, I think there's a real desire to support the scene, hence the greatest number of people selecting option two in the poll.

Zod

I know...

I think that's the real issue though. The ProgPower forum community isn't a good representation of the public. There's a lot of loyalty for this genre. But look at CD sales on the outside - wow. I can't remember what the percentage decline was over the last ten years (was in the paper), but it's pretty substantial. The paper was talking about how the idea of an 'album' as a whole could possibly disappear and there would only be releases of individual songs or groups of songs.

Which makes me wonder how a band will tour with 3 songs...

 

[Dark One]

If It wasn't for downloading I wouldnt have found as many amazing bands. Its a godsend. I still buy what I like if the $ is there.
But for bands like I dunno...Porcupine Tree for example. I dumped over 70 bucks for both Park West shows. FOABP got downloaded because spending $35 plus for 1 ticket is enough going to one band.

Sorry, but that's some of the lamest reasoning I've ever heard. "I still buy what I like if the $ is there", "I paid this much for X band's concert therefore I can justify getting X band's studio music for free".

Give me a break.

 

[Diamond45]

I've said it before, I'll say it again.

I like to test drive before I buy. Been burned too many times with buying an album (CD, vinyl, cassette, whatever) and found out later that I wasted my money on crap.

I'll buy what I like. I bought 6 CDs this year and plan on buying at least 5 to 7 more between now and PP USA in October. Depending on what new stuff comes out between now and then, the number may go up.

I'm picky as to what I like. And since most of this stuff does not get played on the radio, downloading is about the only way you get to hear it to see what its like.

 

[dew]

Without the internet, a lot of music would have a LOT less fans. Now, I do buy most of what I enjoy, but I don't really think a band that gets zero advertising and zero radio time is really in a position to complain when people download their music, because the exposure is the valuable thing, and while there will be some people who download and don't buy, when all is said and done I believe that many of these bands sell more CDs with the internet than they would without it being there.

I'm willing to call it immoral, downloading without buying, but the bands are much better off with some people downloading and not buying than they are without exposure.

 

[lasercd]

<<Now the core of my argument for sampling before buying, is the fact that the "label" produces a cd that costs literally pennies to make and turns around and tries to sell it to me for $15 maybe as much as $20.>>

Whenever I read nonsense like this it always cracks me up.

Thanks for the laugh - I needed that!

Ken Golden

 

[kellsco]

If it's a band I'm already into, it's a given that I will buy the cd. I will sometimes DL early as I just can't wait to hear it. If it's a band that someone is recommending or I've heard a lot of peeps talk about, I will DL to see if I'm even going to like them. I like them, I buy.

One exception being bands that play at PP. I always pic up at least one cd from bands that I don't already own.

 

[JenniferLynn]

I have dl'd before - and it really bugged me to do so but I like others have mentioned here are just to freakin' impatient!!!

I only completely dl'd music I intend or have already bought... If I want to check out a new band or a fairly popular one that I just don't have, I'll hit Amazon for a 30 second snippette... And with the way alot of band's sites are now, you can go and listen to a couple tunes and then decide..

I'm with the lot tho that thinks the excuse 'I dl'd 'cause I don't have any money or I'm financially strapped'... Join the party called LIFE... I own my own place, scrape by on bills but I treat myself to things - and some of those things are shows n' CDs... If you don't have a job - get one... You can when your 15; I've been working since I turned 15... Lame excuses...

:: off the metal soap box::

 

[rms]

depending on the shows you go to, you could buy 2-3 cds for 1 shirt


cds for the win.

Dont know where u buy ur shirts/cds but cds are usually 15 and shirts I dont pay more than 25 and usually 15-20 range...

 

[Diamond45]

Whenever I read nonsense like this it always cracks me up. Thanks for the laugh - I needed that!

I guess some people don't understand that gee.. maybe the artists need to get paid? The people who produce the CD need to get paid? The distributors need to get paid? Yeah - you can download and avoid the middleman altogether, but unless you're doing it legally - the artists don't get their share. Hence I support the artists that I like.

