From the article: How to Transfer iTunes Library to a New Computer
The sharing of digital music is a contentious issue, one that's led to companies being both started and put out of business, to people being sued, a lot of music shared, and new bands being discovered. There are many viewpoints on whether it's legal or ethical to share the music on your iPod with other people. What do you think? What's Your Opinion?
It depends
- Well if a site is providing free music to all, they should be shut down and fined, because that's illegal. As to the users, they shouldn't be fined unless they have downloaded thousands of free songs. I think, however, that creating CDs and giving them to friends is absolutely fine. As long as you are not selling them or copying on a large scale. Responding to "Kyle," I agree that music is really awful right now but I feel that true artists will not make music just for money, but because they enjoy it. And Apple robs musicians of so much money that the illegal downloads seem like a small deal. The most money an artist has ever made off of a song on iTunes is 6 million dollars (I gotta feeling). Now that's a ton of money, but this money is divided among the band, of course. How did Fergie manage a net worth of 30 million with a few hit songs? Touring and more touring is the answer. And advertising. Not the songs. [Apple actually doesn't control the amount of money artists get for songs. Apple does take a 30% cut of the sale, but it's the record companies, and their inequitable contracts, that determine just how little musicians get. --Sam]
- —Guest Jack
Artist Opinon
- I'm a musican and make my living from the music I produce and sell. My opinion is if the music is being given as a gift and not sold for profit it is perfectly fine. Music is art for the ear to enjoy as painting's are art for the eye's to enjoy. The show must go on.
- —Guest LeoSayr
Sharing is stealing.
- Currently there is no incentive to produce and promote music. That's why most of the music sounds cheap and void of soul. It's synth vocals to click tracks and computer instruments. You know, rap and cheap pop. Downloading and sharing robs musicians of their income. Before every DVD movie there's a warning of fines or prison for copying, but not for music and it's exactly the same. I don't think a user should be fined but the enabler, the pusher, should. Apple.
- —Guest Kyle
Give the record companies what they want
- OK fine, I won't share my music with people if it makes the record companies feel that strongly about it... I also will not tell anyone about the music I like and purchase. If I can't share the music that I paid for then I sure as hell am not going to advertise for them for free!!!
- —Guest fine_be_that_way
Sharing of Art
- I say, I bought it, I have the right to do with it as I please! Ownership is 9/10s of the law, period!
- —Guest Dani
You assume much
- Who's "sharing"? I want to give an iPod with music to a person who doesn't own a computer. I would never in a million years buy this ghastly "music" if it were not for this gift, and I will never, ever listen to it myself if a copy of it ends up in my iTunes library (and I hope it does not).
- —EisenhowerBabe
In certain insatances, yes
- I have a fairly large library of music, about 90% of the music included was purchased legally, and I own the CDs. My wife bought a new laptop and she lost all her music. Yes, I bought the music. My wife, or myself, should have no legal liability here. Period.
- —Guest Nicholas Prisco
Extra credit
- I have bought, over the course of my life, the "Boston" album (and several others) in vinyl, 8-track, cassette and CD. Never once did I complain to the record company about the extra expense. And they are gonna complain if I make myself an extra copy? What penny-pinching toads they are. Letting "art" become a business was a stupid human mistake.
- —Guest Tokyo Pressbox
Share Music on iPod
- I read a book and pass it on to my family. What I should destroy my copy and buy a new one to give away?
- —Guest applegranny
