Comments on: The music industry abuses us and we're to blame

Apple has sold 5 billions songs on iTunes, but Don Reisinger isn't celebrating. Unlike most others, he's saddened by the news.

[dwhuston]

I said for years, that if songs were 1.00 apiece that I would buy all my music. Well mp3's are now .99 each and I buy them from Amazon. I will not use itunes because of the drm issues, I buy clean legal songs and am happy with it, other than availability.

[johnchristopher1]

First off I don't like DRM either but I don't believe boycotting iTunes is a solution to the problem. The reality is DRM isn't going to go away anytime soon. With DRM, record labels retain control of their "property". This is something they've always fought for.

Anyone old enough to remember vinyl records may recall the record labels and the RIAA fighting to retain control of their music when cassette recording was the popular method of sharing music. Speaking of which, lets be clear?records labels own the music you buy. In fact, even when you bought vinyl records, cassettes, or CDs and had physical copies?you never owned the music. You were paying for the delivery method of the music but you never "owned it".

Finally, I'd like to point out that the article here never mentions iTunes Plus. Apple's DRM-free music that allows transfer and sharing of songs and entire albums. Most new recordings being added to iTunes store are encoded and offered in the iTunes Plus format.

You say you want a revolution? Apple's is already ahead of the pack.

[eldernorm]

Don Reisinger sounds like a major troll for Microsoft. Maybe his Zune is a better way to go. After all, Micosoft agreed to pay Universal $1 for each Zune sold. This whole article sounds like another " I Hate Apple" rant.

Apple got the music companies to give in to many demands and to **** off Apple they have started to work with Amazon and other companies and started to sell DRM free music (remember EMI ???). Apple has been leading the charge for better music conditions not one that is on the side of the music industries. Please become more informed.

Just a thought.

en

[LiluC]

I feel musicians bear some of the responsibility for the way we are treated by the music industry. Look what Trent Reznor just did. He released his new Nine Inch Nails album "The Slip" Free of charge through his website. Such lack of greed and loyalty to fans is comendable.
I personally get most of my music by perusing the islies at flea markets, yard sales and clearence isles, ebay, amazon and craigslist for CDs. It's a little more time consuming than Itunes but much more gratifying.

[dparkervt]

Ipod geeks deserve everything Apple can throw at them. It's what they deserve for denigrating music to its current throwaway culture and crappy MP3 quality. I continue to buy CDs because they A) sound great, and B) with a little homework, can be burned to anything I want. The Ipod crowd won't buy real albums, just songs, because they know what they listen to is crap, and they can erase it all next week.

[J242]

You do realize that MP3's were around almost 5 years before the iPod was ever released right? Remember that whole "Napster" debacle? That was almost three years before the iPod. Get a clue and quit being an a zealot. I mean really, going so far as to insult the musical tastes of the majority of digital users simply because of their preferred playback device? That's just pathetic and you should be ashamed of yourself for being such a troll...

[FrankLassek]

I don't know if you're retarded or just immature but you appear to have no idea of how copyrights work or why the are necessary. Let me explain. Wether you buy a song via iTunes or on an LP, YOU DON'T OWN IT. The song belongs to the copyright holder. If I could "own" "Let It Be" for 99 cents I'd definitely jump on that.

The copyright holder has the right to put whatever restrictions they desire on THEIR property. You are mere buying the right to listen to the music on the copyright holder's terms. Now, if you can possibly comprehend this, you have the power to NOT buy this license. That's right, you actually do NOT have to buy the right to listen to music.

PS: Your writing style is horrible. Very repetitive while never quite making a point.

[FrankLassek]

I don't know if you're retarded or just immature but you appear to have no idea of how copyrights work or why the are necessary. Let me explain. Wether you buy a song via iTunes or on an LP, YOU DON'T OWN IT. The song belongs to the copyright holder. If I could "own" "Let It Be" for 99 cents I'd definitely jump on that.

