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by ghshephard
4739 days ago
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I wonder what the performers/songrwriters think of the fact that I purchased (used) Aerosmith's Hits CD about five years ago for $3.00. I've probably listened (in various formats) to that CD about a hundred+ times in the last five years. There are 10 tracks, so, 1,000 plays for which everyone (Songwriters, Publishers, Performers, Distributes) - all received $0.00. Multiply that by 1,000 Aerosmith fan's who bough a used CD, and you have 1 Million plays that generate $0.00 for the music industry. I wonder if the Music industry feels that they are being treated unfairly by the Used CD Marketplace? Or how they feel about people just purchasing $4-$5 CDs used (S&H included) off of Amazon - the combination of low cost + convenience. Ironically - in the last year, I signed up for iTunes Match ($25/year), so in theory, every time I listen to this CD the various contributors are once again receiving revenue. |
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The original purchaser bought it for full price, and assuming I'm a major artist like Aerosmith, that's big money in the aggregate. A cd isn't rent, it means you get to enjoy that stuff for as long as you own it. If the original purchaser wanted to transfer that ability to someone else even for free, I don't have a problem with it. I don't see cds as somehow being linked to the original person's lifespan, or a time-value of how long he's likely to listen to it. It's the existence of the cd, period. The fact that he got three bucks for it, more power to him.
Now, if he instead ripped the cd to continue his enjoyment and then sold or gave it away, to me that's the same as keeping the cd and letting you rip it (either for free, or for three bucks). That's not okay. He clearly liked it enough to "keep" it, so he should have kept it. In which case (if everyone else acted the same way), you would have bought a new copy, which means more money for the artist.
At any rate, you, by purchasing a used cd, did nothing "wrong" from any perspective in my book, because it can't be on you to ensure that the seller will no longer listen to or enjoy the music. But people that sell their used cds, technically they're stealing if they keep their rips after they sell it. Or at least "stealing", in the sense that it's the same as letting someone else rip/burn their copy.