Illegal Downloading: The Musician's Perspective

Record label execs liken music downloading to piracy on the high seas. Non-wealthy listeners love it because they can keep their iPods stocked with fresh material without going iBroke. But with a few exceptions, we generally have no idea how artists themselves feel about people obtaining their music from a sketchy link in a shadowy part of the Internet. Which is why we’re going to partake in a little role playing right now. So clear your mind of distractions, do some facial stretches, and let us know when you’re ready.

Ok, pretend for a moment that you are a pop star. (Miley, if you're reading this, just keep on being you.) You’ve recorded an album and you want people to hear it. A few months after the album's release, your manager calls you up and says, “Dream Catcher”—that’s your pop star name—“I’ve got some bad news for you. Sales for Catchin’ Dreams All Night Long”—that’s your album’s name—“are in the toilet. No one is buying it. However, using this brand-new technology that was just invented, we have determined that many tens of thousands of people actually do have Catchin’ Dreams, and they love it. It's a total smash hit, but the thing is, no one has paid for it.” How do you react to this news?

Decidedly miffed.
Your gut reaction might be one of anger. You work hard on your music, and stealing it devalues what you do. Plus, if you’re not selling albums, you and “your people” aren’t making money. You got into the music business to get rich and famous, after all, and so far you are merely affluent and only modestly well known in certain circles.

Unnecessarily optimistic.
By downloading your album, listeners are probably just “trying it out” before they buy it, right? Surely they will make the extra effort to support the artist if they like the music, right? Album sales should spike at any moment, right?

Somewhat worried.
Your record label spent a lot of money so you could indulge your every last musical whim, including flying T-Pain to Brazil so he could run the rainforest through Auto-Tune. You’ve got to pay back your debt somehow, and the last time we checked, song plays on MySpace don’t count as currency.

Downright ecstatic.
Yayyyyyy! You set free your artistic expression and put it out into the world and people are responding to it in a positive way! The good luck crystals on your bracelet are obviously working.

Resigned to the fact that this is how things are going to work from now on.
You understand that, unless you are Radiohead or the Jonas Brothers, the age of huge record sales is over. But that doesn’t mean people are any less excited about music—in fact, they may be more excited because they can hear more music for less money. Furthermore, you’ve learned that playing live shows is where the real moolah is, and until fans can download a gyrating hologram of you into their living rooms, touring is going to remain a profitable enterprise. Plus you get to hang out with groupies and stuff.

Even if you aren’t a pop star, you should still share your opinions on music downloading with us. Do you download? Do you feel bad about it?