According to an August 20th RIAA Press Release pre-recorded music sales are on the decline, and the RIAA is blaming CD recordables (CD-Rs).
Being able to make mix tapes is one of the nice things you can do for friends these days, when no one can really afford to buy retail recordings. However, to say that such recordings are cutting into commercial record sales would be jumping to some pretty hasty conclusions.
The RIAA needs to remember that the entire economy is in a slump, and that most people can barely pay rent and feed themselves right now much less spend $20 on a CD, no matter how much they'd like to buy it.
Here's a quote from RIAA President Hilary Rosen on the subject:
"Many in the music community are concerned about the continued use of CD-Rs (compact disc recordables) and we believe this issue deserves further analysis. A preliminary survey of tech savvy online music enthusiasts recently conducted for the RIAA showed that nearly one out of two consumers surveyed downloaded in the past month and nearly 70 percent burned the music they downloaded. All of this activity continues to show the passion of the consumer for music and the need for both legal protection and legitimate alternatives."
Resources
Recording Industry Announces 2001 Mid-Year Shipments
RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) Press Release (August 20, 2001)RIAA To Target CD-R
Slashdot article (August 23, 2001)
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Comments (2)
Read More Entries by Lisa Rein.
I try to put myself in their viewpoint
There is a validity to arguing about the disappearance of a revenue model. Even if they "only get a fraction", artists make money on CD sales (they certainly can lose money touring!)
It is very possible to build, but very expensive and annoying, that CD burner software could report directly to a central authority any time a one-off of a song was made, and log the transaction, or at least consult a local licensing software piece for the song. The strange thing is, it just costs so much to do it. But if they REALLY made it seamless, it is possible that consumers would go for it. They aren't dead set on piracy or paying or not paying, they're just doing what they do.
My viewpoint on this continued attack by the RIAA is just that it is a constant reminder not to get too comfortable. Every single time you get on an airplane, they explain how to use the oxygen masks, etc. as if you've never flown an airplane before. They won't let you forget, even if you want to, that in the event of a water evacuation your seat cushion may be used as a floatation device.
It is possibly the RIAA's job to make sure people feel like they should pay something everytime they manipulate music, and to make technologists and hardware and software companies just nervous enough not to make their software and hardware too cool.
Having it both ways
The recording industry puts anti-copying schema's on their cd's (and dvd's). They have laws in place that make it illegal to circumvent their "technology" AND they want a cut of the cake for blank CD's tapes and what have you. I think they should choose either/or. Having it both ways is immoral.