The copyright holder has the right to put whatever restrictions they desire on THEIR property. You are mere buying the right to listen to the music on the copyright holder's terms. Now, if you can possibly comprehend this, you have the power to NOT buy this license. That's right, you actually do NOT have to buy the right to listen to music.

PS: Your writing style is horrible. Very repetitive while never quite making a point.

[victorscope]

I bought around a dozen songs from iTunes several years ago. I can't even listen to them on my new computer because I don't recall the password for my iTunes account. F*** Apple if they think I'm going to buy from them if I have to jump through any hoops to use what I paid for.

Apple sells things then tries to bleed you dry after the purchase. When iPods first came out, you had to pay an outrageous amount of money to get a new battery after the first one would no longer hold a charge. When the iPhone came out, Apple began soldering the batteries inside the sealed phone as a way to reduce the amount of people who would otherwise choose to do it themselves with a battery kit from another company.

Steve Jobs: "Hey looky here all you morons! The new iPhone is dirt cheap!" Yeah, it's cheap alright, until you factor in the high priced AT&T plan you'd have no choice but to accept.

I can't stand Apple's business practices which is disappointing to me because I like their products. If only they'd change their ways they'd see a whole lot more of my cash.

[J242]

You forget your password and you blame Apple? You do realize that you can reset your password if you contact customer service right? Oh, apparently not. So, do you blame Microsoft if you forget your password to log in to Windows as well? Hmmm? So you don't like Apple, then don't buy their products, don't waste everyone's time ranting about it... Your arguments are unfounded and silly. PS, I have a 1st gen iPhone (8 gig) and I had a problem with the battery, you know what? I walked into an Apple store, talked with a "Mac Genius" (a laughable title to say the least) and it was easier for them to give me a brand new one, swap my SIM card and transfer my settings from the original's drive. Brand new phone, ZERO money spent as it was within the first 90 days and even though I had Applecare on it just in case of such a problem, they didn't use it to get me taken care of.

Quit griping about things you have no idea of or knowledge on.

[JimB77]

For one buck you get specific access to one song, which you can play over, and over. If you REALLY like the song, you potentially derive hours of pleasure - all for $1. If the sound's not as good as a CD, no one's stopping you from getting the CD. What's the problem?

So you can't send it all over the web, or copy it and give it free to all your friends - OK - You only paid $1! What do you want for nothing? RRRRubbber Biscuit?!!

[Frankotaco]

i would agree with most of this article, the RIAA is a heartless juggernaut that makes its customers seem like nothing but thieves. but iTunes isn't really doing anything but helping to make good change. as stated earlier by devindra_hardawar, it will just take time due to the music industry is to stubborn to use internet distribution to its advantage such as TV with Hulu type sites, and film with digital distribution discs. they think they can just ignore this new technology. and as stated earlier by Coop777, there are work arounds for itunes. i have an ipod and itunes yet none of my songs after purchase have DRM, and done in a legal way. i have given copies of my songs to many of my friends on custom mixed CD's. and if i want to put a track on another player some day. i can. i am in no way limited to iTunes and iPod only. although recently i have been using Amazon for some albums due to there cheaper and DRM free from the get go. but the big problem i saw with this article was that it acts like music is the only industry out to get us. the entire computer industry is set on the methods iTuens is using. you don't actually OWN any of the software you buy...its a licensed leas that can be revoked if you don't follow there rules. same with hardware. you use it as they want...or you lose the right to use it, Apple is notorious for this over control of things. as well as Microsoft, Adobe, and any other software company you can name. the ENTIRE technology/computer industry does business exactly as the music business is doing. I'm not saying its right...cus its not. we should own everything we buy, yes. but they are just following what works. and that's with the unseen mistakes made by our computer for-fathers who did not know things like this would happening with the ULA business models they help create.

[bkieller]

iTunes also provides a large - and different - distribution mechanism for Indie acts. It allows bands/artist to consider being able to succeed without the need of being 'signed' to a Label. Isn't that the real answer to minimizing the power of the record companies? I think you completely missed the point <?>.

