Timo Tolkki about MP3
- Thread starter Theli
- Start date
SculptedCold
-scented manbeef-
Why do you think metal in particular has expanded and grown so much both in the amount of bands and the monetary value in the business in the last 5-10 years?
The internet.
Practical fact is, CD's are so expensive all around the world that people are less and less willing to shell-out to buy proper CD's. Some people resort to burning them, other people listen to MP3's to decide what they're going to buy. With CD's the price they are, and with the complete eradication of full MP3 file-sharing, less people will be willing to go-out and buy CD's that they know little or nothing about. This lack of exposure won't necessarily hit the music industry in the way that piracy does, but it will certainly reduce it's growth to a grinding crawl; the advantage of MP3's increasing sales will no longer be able to counteract the deficit of piracy, which, I guarantee you, will continue regardless. Any person with any CD and a CD burner can still pirate mass numbers of CD's fairly covertly without ever touching the internet. Except of course, there won't be MP3's around anymore to convince people to part with their money, and even more people as a result will use piracy to get or hear music.
The internet.
Practical fact is, CD's are so expensive all around the world that people are less and less willing to shell-out to buy proper CD's. Some people resort to burning them, other people listen to MP3's to decide what they're going to buy. With CD's the price they are, and with the complete eradication of full MP3 file-sharing, less people will be willing to go-out and buy CD's that they know little or nothing about. This lack of exposure won't necessarily hit the music industry in the way that piracy does, but it will certainly reduce it's growth to a grinding crawl; the advantage of MP3's increasing sales will no longer be able to counteract the deficit of piracy, which, I guarantee you, will continue regardless. Any person with any CD and a CD burner can still pirate mass numbers of CD's fairly covertly without ever touching the internet. Except of course, there won't be MP3's around anymore to convince people to part with their money, and even more people as a result will use piracy to get or hear music.
Jim LotFP
The Keeper of Metal
I agree with everything you say... on a short term basis.
But think 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now... if the bands and labels just say "OK, take it!" I think the sales trends would go down, down, down as less and less people see the value in putting money down for what they're told is OK for them to take for free. And as more people get better connection speeds, what, it's going to be a couple of minutes to get CD-quality files plus the cover and everything?
And if it's out there for free for anyone to get, then I don't see how anyone is going to make a 'pay for online music' service REALLY work.
Bands deserve to make money off of their music. So do record labels. They're the ones risking a lot (especially on the independent label level) to get this stuff to us.
The music collector in me thinks "Yeah, CDs too expensive, I want more more more more" but the music listener in me thinks "Why is it reasonable to expect a CD that I'll have for years to cost less than a decent dinner in a restaurant which is gone in an hour?"
The internet is an AWESOME promotional tool though, but absolutely no means of publicity or promotion will mean jack shit to people expecting to hear it all for free anyway. I honestly, in my heart, can not understand how someone can think that is a reasonable expectation to have.
But about the internet...
How come, if the internet is so popular, no band has ever become really popular in the past few years without the record label making them a priority?
And if the internet is so popular, how come the only labels who can push a band to popularity and get them touring etc etc are labels with strong retail store distribution?
Ormir
Senior Member
Alot of strong feelings on the subject. I'm sorry about being absent for so long (internet problems). Without internet, metal would never had reached it's popularity, being all but banned on radio. Internet is very much metalfans's substitute for radio, hearing new albums and discovering new bands.
It seems to be only the large names (successfull bands) going slightly downhill that complains.
I mean, Stratovarius has a great sound, and they are all talented musicians but their progression seems to have stopped completely. While Metallica was going country-pop all the way they had no problems pissing on their past internet-using metal fans.
Personally, I think it's bad to starve smaller bands out by not buying their CD's, supporting them and the development of the entire genre - but when it comes to large bands who comfortably sits on a large discography and success starting bitching about not making enough money I start loosing respect for them.
Metal is more than just a music-genre.
It seems to be only the large names (successfull bands) going slightly downhill that complains.
I mean, Stratovarius has a great sound, and they are all talented musicians but their progression seems to have stopped completely. While Metallica was going country-pop all the way they had no problems pissing on their past internet-using metal fans.
Personally, I think it's bad to starve smaller bands out by not buying their CD's, supporting them and the development of the entire genre - but when it comes to large bands who comfortably sits on a large discography and success starting bitching about not making enough money I start loosing respect for them.
Metal is more than just a music-genre.
abrasiverock
Mark Carras
First off, ALBUM sales have been helped by the increase of downloaded music, the sale of SINGLES are the only thing that has been affected in a negative way. Metal bands have only been helped.
Most metal bands don't get jack shit from the sale of their albums anyways. Most of the money goes to the label.
So you have to ask yourself why these artists give a shit. As you can see by the results of the poll here, most metal fans use downloading MP3's as a way to preview and sample the music before they put down hard earned cash. So the big question is WHY ARE THEY WORRIED ABOUT A FAN HEARING A PREVIEW? Hmmm? A little paranoid? Wonder why?
Most metal bands don't get jack shit from the sale of their albums anyways. Most of the money goes to the label.
So you have to ask yourself why these artists give a shit. As you can see by the results of the poll here, most metal fans use downloading MP3's as a way to preview and sample the music before they put down hard earned cash. So the big question is WHY ARE THEY WORRIED ABOUT A FAN HEARING A PREVIEW? Hmmm? A little paranoid? Wonder why?
that was the must stupid fucking shit i read in ages.
How can that fucking cheesy power metal loser think hes better then everyone?
The mp3 sharing is HELPING UNDERGROUND METAL BANDS ALOT.
How can that fucking cheesy power metal loser think hes better then everyone?
The mp3 sharing is HELPING UNDERGROUND METAL BANDS ALOT.
Loco Bahamut
Calculating Zero
oh cry me a river!i cant stand Stratovarius but i'm gonna dload that album just for the heck of it.
SLAYER85
Old School Youngin
Jim LotFP
The Keeper of Metal
Hello, Strato is one of the few metal bands who MAKES MONEY and who can live off the music. THAT IS WHY THIS FREAKS THEM OUT. They actually have SOMETHING TO LOSE.
BECAUSE IT IS NOW SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE FOR MUSIC "FANS" TO BE THIEVES, THAT'S WHY!
