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.

[znosko]

Forkintoaster is right. Burn a CD and not only play it wherever you want, but give it to whomever you want. The five minutes and 15 cents plus cost of album it takes to burn a CD is way better than the $3 in gas I have to spend to drive to Best Buy to wait in line and buy the CD, presuming they have it and assuming it costs $9.99 like what iTunes charges.

This article is a completely selfish rant. The only valid criticism I've heard about the iTunes distribution model is how artists may be getting screwed on royalties, but this is not the writer's concern. His concern is only me me me, I want full rights to what I pay for. Well, man, exercise your rights and hightail it over to Best Buy and buy your CD. Or don't buy anything. But just because you participate in the market doesn't mean that you speak for it. Apple's sales milestone suggests that the market has spoken, and unless you (and the record companies, for that matter) are willing to adapt, you may just find yourself with no music to listen to.

[J242]

Hell yeah! Great points and oh so true!

[mdmac]

You, and the author of the article, couldn't be MORE wrong!! Apple is NOT responsible for the DRM that you, and everyone else (including Apple) dislikes. The record companies are responsible for it. Now those record companies are playing games by offering the also-rans non-DRM'd tracks to sell with the hopes that it will prop up their sales and then let the record companies increase prices, etc.. By supporting the also-rans you are supporting the record company games. If you really knew what you were talking about you'd have read Steve Jobs' open letter over a YEAR ago calling for NO-DRM... and you'd support Apple who, ironically, doing more to protect the consumer than your shallow understanding can currently comprehend... But, good on ya...way to take the bait!

[WJBritt]

If you nerds bought your music on vinyl the way God intended, this wouldn't be an issue.

[Monkeydung]

I like you. Vinyl is oddly making a comeback. There are a number of stores on the west coast that are stocking their shelves with new release vinyls and who can blame them. The music is completely loss-less so long as you have a needle in good shape on your player.

[Monkeydung]

Here's your solution. >> Piratebay
And if you feel a little guilty. Send the artist a direct check but whatever you do, never let one penny go to the music mafia. Your only supporting their evil.

[Dave543]

Don took a dozen paragraphs to say what could be said in one, that he doesn't like DRM. No examples are given as to why he doesn't like DRM or how it limits him.

As far as I'm concerned, it's not an issue. I'd rather buy an album for $10 or a song for $1 at iTunes than a CD for $18 elsewhere. iTunes has made legal music affordable.

[labcondave]

Dear Don,

What the heck are you talking about? There are tons of artists on iTunes who don't even HAVE record deals with labels doing just fine... If it wasn't for iTunes, we'd all still be stuck paying $16 for the 2 decent songs off the CD that we want...

[mcgadbaw]

Actually I disagree with the author of this article. He has not researched iTunes adequately for a CNET writer. Apple does not trap you at all. They only give you the appearance of DRM to appease the music industry. You can burn any songs you buy onto a CD. This CD will play in CD players and is a good way to keep backups. Then you can rip the CD back into iTunes and into MP3 format. As we all know this format is not protected and can be transferred to any device and even shared if you are so inclined. You can then delete or archive your protected AAC files that you purchased from iTunes. Easy and completely supported by Apple. Yes the music is still more expensive then it should be and yes you have to buy blank CDs but it is still cheaper then 10 years ago, and that's a step in the right direction!

[wbell13247]

While I agree with Don that I think RIAA is out of control and needs to be stopped, and while I agree that the music industry needs to find new ways to make money instead of trying to sue it out of consumers... I strongly disagree that Itunes should be a target of our anger. Steve Jobs, Apple, and Itunes have done more to make the big labels think about changing their ways than anybody. For example, Steve Jobs ticking off the labels because he refused to jack up the per album pricing and even better than that, his open letter to the music industry that publicly stated that he believed DRM was a bad idea. Itunes success should be applauded, because it is simple proof to the music industry that there is a better way.