 

[Stingray11214]

If it was not for downloading "She is My Sin" the night after I saw King Diamond, I would not be here. Period. Do I own every Nightwish studio CD? Damn right! Sonata? Damn right! I d/l' ed Within Temptations newest CD. Did I buy it? Yes! I d/l'ed a clip from Zandelle ( A local band). Did I buy the CD? Off the rack at Virgin Megastore in Union Square! Katagory V? Ditto, only at Times Square. Get the picture? I will d/l the mp3's. If I like, I buy. If I don't, it dies.

Peace,
Ray C.

 

[DreamThief]

I don't think anyone's brought up the subject of used CD's. Back in the days before downloading, I bought many of my CD's used from local shops or through early internet sources like Amazon or eBay.

I remember reading some glowing reviews on Amazon and taking a chance on some used CD called "In Search Of Truth" by Evergrey. Evergrey turned out to be one of my favorite bands, does that mean I should buy a brand new copy of the album?

Now I'm not saying that downloading and buying used are the same thing, but the end result is the same: I have a copy of it without "supporting" the artist.

So apply that scenario to the present, say I download a copy of "Paradise Lost" and absolutely love it, then a few months later I see a used copy at FYE and buy it, am I evil? Am I killing the metal scene I love so much?

I don't know, just some more fuel on the fire.

 

[Perditions Ghost]

If you don't have a job - get one... You can when your 15; I've been working since I turned 15... Lame excuses...

:: off the metal soap box::

Not gonna try and start anything, but I'm defending myself here: Atleast where I live, no, you can't get a job when you're fifteen. Anywhere around here won't hire until you're sixteen, many until you're eighteen. Believe me, I've tried, I want to get a job so I can afford to support the scene I love so much. But, no one will hire anyone under sixteen around here.

 

[nightwish58]

I never downloaded a single album in my life. Hence my 2000 plus cd collection. (Thanks Ken!). The extent of what i do is download a clip on the band's website or their myspace page. That gives me a good enough indication of whether or not I want to purchase the album. Other than some live recordings i have come across throughout the years, I do not have one single cdr. I'm a collector and a supporter of this great genre of music.

 

[King Lek]

Now I'm not saying that downloading and buying used are the same thing, but the end result is the same: I have a copy of it without "supporting" the artist.

The end result is not the same as the artist was supported on the original sale.
With a download, there is no original sale.


Personally do not download anything that is not available as a sample or a give away by the artist or label.

....though........i have other issues........(keeping vent shut).....

 

[TychoCelchu]

Outside of a couple of iTunes purchases, I don't download anything other than free tracks posted on band or label websites. (no P2P or torrents) I spend almost all of my spending money on CDs. The "moral" choice of downloading outside the law is up to each person. However I'm going to go against the grain with regards to the "I d/l because I don't have money." This argument DOES work and it is one of the few legitimate arguments that can be made for downloading. Why do I think this? It's contingent on whether or not the person who downloaded it is turning around and spreading it around to many other people. If you can't afford to buy a CD but you download it and listen to it yourself (basically do what you would do with a storebought disc) then I don't believe that's stealing from the band or robbing anybody of money. Because they would never have made that sale in the first place. If you're loaded financially and you choose downloading over spending money that you DO have, then I do believe you're a jerk for doing so. But I'm not against a young kid or anybody with tight finances who would not be able to buy the album enjoying music using the downloading resources that are available to them. It doesn't hurt the band or the label in this case because they aren't losing a sale they otherwise would have made. Again, this is contingent of course on what that person then does with their download. Then later on, when you get a job or are doing better money-wise, you can buy the disc/a tshirt/a ticket because by then you'd be a bigger fan anyway if you liked the music. I know some people are going to slam me for this post, but while I don't support downloading with abandon, I don't believe it's an always-wrong-always-stealing picture.

 

[Creeps]

Dont know where u buy ur shirts/cds but cds are usually 15 and shirts I dont pay more than 25 and usually 15-20 range...

A lot of bands sell shirts for $25-$35 a pop. Not just the mainstream people either. WASP, Iced Earth, Rhapsody and Manowar come to mind when I saw them last time they were through Florida.

 

[Yippee38]

I download, but only legit downloads - songs from the band's website or myspace page. Other than that, downloading is illegal and just wrong. If nothing else, downloading bootlegs encourages the bootleggers to continue posting our type of music, which encourages the true pirates.