General Discussion

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)

109. there is a huge opportunity for artists to put works into the Public Domain

Tue Oct 14, 2014, 12:08 PM

Oct 2014

Much like open source software, not every artist has the same vision of how to record and sell their work. Some choose Public Domain as a way to reach a larger audience. Even artists who are bound in contracts with publisher, use one week free downloads and the like to reach that bigger audience. For a performing artist, the real money gets made at live shows. A band like U2 or the Stones routinely get 90% or more of the gate plus something on concessions. Compare that to 2-cents per copy royalty on a song -- one fan who will pay $85 to come to a show is worth about 16,000 downloads on iTunes.

Some PD music is pre-copyright and some is put there intentionally by current artists. This site preserves many early recordings by distributing them in PD:

http://publicdomain4u.com/

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According to your values, is illegally downloading a song, TV show, or movie immoral? [View all] ZombieHorde Oct 2014 OP

Can you even download a song from youtube? bravenak Oct 2014 #1

Yes. Any youtube video can be downloaded as an mp3. nt ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #2

Oh. I never even knew that. bravenak Oct 2014 #3

I know how to download mp4s, can't download mp3s anymore. If the material is copyrighted or the freshwest Oct 2014 #9

I should try that next time I want to watch something. bravenak Oct 2014 #12

Well, I still wouldn't download a Hollywood kind of movie. And I've got tons of DVDs that I bought freshwest Oct 2014 #125

Virtually all material on the internet is protected by copyright - Ms. Toad Oct 2014 #67

Not sure what you mean by downloading a song off of YouTube. Live and Learn Oct 2014 #4

Bandwidth limits? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #60

No (as to assuming it is legal) Ms. Toad Oct 2014 #70

YouTube removes copyrighted material when it knows about it Live and Learn Oct 2014 #77

You Tube is protecting itself when it takes down the material. Ms. Toad Oct 2014 #94

I wish I knew how to download something from YouTube... countryjake Oct 2014 #5

It is easy really. TM99 Oct 2014 #7

Thanks for that. countryjake Oct 2014 #19

Yup, it's highly annoying when my playlists suddenly have that Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #62

if you google "video downloaders" dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #17

I'm having a "doh" moment, here. countryjake Oct 2014 #23

Not all vids can be downloaded there, but most can. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #26

The video I'd like to save isn't music or a movie or show... countryjake Oct 2014 #27

I don't lose sleep over it JonLP24 Oct 2014 #6

actually very easy whatthehey Oct 2014 #65

Like a minor traffic violation get the red out Oct 2014 #8

Depends. Do they offer me a way to pay for it? Recursion Oct 2014 #10

As an added plug, there are lots of sites with all Creative Commons music, which is legal Recursion Oct 2014 #11

Creative Commons is a great tool for artists when the marketing industry has rejected them. hunter Oct 2014 #128

Your question brings up other questions. Jenoch Oct 2014 #13

I have downloaded things that are no longer available hobbit709 Oct 2014 #14

Immoral if a legal download is available for sale. Nye Bevan Oct 2014 #15

Best answer! tblue Oct 2014 #107

Yes. n/t Mugu Oct 2014 #16

It's stealing. Is that immoral? badtoworse Oct 2014 #18

Some how I knew the morality police would have showed up by now davidpdx Oct 2014 #24

Morality police? What makes intellectual property different than any other kind of property? badtoworse Oct 2014 #33

If it is being for your own use and not being sold there is no theft davidpdx Oct 2014 #34

So it's OK to break into someone's house and steal stuff as long as you don't fence it? badtoworse Oct 2014 #36

Well, one thing that makes it different is that stealing a physical object means taking it away DanTex Oct 2014 #40

Unless the owner of the IP has authorized its duplication, you are taking something from him. badtoworse Oct 2014 #43

Not really. You have to admit there's a difference between physically stealing something DanTex Oct 2014 #50

There are differences in the examples you gave, but all of them are wrong. badtoworse Oct 2014 #59

Maybe. I'm just saying that it's different from physical theft. DanTex Oct 2014 #75

See Post 82. I think it's easier to just respect the wishes of the IP owner badtoworse Oct 2014 #84