[foodandart]

Nice sentiment Don, but there IS a way to break the DRM.. it's quite simple really. Just play the song and pipe the sound out to a *good* stereo system, and record it onto a nice high-bias cassette. I've been using tape transfers to jump the analog gap for years on digital music that was not easily recorded. When you re-import back onto the computer, you record it as an .aiff file then re-encode to 320K VBR .mp3. If you're like me, with bad hearing anyways, the noise added is negligible. You can ALWAYS get around restrictions on the music you purchase, all you have to do is try.

Deb.

[J242]

@ abirdman, I always find it amusing when someone tries to use their own ignorance of a program or system and argue said ignorance.
1.) There is a "Backup" feature that allows you to burn a data disc (CD or DVD, your choice) of all your purchased music. You can then creat an iso or disc dmg of said backup and have a digital copy as well. Make duplicates, back it up every day if you like, that doesn't affect the drm license restriction in any way no matter what color the sky is on your world.
2.) If you have your music on your home computer and iPod and your iPod dies, it doesn't simply vanish from your computer, it doesn't "expire" it doesn't do anything actually. All you have to do is name your new iPod the same name as the old one and re-sync.
3.) If you have a corruption and actually "lose" all of your music/media files all you have to do is go through the iTunes store and create a support ticket. They'll check the iTunes db against your computer's info and line up all of your downloads again for free, no re-purchasing required!

Really, people should actually try USING a product and getting some kind of a clue on it before critisizing...

[Link1n]

Apple's iTunes is the best system ever devised for managing digital music and I use it daily. That said, I have never and will never spend my hard-earned $ to purchase the limited right to download and play music from the iTunes store.

DRM should be illegal. Let's start with how Apple's version of this abortion abuses us. We are permitted to store and play downloaded iTunes songs on up to 5 devices. Except that I had a Powerbook stolen, an iPod croke, and my wife lost another iPod, which is pretty easy to do. How many people have been mugged for theirs? So I'm already down to 2 allowable devices on my account. Need I go on?

The solution to this dilemma for the music industry is watermarking, and we've been saying this for well over a decade now. Actually, the real solution for the music industry is to produce a product that isn't crap and stop overcharging for it. In the meantime, I for one refuse to be treated like a battered spouse by these thieves and extortionists who call themselves businesspeople.

[ktp84]

You know you can buy a song, burn it in any format you want, put it right back on your computer, and then copy it any time, right?

I understand it's not as easy as being able to take the songs you buy and give it to your friends right away (or upload it to Limewire, like so many do), but the music sellers, including but not limited to iTunes, have to make a buck somehow, right?

And if you want a different media player to use, you can choose the 99 cent songs with a little 'plus' symbol next to them. They are iTunes Plus, and can be played anywhere, but still traceable if you start giving it away for free on torrent sites and the what-not. The songs that do not have a plus symbol can be requested in this new format for just a dollar more.

Also, I don't know about this whole "can be taken away from you at any moment" business. iTunes has never taken away a song I've purchased from them. When I checked out Napster to see which seller I preferred, they wanted to charge me 14.99 a month and if I let my subscription lapse, I would lose my entire library. Maybe those are the bastards you should be railing against, not Apple.

[voyager529]

Okay. First, I don't get how people keep pointing to Napster's subscription model and pissing and moaning about having to "return their rentals" if they cancel their subscription. Do you have a Netflix/Blockbuster subscription? If so, do you also own some DVD's? Does Netflix replace your purchasing of DVD's as gifts or for movies that you really like? Do you get pissed when you cancel your Netflix subscription and they either ask for the DVD's back or charge you to buy them? This is how N2Go works - you buy songs that you really want to keep, or stream/rent songs you don't know if you like yet. I don't get how people smart enough to make an argument against DRM can't figure out that N2Go compliments individual purchases and doesn't replace them.

Joey

[froglegsde]

I love iTunes and my iPods. I agree with frokintoaster.. Burn a CD.

Silly conversation. While we are at it, why not whine about the auto industry and how dependent we are on them?

My only beef is that iTunes misses some music I'd like to have. Rock on Steve.

