Leaking Albums

[Larsen B]

'Increasingly irrelevant'? Even though they're selling less they're still very widely read and relied upon for coverage. Even independent magazines like The Fly have around 100,000 monthly readers! It seems grossly unfair for the readers of magazines and the reviewers have to lose out, as well as the labels who would have to rush advertising and press - a lot of which relies on journalistic coverage - because one or two people have leaked the record. I really don't understand that viewpoint.

And having talked to music writers, I gather that listening sessions are quite unpopular as a concept. On the topic of film reviews, that's an entirely different medium and I'd be extremely hesitant to compare them to writing about music, personally.

I agree with Euan's sentiments here. I don't think you can critically assess music in one sitting, because people don't consume music in one sitting. It's not an exact science but the whole idea or repeated listening is important. It's easier to fix your attention on a film on one sitting, because a film demands your visual and aural attention. Listening parties don't encourage an attentive listening enviroment.

As for leaks. Without going into the whole general download debate I dislike the people for doing so where they have no right to intellectual ownership over the music. That's really just theft and distribution of stolen property. I also personally enjoy the all the anticipation and excitement that goes with release dates. I'm old fashioned though.

[Bigsby]

I agree with Euan's sentiments here. I don't think you can critically assess music in one sitting, because people don't consume music in one sitting. It's not an exact science but the whole idea or repeated listening is important. It's easier to fix your attention on a film on one sitting, because a film demands your visual and aural attention. Listening parties don't encourage an attentive listening enviroment.

As for leaks. Without going into the whole general download debate I dislike the people for doing so where they have no right to intellectual ownership over the music. That's really just theft and distribution of stolen property. I also personally enjoy the all the anticipation and excitement that goes with release dates. I'm old fashioned though.

Well, if you deem magazine reviews to be that important then you just have to settle for the fact that they are going to lead to leaks. Kind of like how all the dvd screeners get leaked at Oscar time, the film companies know it will happen but obviously feel the extra publicity their film will get from Oscar/Bafta etc attention is worth it.

[waltz]

Well, if you deem magazine reviews to be that important then you just have to settle for the fact that they are going to lead to leaks. Kind of like how all the dvd screeners get leaked at Oscar time, the film companies know it will happen but obviously feel the extra publicity their film will get from Oscar/Bafta etc attention is worth it.

Comparing small-scale independent releases as I have to Oscar winning films is completely ridiculous. I'm talking about completely self-dependent labels being exploited, not leaks of Titanic!

I never anticipated it being this divisive an issue...

[Paranoid Android]

Record companies have got a lot better over the last couple of years at preventing albums leaking very early. Big albums seem to leak a couple of weeks before the release date now, rather than many months like sometimes used to happen.

[Sam 45]

I never anticipated it being this divisive an issue...

Haha i know.

STEALING MUSIC WINZ!

Apparently.

[Bigsby]

Comparing small-scale independent releases as I have to Oscar winning films is completely ridiculous. I'm talking about completely self-dependent labels being exploited, not leaks of Titanic!

I never anticipated it being this divisive an issue...

Sorry, wasn't meaning to be divisive, I haven't put forward an opinion either way as to the morals of leaking, just the realities of the situation as I see them. I didn't bother reading your blog*, rather I was just adressing the questions in your original post.

I have subsequently read your blog and I haven't heard of any of the acts referred to so perhaps my opinions should be dismissed.

*I did try, the computer tried for a while then gave me the "page cannot be displayed" stuff.

[waltz]

Sorry, wasn't meaning to be divisive, I haven't put forward an opinion either way as to the morals of leaking, just the realities of the situation as I see them. I didn't bother reading your blog*, rather I was just adressing the questions in your original post.

I have subsequently read your blog and I haven't heard of any of the acts referred to so perhaps my opinions should be dismissed.

*I did try, the computer tried for a while then gave me the "page cannot be displayed" stuff.

Nah, no need to apologise, I did want something of a discussion/debate. I was rather tired and shouldn't have done the silly questions thing. But yeah, thanks for reading!

