Ever since the inception of Napster, the debate about the value of music piracy has raged on and on. For every person who does not see the big deal, there is another one who will rail about the rights of the artist being infringed on. Since music piracy is clearly not going away anytime soon and is only getting easier, the time has come for a closer look at the pros and cons.
The Pros of Music Piracy
1. Increased Exposure For New Artists.
Thanks to music piracy, it has never been easier for a new artist to gain exposure. Many newer artists do not even bother to charge for their initial recordings due to piracy, opting to share them with their potential audience for free. The traditional gatekeepers of music have now been removed, making for a more democratic artist experience.
2. A Chance To Discover Older Works.
When a person does not have to spend hundreds of dollars to catch up with an artist’s entire catalog, this increases the chances that they will take a chance and give someone a listen. We now live in an era where a person can go from knowing nothing about an artist to being one of their biggest fans in the space of a single lazy Sunday afternoon.
3. More Concert Revenues.
Even though sales of physical albums have decreased, people are going to just as many concerts as ever, if not more. While an artist may lose out on a small amount of revenue from album sales, the majority of musicians make their living on the road. The more people who can be exposed to their music, the more potential fans they will have that are ready to buy a concert ticket.
The Cons of Music Piracy
1. Music Gets Leaked Out.
Artists are often deprived of the chance to put out their music in the manner they intended. In this era of music piracy, songs are often tossed out to the world before they have been mixed, mastered or even finished. For many musicians, having their work revealed to the world ahead of time is not preferable and can cost them valuable studio time.
2. Artists Are Not Compensated.
The Dr. Dre and Metallica lawsuits against music pirates lose sight of the fact that both acts are already millionaires several times over. But what about the younger artists who are on the way up whose music is being stolen? These artists are deprived of a chance to monetize their work and make a solid living.
3. Less Motivation To Record.
If an artist knows that they will not be able to sell their work and make a decent living, they lose their motivation to make music. This is a loss to them, as they longer want to do something they love. It is also a huge loss for the audience, as talented musicians may decide to pick a different line of work.
