Comments on: Neil Young is right — piracy is the new radio

By: Albert

Albert — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:44:05 +0000

I’m in an “up-and-coming band” and we actually strongly approve of our music being on file-sharing sites. We also make all our music available on a “pay what you think it’s worth” policy.

I’ve seen/heard a number of people say things like “it’s all very well for wealthy musicians to say it’s ok, but spare a thought for the bands who are struggling to make ends meet.”

However, although it is true that we don’t make a living from our music (yet – we are still in debt after making our album), what’s the worst that can happen as a result of our music being pirated? Millions of new fans listening to our music for free. That I wouldn’t mind at all.

Of these (theoretical) millions of new fans, some would then decide to pay for our music, some would decide to pay to see us live, some would decide to buy a t-shirt etc. And this isn’t a radical, bold business strategy by any means. It’s exactly what radio did for artists in the 20th century.

By: Weesee

Weesee — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:46:45 +0000

I totally agree with Pat. Neil Young no doubt made a mint off of radio licensing fees, and still does make some money this way. Why the double standard for up and coming super-talented musicians who have to make lattes at Starbucks because of the impossible financial situation of supporting yourself on your music alone? Hackers from Sweden, etc. are contributing to the many factors making it impossible for musicians to earn a living. There won’t be many tracks to pirate soon, who has the 20K (minimum) to produce a record if venues charge rent, airlines charge for musical instruments, and nobody agrees to pay a measly dollar for one track?

By: Conscience

Conscience — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:36:16 +0000

Neil Young saying it’s okay to steal music is like Warren Buffet saying everyone can afford to pay more taxes. Terrestrial radio still exists, satellite radio exists, free Internet radio like pandora exists. Of course when you listen to music on those mediums, artists get paid. And the tired argument about piracy really being “sampling” and people paying for pirated music they like is pure BS. iTunes, Amazon, and other legit vendors allow you to sample a substantial portion of a song before you decide to buy. Most of you people are nothing but a bunch of ingrate thieves and it’s sad how delighted you are that some old, rich, washed up Canadian artist told you it was okay to do what you know deep in your heart is wrong.

By: Adrian

Adrian — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:31:26 +0000

The claim that radio pays artists is not wholly right.

Radio pays Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) for playing music by artists. Some of this money is passed along to the artists. In English Canada, where I live, the PRO that collects monies from terrestrial radio is called SOCAN (acronym for Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada). SOCAN collects monies from radio for plays of songs by members and non-members. It does not pay out to the responsible artists those monies it collects for music made by non-members.

And, increasingly, in this digital age, there are disadvantages to being a member of SOCAN eg. it requires the artist to assign the rights of administration for their songs to the PRO. This has various negative potential implications including an inability to offer music for free, if the artist so chooses, on a range of sites that exist now for music promotion. In short, the agreement SOCAN requires of an artist restricts their freedom, placing undesirable controls on how the artist can use their own music. Without giving up those rights, the PRO does not pay out to the artist the monies that is rightfully theirs, and which has been paid by radio for the playing of the artist’s music.

In contrast, SoundExchange, which collects money for digital plays does pay out the monies it collects – whether the musician is a member or a non-member of SoundExchange. All that is required is for the artist to register with SoundExchange – a step that does not require the assignment of admin rights. (Membership in SE is optional vis-a-vis receiving payment for plays.)

Until SOCAN and its counterpart PROs end their practice of unjust enrichment by with-holding from non-member artists the monies paid by radio for the playing of those artists’ songs, it’s still more of the same old racket.

By: Susan Rusniak

Susan Rusniak — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:59:53 +0000

Thanks Neil–You’ve been my muic hero for 30 years.
Now you and Ron Paul are my 2 top political hero’s.
Lookin for a leader–?—Vote Ron Paul 2012.

By: JF

JF — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:09:00 +0000

Sounds nice, but the comparison is deeply flawed, and you mention it yourself, because artists DO get paid from playing on the radio. And that just doesn’t happen when you visit the Pirate Bay.

By: logic

logic — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:26:02 +0000

I admit I torrented Skyrim, tried it, liked it soon much that I bought it. I had more trouble getting the official version (4 hour download officially vs 20 min unofficially) however, AND still had all the same glitches. Now im somewhat upset I paid for broken software, but I like it enough to work around it. My point here? Make it easy to get and it will sell, and don’t hide it behind antipiracy. If it hadn’t have been for the unofficial version, I would have never considered buying it.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:34:44 +0000

I would say that a live performance is different… He’s already made his album, but by sharing something he’s creating in the moment and is taking real effort to make, it does hurt the artist; come to see the show if you like the guy, give some support.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:24:47 +0000

You don’t have to be born in America, just become a citizen and you can be President.

By: beaverman

beaverman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:13:25 +0000

I still remember when Video piracy was the devil of the time. It was fuelled by the movie companies who would release a film in the US and then in the UK you would wait a whole year for that film. Then it would be another year for it to be on Video. No wonder people turned to piracy.

When you look now at films like Avatar being released in the US and UK at the same time to prevent people sharing it before release, piracy has done us a favour.