[Monster Zero]

Personally Im not a downloader. I like buying and owning the physical product I have accumulated a pretty substantial collection in various formats over the years and have an innate fear of leaving a music collection in the lap of the gods by having everything on a hard drive that could go tits up. I realise that there are arguments for backing up etc and that my physical collection could see its end by way of a fire or whatever but thats just the way Im wired. Its just a sad fact that when something is up for grabs for nothing, there are people who will take that opportunity, whether its down to lack of free cash, disregard for the effect of their actions, whatever.

Regarding the music press sometimes they review stuff that takes ages to actually appear in the shops which I find annoying and if they were reviewing something once it was out that would be fine for me personally. Perhaps one way to tackle the problem of album leaks is to compromise and stop sending out pre-release copies of albums and folk will just have to accept that reviews ahead of release are a thing of the past, with a reason for that. Of course, the music press have a vested interest in pre-releases as it gives them some freebie opportunities.Times change and unless something changes in terms of established practices then Im not really sure how this issue can ever be solved and if you arent willing to accept change there is probably no point getting bent out of shape about it, if folk feel that they are entitled to take something for free then they will.

[berni907]

I download albums, and if I like them, I buy them and delete the files from my computer. I think it's the best way, and I now have a huge cd collection full of music I adore. For example, I know for a fact that if i'd have just went ahead and bought metallicas St. Anger when it came out... i'd have been mighty pissed off at wasting 12. Instead I downloaded it before hand, expressed my disappointed views to my friends, and deleted it from my computer. Simple

I do see what you mean though with people downloading albums and the band not seeing any of the money from it. I also hate it when people say "pfft, they're rich anyway." At the end of the day, the cd is that artists product that they have worked on and put their heart and soul into, and they deserve every penny they make from it. Personally, if I was in a world famous rock band, i'd make sure that the band and the producers of the record were the only ones with master copies of the tracks. That way, if it gets leaked, you can only point the finger at yourself for losing out before the cd's even released.

BY THE WAY, one thing I like to do, is go into One Up and pick up one of those 1 cds at random and see what I get. I've been pleasantly surprised many a time, but sometimes i've been bitterly disappointed. There's two ways to look at it though, if I get a good one i'm like "hell yeah! Well worth a quid!" and if it's one i'm not too keen on, well it doesen't really matter... it only cost me a quid. You guys should try it!

[Bigsby]

I do see what you mean though with people downloading albums and the band not seeing any of the money from it. I also hate it when people say "pfft, they're rich anyway." At the end of the day, the cd is that artists product that they have worked on and put their heart and soul into, and they deserve every penny they make from it.

One good thing that's come out of the shift away from CDs is that artists have the power to make their own product available. Previously artists got very little from each CD anyway whereas the record company got loads that they just spunked up the wall.

[berni907]

Previously artists got very little from each CD anyway whereas the record company got loads that they just spunked up the wall.

I do believe you're right, sir.

I think that technology is pretty handy these days aswell because some of it is affordable and easy to get hold of, so people are just recording their own songs, and taking every penny for themselves. So instead of waiting to get noticed, they're making themselves noticed.

[waltz]

So if you guys were in a band you'd be perfectly fine with people hearing yr album, possibly not liking it and not contributing at all, having had no right to hear it in the first place?

[RF Scott]

I think a lot of people would be surprised by the actual processes/costs of putting together an album and it's release. Too many misconceptions about bands and record companies as a whole; thinking that bands and labels are 'rich', 'greedy' or 'the man', for example.

I'm also perplexed by this weird inherent right that people think they have to recorded music.

[waltz]

I think a lot of people would be surprised by the actual processes/costs of putting together an album and it's release. Too many misconceptions about bands and record companies as a whole; thinking that bands and labels are 'rich', 'greedy' or 'the man', for example.

I'm also perplexed by this weird inherent right that people think they have to recorded music.

Exactly the points in the original blog I did. Really don't get that attitude.

[Old Gold]

On the plus side, the whole free-on-the-internet thing has made a lot of artists up their creativity with regards to offering those willing to pay up more for their money. There's a lot of cool deluxe stuff, and older formats with interesting approaches to artwork. Always a pleasure to buy.

[Bigsby]

Exactly the points in the original blog I did. Really don't get that attitude.

I can be selective about it, if they are young up and coming or just generally not that commercially succesful, I will go out of my way to pay for their music and support them by going to their shows etc. But I have no problem downloading, say, The Beatles' remasters, having paid for those albums several times already.

