August 2005 is "Don't Buy Music" Month

I’ve been reading JD Lasica’s terrific new book DARKNET and I even had the chance to chat with him a couple of days ago for G’DAY WORLD (that interview will be up in the next 24 hours). But it’s all got me thinking about “what do we do about the music industry” and their current war on terrorism. As I said to JD during our chat, we need to start to educate the masses that the future isn’t about finding a model for the music industry and the downloaders to live in harmony – it’s in creating a totally NEW music industry, one that enables emerging, unsigned artists to find an audience and to develop a brand new commercial model for helping them derive an income from their art. Screw the RIAA. They can keep their music locked up in digital dungeons. I don’t give a rats. I’m already getting all of the new music I need from “podsafe” podcasts, like TPN’s own ROCK SHOW, MIXTAPE SHOW, JAZZ SHOW, and the many, many other podcasts out there that herald new emerging talent and that have nothing to do with the RIAA or the big labels. These shows are providing me with HOURS of GREAT music every week. Why do I need to buy music from the big labels?

And so, today I’m launching my push for making August 2005 “DON’T BUY MUSIC” month. I want to create a movement that helps ALL of the music podcasts to get more attention and to get music lovers to cease paying for music in a way that also doesn’t require piracy. If we can get people behind this movement, we can do two things:

• promote music podcasts
• hurt the RIAA where it counts – their hip pockets.

This is the only way we’ll ever change the RIAA and the big labels. By hurting their revenue. Vote with your dollars people. Start today by listening to music podcasts and by helping me promote “DON’T BUY MUSIC” month.

Comments

[Phillip Molly Malone]

Good luck with that Cam.
Personally myself, if the music is free great, if it the artist wants to be paid for it, and I think the price they put on it is reasonable (I have been using Ninemsn Music and most of the tracks are like $1.50 each) then I will buy it. I don't see why everybody gets so hung up on paying for things. But you know what, I probably just don't get it.

Molly
http://mollyzine.blogspot.com/

[Tony]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I can't remember last time I bought any music. If Itunes store was up and running I probably would but it's not.

Nearly all the music on my IPod and on my PC is ripped from CD's I own and I listen to that.

Since I started listening to podcasts though I have barely listened to any music. I could prob wie my Ipod of all but 3-4 bands and it wouldn't worry me too much at all.

There are a few music podcasts I listen such aas the rock show, rock and roll geek show which is more talk than music and also the metal show which is a podcast of a radio show.

So I can live with don't buy music month...great idea, unless Itunes store opens up..LOL

[MattyT]

Like Molly, I'm quite happy to pay for music. I own about 200 CD's and have them all ripped on to my iPod (laws restricting that use are unreasonable and ridiculous).

However, unlike Molly, I'm not happy about buying music online. At least not with DRM. No way, not a hope. Just as I refuse to buy CD's that are inflicted with the copy control "virus". [Goddamn, nothing gets me more irate than CC!]

And, while it's great that podsafe music is beginning to gain traction, at the moment at least, it's just not for me. Firstly the quality is typically _shit_ (low bitrate mp3's? Ugly!). Now I don't listen to the rock show or the jazz show so maybe you have high bitrate mp3's. But the main reason I don't think I'll convert to podcasts for music is that it's generally ordinary stuff. I'm picky about my music and know what I like - much better than you or Ewan or whoever else (Hey, I'm not saying I know better about music - just that I know what I like better than anyone). I gave away radio ages ago for the same reason. And given that the number of people making podsafe music is small so too is the number of _good_ artists making podsafe music.

Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest. :)

As much as I hate the RIAA I'm not in a hurry to stop buying music. I do NOT buy music that is CC'd because that's fundamentally wrong, however I don't have a problem buying an album for $12-20 (I rarely buy mainstream stuff). Until I'm provided with a better alternative (and podcast music is not there yet) I'll keep buying.