I don't see this as an "ethical pretzel". I think it's a good thing to reason things out in detail. DanTex Oct 2014 #98

Thanks. Looks like a good read. badtoworse Oct 2014 #101

You're welcome. DanTex Oct 2014 #114

Interesting article and a good analysis badtoworse Oct 2014 #153

If the song is no longer being sold anywhere, then ask permission of the owner of the rights. Ms. Toad Oct 2014 #95

You're only depriving the craftsman of payment if you would have been willing to pay otherwise. DanTex Oct 2014 #112

The choice of distribution model is not yours to make - Ms. Toad Oct 2014 #140

The difference seems to be that mythology Oct 2014 #88

Just to add, in college, pretty much everyone I knew copied songs without authorization. DanTex Oct 2014 #52

Now you are just rationalizing badtoworse Oct 2014 #64

What I'm doing is reasoning. Reasoning is important. DanTex Oct 2014 #73

I think we've gone as far with this one as we can. badtoworse Oct 2014 #82

Plus, of course, the reality shown by actual scientific studies Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #66

The artist may choose to let his/her song be used for free to gain exposure Ms. Toad Oct 2014 #96

What if someone takes a picture of artwork? phil89 Oct 2014 #151

I think it depends. badtoworse Oct 2014 #154

Yes, because I make a habit of breaking into houses davidpdx Oct 2014 #42

What an erudite response. badtoworse Oct 2014 #45

it is copying, not stealing! wildbilln864 Oct 2014 #119

Again, my suggestion is that you read up on IP Law and understand what the IP owner has authorized. badtoworse Oct 2014 #122

Like the guy who took my car for his own use. Kaleva Oct 2014 #135

One very basic difference whatthehey Oct 2014 #47

Who owns the door? badtoworse Oct 2014 #48

The person who originally paid. Who owns the CD or DVD uploaded? Same answer in a sane world. whatthehey Oct 2014 #55

My suggestion is that you read up on IP Law. badtoworse Oct 2014 #63

People are not disagreeing with you as to what laws ARE. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #72

precisely. spanone Oct 2014 #97

Well, it's not stealing, certainly Recursion Oct 2014 #143

it's stealing money from the copyright holder nothing less. spanone Oct 2014 #148

By that logic Microsoft is "stealing" my income by making server products... Recursion Oct 2014 #149

How do you know the person phil89 Oct 2014 #152

The Merriam-Webster definition of stealing sure fits badtoworse Oct 2014 #150

Report: Album Piracy May Help Musicians Sell baldguy Oct 2014 #20

I got a round of applause in a theater after the advertisement... GummyBearz Oct 2014 #21

No kidding davidpdx Oct 2014 #25

I would have clapped for you. bigwillq Oct 2014 #85

Are you aware of how many people work in the industry that brings the movie to your theatre? Beaverhausen Oct 2014 #103

Capitalism is immoral - TBF Oct 2014 #22

^^^This^^^ Tom Ripley Oct 2014 #44

I was trying to think of a reply to the OP, but now I d have to. johnp3907 Oct 2014 #49

Artists should be government employees. Art should be government approved and funded. FrodosPet Oct 2014 #54

Well, that's why you need very high marginal rates on massive incomes. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #74

Why? JonLP24 Oct 2014 #80

You mean like in the erstwhile Third Reich or Soviet Union? Because that is what one gets. WinkyDink Oct 2014 #105

Organized Theft on a Global Scale Octafish Oct 2014 #61

I hope you grow your own food. Manufacture your own cloth and turn it into clothing. KittyWampus Oct 2014 #110

I hope you are well paid. nt TBF Oct 2014 #111

What's an "illegal download?" MADem Oct 2014 #28

I live outside the US davidpdx Oct 2014 #29

Because tv shows are like food joeglow3 Oct 2014 #92

Downloading is not illegal. Sharing a downloaded file is illegal. randome Oct 2014 #30