[DKrudop]

Nothing like ignorance speaking. No one has done more to encourage the REMOVAL of DRM and the support of individual artists than Steve Jobs, Apple, and iTunes. This sounds like somebody's shill job!

[mschneblin_dotmac]

Go to this article and see the bigger picture...

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/15-12/mf_morris?currentPage=1

Fascinating to see the other sides in this soap opera. You almost have a sense of pathos for the music executive this article portrays.

[Guitaraholic]

You believe we should own everything we buy? Ha!! This from someone covering the computer industry as a whole....? Do you own the software you pay for? No.... How about the operating system? No....You buy a license to use that software. Why? Because it is an intellectual property. So is a music composition and recording.

"Owning it" means you can make unlimited copies and sell it or give it away without compensating the people who created and distributed that content. Of course, nobody would ever do that right? ;-) The music industry exists to distribute recorded works. I agree that the system stinks and needs a rework, but just saying "I bought it, therefore I own it" as an argument just does not fly.

Does the software industry abuse us too? I'd say so. It is a hassle to install most software these days. Why? Because they are trying to not get their work ripped off too. Why not throw them under the bus while you are at it.......

Oh yeah.... They pay for this website and your little space to pop off here in web land.

BTW: Thanks for NOT mentioning that Apple has pleaded for no DRM (Job's had an open letter up on Apple.com pleading with the record companies and the RIAA to go DRM free.) and has a section of iTunes that is DRM free. Why do I think this little column of yours is nothing but a hatchet job aimed at Apple?

[J242]

Great points Guitaraholic, my thoughts exactly! Keep it up!

[bill_dauterive]

Is'nt it funny that if it were Microsoft exerting a stranglehold on a music purchase we'd be up in arms but Apple does it and until now there was narry a peep?
The whole Apple monolith is creepy and I neither want nor need an Ipod. I'll create and burn my own mp3's. I'm no Microsoft apologist but Apple now finds itself guilty of the practices it used to berate Microsoft for carrying out. The author's contention that between the Music industry and Apple they are depriving the customer of the right to play his/her music-purchase as they see fit, is indeed correct.

Screw 'em both, I'll rip my own tracks and port 'em to my IRiver, my laptop, my archos and come to think of it, I'll buy a remanufactured Zune to boot.

[J242]

There's "narry a pepp" about Apple because they aren't leveraging their size and dominance to crush, steal or in any way rip-off smaller companies quasi-illegally. They simply are holding the recording companies to their agreement while trying to leverage more rights for users. This is in no way comparable to a MS "stranglehold".

Apple doesn't even diss other competitors (except occasionally joke about them during keynotes, but that's in good fun) or slander them or try to bully anyone at any time so it's not even a remotely close comparison. So how in the world is Apple guilty of the practices it critisized MS about? They aren't crushing any smaller previously existing businesses by trying to dominate a pre-existing market, they CREATED the first EVER legal digital distribution platform/market and everyone else is trying to play catch-up. So, how are they like MS again?

[Tuxcat]

Such drama! But your information seems to be out of date. iTunes sells some of its music in unprotected MP3 form now, and both Napster and Rhapsody sell only unprotected MP3s. So you can buy your music legally and run amok with it if you want -- though, indeed, the very notion of paying for music seems to upset you.

And your premise that the success of iTunes, in and of itself, is offsetting the disastrous loss in physical sales and means the labels "have us where they want us" is absurd. No one who knows anything about it is projecting that digital sales will offset the crushing losses in physical media sales any time soon, and music sales overall are fully expected to continue to decline for at least several more years to come.

As to who's abusing whom here, well, people (I won't say people like yourself) who feel free to steal music online hold a huge amount of responsibility for the state of both the music industry and the ever-more-alarming state of copyright law. With the egregious actions of the P2P kiddies to point to, the content industry is going to ask for, and get, absurd and draconian content controls that will muck up the lives of honest people for years to come. Thanks, pirates!

