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File-sharing sites make musicians more popular

14 May 2009 22:19 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 7 comments

A new study by industry body PRS for Music has found that file sharing sites and P2P make popular musicians even more popular. More obviously, the study shows that the most pirated songs are almost always at the top of music charts such as Billboard at the same time.

The data notes that unsigned and newer bands were neither helped nor hindered by piracy. File-sharing networks have become somewhat of an "alternative broadcast network" which now rivals radio stations as a way of hearing music.

The study was performed by PRS chief economist Will Page and head of media tracking firm Big Champagne Eric Garland. The point of the report was to see if patterns of music usage among file-sharers can affect the "music is marketed and sold."

Also included in the report is the fact that legal action against file sharing sites such as The Pirate Bay has not stopped piracy in the least.

Finally, the authors concluded that "file-sharing sites are reinforcing divisions in the music world and only making the popular more popular." However, because the music is free, people did occasionally listen to bands they wouldn't normally try out. Not too many people are willing to pay for the right to listen to a band they may or may not like.

"If the sellers sell it, it might never be bought; but if the swappers offer it, at least one person will likely take it," says the study.

Permalink to this article

UK songwriter royalties fall without YouTube contribution (27 July 2009)

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The Pirate Bay now has their own 'anthem' (18 May 2009)

House committee votes 21-9 in favor of new radio royalties (14 May 2009)

5 more arrested in Canada for piracy (12 May 2009)

Piracy cost software industry $50 billion, says BSA (12 May 2009)

DVD copying study re-appears during DMCA exemption debate (9 May 2009)

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ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 14 May 2009 23:58
Free advertising and word of mouth. You can not control every aspect of distribution. Hell I heard about Sub dub Micromachine on chronixs and got both their cds. [ + quote]
nintenut (Senior Member) 15 May 2009 0:32
In other news, water is wet and fire is hot. [ + quote]
korgoth3 (Newbie) 15 May 2009 3:24
fire indeed hot [ + quote]
Mr-Movies (Member) 15 May 2009 8:09
*Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* Free advertising and word of mouth. You can not control every aspect of distribution. Hell I heard about Sub dub Micromachine on chronixs and got both their cds. I too buy CD's & DVD's on this type of advertising as you can't typically go to a store and listen to what you want to buy like the old days when vinyl was popular. Another and much cheaper way to go, Zippy you should like this, is to go to the local library and sign out music this way you totally avoid the internet police, get a higher quality rip (lossless), and can make a exact backup of the CD/DVD if you wish. Some of the disc are mishandled so it's not a perfect world but it is a good alternative. I like how they keep repeating these stupid studies what a waste of revebue and effort but it is the new order, not a reference to the band of course. [ + quote]
Mez (Senior Member) 15 May 2009 8:20
I thought the artical was informitive. It did not tell me anything I did not know. It is good to see someone the industry will listen to say file sharing may have some benifit. That it isn't all bad. Artist that benifit the most, are extremely tallented and poorly distributed. The reason for the poor distribution is the genre is not popular and their country is not one of the 'in' countries. The music industry run by no tallents can't recognize quality when they hear it. It is impossible to listen to music you can't buy without file sharing. The music industry only takes notice when one of these 'wacky' bands in some jerk water country makes platnum in 2 months. The greedy pigs realize they lost out and start selling their music. In the US, they know maybe half those sales came from the US and they didn't get their cut. I really doubt that file sharing has hurt the music industry at all. Most persons have a comfort level as to what they can spend on music. A good deal will get them to spend more no good deals will make them spend less. People that don't buy would NEVER buy. They would listen to the radio to hear free music. It is the radio stations that are hurt the most by file sharing. People that would buy still buy. It doesn't matter if they have a free version. If anything, file sharing encourages music sales. I know I am spending many times what I used to spend on music. I got burnt too many times years back buying a CD to find one good but not great tune and the rest junk. The industry is trying to sell junk for a price that should be reserved for excellent music. I didn't buy much music for more than 10 years becuase the music was not worth the money. At current prices, the music needs to be great to pay that kind of money. I would NEVER buy without hearing the complete album several times. Like the auto industry, the music industry has priced them selves out of a job. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 15 May 2009 8:59
Mez (Senior Member) 15 May 2009 8:45
Mr-Movies, my library has very limited selection. They may have 1% of all the music sold in my country (US). File sharing has 20+ times the selection of what is available on CDs in the US. Lossless versions of music are shared. [ + quote]
Shinraboy (Member) 15 May 2009 10:08
There's a lot of truth in this. I can't bring myself to pay for an artist that may not be good. There are also very limited ways to sample a cd in good quality. Youtube used to be my resource but considering copyright laws it's almost impossible to sample music (try looking for the original video to "Just Dance" By Lady GaGA.) I can honestly say that I've torrented Corrine Bailey Rae Charlotte Sometimes Tristan Prettyman Lady GaGa Versailles and others and really ended up loving them and went out to get them [ + quote]