+1 davidpdx Oct 2014 #35

You indicate illegal downloads as opposed to legal downloads? liberal N proud Oct 2014 #31

if it is available through legal means then yes CBGLuthier Oct 2014 #32

This is the best answer. Bluenorthwest Oct 2014 #39

Seems Iggy Pop is torn but sympathetic to pirates. gvstn Oct 2014 #37

No (nt) bigwillq Oct 2014 #38

Not if the artist is dead Tom Ripley Oct 2014 #41

The strange thing about some of the 'Yes' responses... randome Oct 2014 #46

Apparently, Millennials are against capitalism... FrodosPet Oct 2014 #69

It is teft so i say yes it is immoral. hrmjustin Oct 2014 #51

"Breakin' the law, breakin' the law..." panader0 Oct 2014 #53

I voted no. I'm 51. whatthehey Oct 2014 #57

I voted no and I'm 53 FLPanhandle Oct 2014 #78

Not enough nuance, the option I ould go with is Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #56

Theft is Theft. Octafish Oct 2014 #58

I'll first make a fair effort to buy it at a fair price, but... FLPanhandle Oct 2014 #68

I did a paper on this in college tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #71

Really? You only have 64 gig of music? randome Oct 2014 #86

According to my itunes I have exactly 12 tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #93

If said work of art is readily available for purchase... NCTraveler Oct 2014 #76

Fuck artists and musicians trying to earn a living. I don't like paying for shit. Throd Oct 2014 #79

Money contaminates everything it touches with immorality. But I would say it's unethical. hunter Oct 2014 #81

There are small crimes and big crimes el_bryanto Oct 2014 #83

Depends on what you mean by "illegal". Dr. Strange Oct 2014 #87

yes, but i am not religious so i dont think all immorality is at the same level of sin. La Lioness Priyanka Oct 2014 #89

This message was self-deleted by its author La Lioness Priyanka Oct 2014 #89

No. Xithras Oct 2014 #99

I no longer steal music, now that a viable product is available. DisgustipatedinCA Oct 2014 #100

I can think of no crime so heartless, so cruel so sinister than illegally downloading a song, Douglas Carpenter Oct 2014 #102

Let me ponder....."Illegally...." If only I could find the definition...... WinkyDink Oct 2014 #104

"Legal" and "Moral" have no relation to each other. KentuckyWoman Oct 2014 #106

This is my favorite reply in this thread. ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #144

It's not a black and white issue. vi5 Oct 2014 #108

there is a huge opportunity for artists to put works into the Public Domain KurtNYC Oct 2014 #109

I went with "other." Chan790 Oct 2014 #113

Piracy kills. NuclearDem Oct 2014 #115

Yes, but not very. N.T. Donald Ian Rankin Oct 2014 #116

Might be... But, I genuinely don't care. LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #117

Do you think every person who works at or supports the record companies is a highly paid exec? Beaverhausen Oct 2014 #118

Like I said: Don't care. LostInAnomie Oct 2014 #120

you missed the point completely Beaverhausen Oct 2014 #124

downloadhelper! n/t wildbilln864 Oct 2014 #121

Here's an informative video to help people decide: kentauros Oct 2014 #123

what's immoral is to refuse to provide for free something that can be easily distributed for free. unblock Oct 2014 #126

Is recording a song from the radio, or a TV show to DVR, immoral? Spider Jerusalem Oct 2014 #127

I'd say that, in hindsight, we can reasonably say that home taping did NOT kill music. Maedhros Oct 2014 #129

You need another choice, "I say immoral, but I voted for stealing anyway." Rex Oct 2014 #130

Nope. I believe art is part of the public domain and shouldn't be held hostage by huge media conglom cbdo2007 Oct 2014 #131

I Voted Yes ProfessorGAC Oct 2014 #132

Not at present tuhaybey Oct 2014 #133

Depends MillennialDem Oct 2014 #134

This thread brings up another question tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #136

Personally I do not feel this is a bad thing. Glassunion Oct 2014 #139

Actually I don't see any issues with that. KentuckyWoman Oct 2014 #155

Me, personally: Blue_Tires Oct 2014 #137

I had a very brief carreer as an artist in the music industry and file sharing killed it. Glassunion Oct 2014 #138

I think it is every bit as reprehensible as masturbation. nt bemildred Oct 2014 #141

lol Chimeradog Oct 2014 #142

I attend 15-20 concerts every year. U4ikLefty Oct 2014 #145

It probably depends on who you ask. hughee99 Oct 2014 #146

Saw Tom Petty last Tuesday. U4ikLefty Oct 2014 #147