"Global music sales declined 22 per cent over five years to 2003 in countries rapidly adopting high-speed broadband internet connections."
This was in the Sunday Morning Herald a couple days ago. These statistics make no sense whatsoever. Why? Well, first of all, I very much doubt the RIAA pulls in a lot of money from 'developing countries'.Secondly, most of the downloading occurs in the developed countries. So, they should be interested in the statistics for those countries. Why don't they mention the statistics there? Because the sales are rising in the US . Yesterday, the RIAA releasd a report that doemstic music sales increased for the first time in five years. That means, since 1999, music sales did not incraese year to year. However, music sales did increase from 1999 to 2000. I couldn't find figures for other years.
Back to the first statement..why is the RIAA worried about sales in developing countries?I hdon't have a clue.I can't imagine the developing countries make up more that 10% of RIAA's sales (I couldn't find figures).
Sales increased till 2000. Sales dipped from 2001-2003 because of the economy. Sales increased in 04 because of improving economy.Sales will probably continue to improve. Various research firms have at different periodss reported that downloading is up/down. However, music sales seem to always be down. In 2002, researches at Harvard and UNC conducted a study on the effect of downloading on music sales. Their conclusion? Nothing.Nada.Zero.More recent research also shows that there is no conclusive evidence that there is any relationship between p2p downloads and music sales.
I think I've established that the RIAA propaganda is baseless. My advice to the RIAA: quit worrying about downloads and put the money in the bank instead of paying your lawyers. Besides, your lawsuits are working. At least on me.
Another thought : If as the RIAA says, p2p downloads hurt music sales, then last year (2004), p2p downloads should have decreased. Well they increased. So, if p2p downloads increased and sales increased, how can there be any correlation between p2p and music sales ?
Note 1 : Sunday Morning Herald requires compulsory registration. Login/password is available on bugmenot.com.
Note 2 : This post is mirrored on my blog.
Note 3 : Prince is one of the (few) artists who have spoken out against the record labels.
Article comments
1 - lono
F the R.I.A.A
Coupled with Ticketbastard, they have pretty much ruined rock for me. I used to go religiously to big concernts, about one a month. Now it's $18 for a CD that cost 30 cents to make and I am paying $30 per ticket just for service charges. Bullshit. I call shaninigans. I have my iPod and am just going to drop out of the rock consumer scene for a few years until the industry gets it head out of its ass.
Oh, and here is why I will never feel bad for the RIAA - When Napster was launched some 8 or 9 years ago it was very very clear that consumers wanted digital alternatives. The RIAA did nothing but work their asses off to quash anything that went in that direction. iTunes is great and all... but had someone the sense to do that 10 years ago illegal downloading wouldn't be an issue.
2 - SFC SKI
I download more from iTunes than I buy now, most of it as singles. Maybe it's because most albums are more filler than substance.
I do buy some of the CD bonus disc packages, as long as the price is right. The industry is so willing to shoot themselves in the foot by not offering all new releases and their entire back catalogs digitally, that's the real crime.
3 - Chris Beaumont
Question you keep mentioning Developing countries, yet your quote makes no mention of them as developing, just adopting high speed internet. So unless the full article is about developing countries, should have included a more appropriate quote, otherwise your comments are as baseless as many used by teh RIAA.
4 - trenchier
First a correction: The paper is the Sydney Morning Herald not the Sunday Morning Herald. As for the 'developing countries' comment, I can't imagine I I did not see it in the article. However, I can't find the original source for the article and I cannot edit this post.
I just hope my original statement was accurate.
Thanks for pointing this out.
5 - Chris Beaumont
That's cool, I wasn't really taking sides here, just curious. Thanks for responding!
6 - trenchier
Thanks for the post :-)
7 - Victor Plenty
No more of my money for RIAA products, either.
Oddly enough, I'm still a member of both major "music clubs" -- RCA and BMG. I just throw their envelopes into the recycling with the rest of the junk mail. I figure it costs them a few pennies to mail me those catalogs.
If that's the only way I can help the major record labels lose more money, I'm happy to keep on doing it.