[Franz-]

wow i had no idea itunes users were so plagued with issues and i just leanred what drm is.... now im never even thinking of buying music, ill just keep on dling for freee

[LastAvailableName]

Other posters have pointed out your ignorance of what copyright means so I won't repeat it. And in concept, I have no beef with what copyright and DRM are *supposed* to accomplish. I respect an author's right to get compensated for their work by all the people who want to enjoy that work. In practice, however, DRM ultimately just winds up removing value from the product. I've always wondered whether it's financially sound to spend large sums of money on preventing the acquisition of data by people who have shown they will not pay for it under any circumstances. If you could set the DRM bar high enough that they could not break it, they still probably would not buy your product.

Anyway, Jobs himself has stated several times Apple only went through the DRM hoops to appease the license holders, they'd much rather expend that money and effort on providing better products and services which in the end attract more business than DRM prevents the loss of. And indeed, Apple is slowly weaning their service off of DRM as the competing services have made it clear it's unnecessary anyway. Since dropping iTunes because licensing and limited use of my songs was more hassle than convenience, I've gone to Amazon.com and have rarely been unable to find the song I wanted there. I just buy an MP3 of what I want and I don't give it to anyone and that's that. If they want the music they can pay for it and help to fund the artists whose music I enjoy, so they can continue to make music.

[jcally]

Okay, the big bad RIAA and recording industry. Well, I work in the industry and I write songs and I mostly never make any money at all. However, the advent of iTunes and the like has completely transformed the industry so that regular people, like me and millions of other independents, have a chance. The whole thing is much more democratic than it has ever been.

So, you don't want to pay? Well, you sound cheap and mean spirited. If iTunes forces you to pay ten times, that's fine, because the sort who "hates DRM" like you don't give out money to the independents, do you?

Having said that, DRM sucks. It truly does. But so do MP3's. The quality is terrible. That's the only thing I really have against the "revolution", degradation of audio quality and all the work we do in the studio. I don't personally use iTunes et al because it is stupid and unprofessional consumer software that is still yet needed to keep people from basically stealing everything and leaving the artist out in the cold. For me, the market for my skills and art has broadened dramatically, even though I don't like iTunes.

How about helpful thoughts that would promote iTunes et al as a way to pay the artists? How about even more helpful thoughts about how to keep fidelity through wav files instead of the cheapening of the whole audio spectrum with lousy mp3's?

I didn't hear anything from you that makes me feel like I can trust the average user. That's a real reason I can applaud iTunes et al. And if you were screwed by DRM, then learn how to rip better, everyone else has! Stealing seems to be something lurking around in the shadows of your argument. You're probably against paying to go see a show, too, well when do the artists get taken care of? The digital revolution is the most wonderful thing to happen on the economic side of music for independents. Out of that 5 billion dollars, how much went to individuals getting paid for their own music? How much of that 5 billion downloads was independent music getting a fair shake at the market for the first time?

Look, DRM is mostly gone, get over it already. I have and I've been screwed much worse than some folks upset they had to pay a dollar for a song twice. Do you have any idea how much of a person's life and money goes into producing one song?

Cough it up and get over it already!

[DrNealon]

I hate paying for music just as anyone else. Apple has helped do one thing, it has helped us get those songs that we really want! And not those songs that are terrible. Is $1 really a bad price for a song that you want to listen to? Absolutely not! You cant buy a soda, water, or pack of gum for that price. So... its not a bad price. Its a free market system, people deserve to be paid for their work. How would you like to work for free?

[hateloggingin]

Dude say it with me:

"burn-the-music-to-a-cd"

then you can do anything, play or take it anywhere and you can also up the quality, plus a CD is a digital recording that is has a level of quality you physically can barely detect.
(i know this has been said elsewhere in these comments, but really, the bite of the article is too intense for this to not be repeated)

[rkortez]

ron dude...you're so 1998.

[gaddorm1]

This article is completely stupid! Buy from iTunes, burn the tracks to a CD, then rip it back to MP3 and voila! Music anywhere DRM free! If you can't figure out how to do this, then you are one of the people who shouldn't have a problem with DRM protected music since you're already locking yourself in with ignorance.

Its so blatantly obvious and easy!

An even simpler solution is it use Amazon.com and get your music DRM free to begin with!