[Huck]

It’s really sad what’s happened to music business. People dont’ buy music anymore. How is a musician supposed to make money? Why bother making music? So you can sell ringtones? It’s just sad. And it’s sad that people feel no responsibility towards paying the artists for their work. They just glom it off the net. Cheapskates.

[utherdoul]

I pay the artists I enjoy for their work happily and freely. I just don’t buy the 92% of music that’s utter garbage. And unfortunatly quite a few of the big record labels specalize heavily in that 92%. I will say I did quite a bit of music downloading in my teens but that I now own pretty much every album I’ve ever downloaded. Not to mention the fact that for 15 dollars a month my zune pass gives me almost all of the music I could want.

If artists whine about not making sales I’d tell them to take a hard look at what they put out and that we’re not obligated to buy their garbage just because some record label puts them on TV.

[randomhero97]

How is a musician supposed to make money?

Live shows maybe? If there was still any good bands out there they would be touring. Believe it or not people still buy CDs.

Why bother making music?

Why bother doing anything that you love to do?

And it’s sad that people feel no responsibility towards paying the artists for their work. They just glom it off the net. Cheapskates.

Did you ever take a cassette and record a song from the radio? Same difference when it comes to public transportation of media.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

It’s really sad what’s happened to music business. People dont’ buy music anymore. How is a musician supposed to make money? Why bother making music? So you can sell ringtones? It’s just sad. And it’s sad that people feel no responsibility towards paying the artists for their work. They just glom it off the net. Cheapskates.

Yes and no,

People throughout Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America don't play by the rules (They never did)

But America, Canada, and western Europe MUST?

Either it's a fair playing field or not.

And this isn't just music. It entails all aspects of the entertainment business.

[exist]

I would feel worse about it if more than 2 out of 12 songs per CD were any good.

[erman]

It’s really sad what’s happened to music business. People dont’ buy music anymore. How is a musician supposed to make money? Why bother making music? So you can sell ringtones? It’s just sad. And it’s sad that people feel no responsibility towards paying the artists for their work. They just glom it off the net. Cheapskates.

First of all, how many times do I have to buy "The Best of the Eagles"? or say.... Dire Straits? I bought them in the 70's, bought some more of the same songs, again, in the 80's, copied them to cassettes and then even bought some CD's, now their on my hard drive. But it's a pain in the neck.

So I've bought some songs 2 or 3 times.

How about some old Johnny Winter stuff?

Some music is difficult to find and some stuff I've found like a live version of Hendrix and Billy Gibbons is impossible to find in any store or web site.

Finally, the musicians are making money the old fashioned way... performing. They get a cut of the gate, the T-Shirts, posters and whatever else they can get a hold of.

Now I have to admit it would be tough for a band like Steely Dan to "tour", but that's how musicians make money now. Performing.

[mysterio]

How is a musician supposed to make money?

I find working a job helps me to bring in money.

Why bother making music?

Because I love to write songs and play them in front of people.

[VeniVidiVici]

And it’s sad that people feel no responsibility towards paying the artists for their work. They just glom it off the net. Cheapskates.

I buy mp3 downloads from Amazon all the time. They are only .99 and I can pick and choose what I want. And no DRM.

[the anti-liberal]

After NIN got out of their record contract they sold a 36 track album directly to fans online, in various recording quality and without any DRM, and made around 2 million in the first couple of months (if I recall correctly).

It's all about the business model - and selling a $20 physical CD that might have 1 or 2 good songs does not a good business model make.