[Monster Zero]

[Bigsby]

I only have one Metallica record, and I did indeed purchase it, albeit before I had ever heard of the internet.

[Monster Zero]

I feel sorry for the struggling bands that are losing money. Not really fussed on music journalists issues to be honest, I think some of them have an over-inflated sense of their own value and if they are losing freebie opportunities then so what? Which brings up an interesting point if a music journo receives a promo copy of an album that they enjoy, do they go out and buy an official copy? My guess nuh-uh

[scottyboy]

I think a lot of people would be surprised by the actual processes/costs of putting together an album and it's release. Too many misconceptions about bands and record companies as a whole; thinking that bands and labels are 'rich', 'greedy' or 'the man', for example.

I'm also perplexed by this weird inherent right that people think they have to recorded music.

Evidently many people in various parts of the world would be perplexed by a notion that they don't (i.e. the idea of intellectual property). Not necessarily saying they're right but there you go.

Recorded music is now -for most people- worth nothing. Just because it costs a lot to make does not mean the final product has any monetary value. People have access to a free distribution system and the product (recorded music) will still in the first place get made even if there is no prospect of making money directly. Yes the supply is illegal but the relevant laws evidently lack support and thus in a democracy are for better or worse not legitimate (and more importantly, right now at least not enforceable).

[RF Scott]

Evidently many people in various parts of the world would be perplexed by a notion that they don't (i.e. the idea of intellectual property). Not necessarily saying they're right but there you go.

Recorded music is now -for most people- worth nothing. Just because it costs a lot to make does not mean the final product has any monetary value. People have access to a free distribution system and the product (recorded music) will still in the first place get made even if there is no prospect of making money directly. Yes the supply is illegal but the relevant laws evidently lack support and thus in a democracy are for better or worse not legitimate (and more importantly, right now at least not enforceable).

Basically, it's a bit of a crossroads right now. Either people's attitudes are going to have to change or new business models are going to have to be sought. Spotify etc have been mentioned here, but the revenue they and other similar avenues generate is miniscule. Either people pay for what they listen to or music becomes a cottage industry, where the quality of recordings will suffer, and the amount of time that artists can devote to touring will be drastically cut for all but the minority of acts.

It's fair to say that the majority of people will say that music is an important part of their life. So let's hope people who don't pay for music reassess the issue of 'worth' before it's too late...

[jon]

Basically, it's a bit of a crossroads right now. Either people's attitudes are going to have to change or new business models are going to have to be sought. Spotify etc have been mentioned here, but the revenue they and other similar avenues generate is miniscule. Either people pay for what they listen to or music becomes a cottage industry, where the quality of recordings will suffer, and the amount of time that artists can devote to touring will be drastically cut for all but the minority of acts.

It's fair to say that the majority of people will say that music is an important part of their life. So let's hope people who don't pay for music reassess the issue of 'worth' before it's too late...

Seconded. I'd also like to state that I have never illegally downloaded any music at all, although it's possible I might have been given some on compilation cds etc from friends. Nevertheless, I buy my music.

[RF Scott]

Also, small footnote, but I think it's important to make a distinction between those who download and those who actively upload music to the Internet. The latter are the scummiest part of the equation, but I guess that's obvious. Especially with albums ahead of their release date. To take the release and presentation to the public of an artist's work out of their hands because they or their representatives were kind enough to give you an advance copy* which in theory would benefit YOU as well as them, is deplorable.

*all cases of friend's bands/releases I've heard about leaking, bar a few, have been traced to "journalists"

[Guest idol_wild]

*all cases of friend's bands/releases I've heard about leaking, bar a few, have been traced to "journalists"

A band I know down in these parts is signed to 4AD, and someone from within the label actually uploaded and leaked their debut album before it was released.

SOMEONE FROM THE ACTUAL LABEL.

Flabbergasting.

[scottyboy]

As I said before, not entirely sure I care if it becomes a cottage industry. Some of my favourite artists can't afford to tour as it is and don't make their income primarily from their work. So many acts are both mediocre musicians and artists despite it supposedly being their full time job.

When I lived in the UK I didn't download anything, but I only occasionally bought music after I became a student. Where I live now I doubt there are any legitimate copies of anything in the country.