Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

Re: Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

Jim — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:51:06 -0000

Paul, I would definitely agree to a point that vinyl is impractical, however, the combination of vinyl plus a free mp3 download is a killer combo. Either way vinyl is not the solution to the music industry, but I do think it does display the point that MP3s and digital medium have yet to find a way to truly ignite the individual consumer's passion for music. Much of this blame is to be had on the majors and the RIAA, the attempt to restrict the evolution of the industry has crippled music, and I truly hope the majors go out of business for it. There are so many more possibilities in terms of integrating artwork and music through the new digital world. The iPhone (and touch phones in general) specifically gives a fantastic opportunity, and while cover flow is a great start, we need a huge expansion on that. Warner announced they were working on a 3D version of album artwork for iTunes over a year ago, I have no idea what happened to that unfortunately. Until we embrace new ideas such as muxtape music will never get out of the hole it currently is in.

That is not to say that artists should not be receiving online royalties for their work, but by destroying any possibility of having new online music services we leave no opportunity to have sites grow to the point where they even can start to share revenue with the artist. Also to note, those who conduct the business of the artist (labels, managers, publishers, etc) should receive a cut of revenues, but the fact that none of the revenue is passed onto the artist (by majors) is absolutely disgusting. Today's crisis requires everyone to bond together, not continue to stab the other in the back.

Anyway, I think I got a little off topic, but DRM is a huge failure that restricts the growth of music and honestly, pisses off consumers because they just don't understand why it is there and how it works. The music industry has completely changed, and we need to find new ways of bringing music to the general public. The new music industry in the US will always be based on some form of sales, in my opinion, but as we witness social interactions to become even more vital (as it always has been, music people need to study history) we find that hopefully, by reaching out and linking music even closer to people's lives, music becomes more important than ever before, and found in every part of a person's life.

Re: Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

Paul Glazowski — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:30:14 -0000

Vinyl is great, but impractical. Downloads are just so efficient that it makes no sense not to pursue them as the default. I agree that the experience of a disc is to hold something as you listen to a recording, to give the impression of something very real and substantive. And that's not a false impression, of course, but a download does essentially provide the same ends, just by different means.

Re: Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

Paul Glazowski — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:26:52 -0000

That Doctorow isn't one to mince words, huh? :-)

Re: Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

Osvaldo — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:50:58 -0000

As a webby I love the Internet. I work on the Internet and it's the best thing that the XX century gave us. But the Internet is not a solution for every everything, and mp3 is a replacement for music radio stations, not cd's or vinil.

You want to buy music ? Buy a CD in a store or in an online store. Forget mp3. You can allways rip the cd and listen the musics in your iPod.

Part of the fun is to own the object and enjoy the cover. One day you will want to show your kids them the music you like. Just like our father have shown us their vinyl collections.

DRM doesn't make any sense at all, but buying drm-free mp3 is not the best solution either. Have you ever tried to play and old vinyl record?

Best

Osvaldo

Re: Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

LJ Jones — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:58:54 -0000

So, the people who paid for their music, don't have free access to the music that they paid for. But the people who didn't pay for the music, have free access to the music that they didn't pay for? So in an effort to keep people who don't pay for the music from getting access to the music, the DRM blocks access to those who paid for it? Sounds like rocket science to me.

Re: Wal-Mart Tells DRM-Infected Music Downloaders to Burn it or be Gone!

Melanie — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:07:34 -0000

Boy, the entertainment industry sure makes a good case for ripping them off, huh?

Truer words were never spoken!