I think the music industry has handled digital music idiotically and self-destructively. If you agree, you are perfectly free to live without their product. They are not withholding food or oxygen here -- if you don't like the terms you're offered, don't buy their stuff. But if you steal it, you're just a hypocrite who won't pay for your pleasures like an adult. Nobody's holding you hostage here, dude.

[darwilliam]

Don's letter is laughable, the music business abuses you? Want to try the pharmaceutical business with HUNDREDS of thousands deaths a year due to defective products (Vioxx anyone? Hormone replacement anyone?). Or the "Health care" business which won't help you when you really need it. Or our own government spending your money to bail out the fat cats on Wall Street? Abuses you? Make your own music, it's a free world, or go to a communistic country and let the government pay for the music - see what you get. It takes a steel stomach to run a music company - a record company - where every penny you spend is a bet, and if you don't bet right you lose your business. Look: every iPod in the US, on average, has over 90% of the music stolen, that is "shared", the musician doesn't get paid, the label that was the "vc" and risked it's money to record the music doesn't get paid, the songwriter doesn't get paid. And that's the abuse you should be crying about. When was the last time you gave any money to a musician without hearing the final product? That's what the labels are forced to do over and over, high risk and most of their product stolen. So for you to plea for them get have a "new business model" would be sincere if you weren't on BitTorrent or Kazza tonight. (And if you're not (!) and don't "share" that is take music from the web for free, my apology, but everybody else in the world does, and you freetards are the reason the ISPs will seen be filtered, which is pathetic, but that's what France and England are starting to do in order for creative people to get paid.)

iTunes is an example of a fair system that pays everybody, (it should probably variable pricing that would be the fairest American style model) but but since only 10% of the music that's heard on you iPod is paid for, for you to complain you're being "abused" by the music business is... you know what it is. Man, get a life.

[roe999]

Why hasn't a CNET technology columnist realized that there are currently over 2 million DRM-free songs available via Apple's iTunes Store? We do agree that they should ALL be DRM-free, but the misguided music cartels still cling desperately to the notion that by offering Apple's roadkill some DRM-free songs, they can hurt iTunes Store's dominance. MDN

[J242]

Totally! It's no different than NBC dropping their deqal w/ Apple over iTunes content because they wanted to charge more for "hot" shows or "just aired" material because they figured they could bilk the users for even MORE moeny. Apple told them to go screw themselves just like I would have hoped they would! Now NBC is feeling the pinch and will continue to for some time. Loss of revenue is never good, especially considering that the day after their episodes show, you can watch them for free online and they only get the ad revenue from 5 commercials. If that works better for them, great, but it's dumb to drop another quality revenue stream like iTunes which has the largest installed user base of any digital distribution system in the world.

[Josh Viney]

You've got to realize that the vast majority of people out there just want to listen to music. They don't care who owns it, what rights they have to modify it, or whether or not the labels pay the artists enough. They just want to find the music they like and listen to it. Most don't even mind paying a fair price for a quality product.

I honestly don't see how Apple's success w/ iTunes has had a negative affect on consumers' ability to find and listen to the music they want. I'd argue the exact opposite. People can find, sample, and purchase (license) music easier now than ever before. Doesn't Apple deserve some credit for that? Remember, if it wasn't for iTunes' success, Amazon and eMusic and the rest wouldn't even exist as options.

[J242]

"Remember, if it wasn't for iTunes' success, Amazon and eMusic and the rest wouldn't even exist as options. "

Quoted for truth! Apple created the digital distribution market, everyoen else is just trying to get a small sliver of the pie.

[MaLvaDo39]

Don, the exact opposite should be done.
Apple has fought to get rid of DRM. It's the music industry that forces it there.
Empowering Apple more will make them strong enough to strip the music of the shackles.

Plus, iTunes is already offering millions of DRM-free music choices.