"I want your music; but I don't want to pay for it."

The debate seems to continue over illegal downloading and fans expecting free music. I admit that not too long ago, I thought it was a sin to illegally download music or burn a friend’s CD. That is, until I realized I had committed that sin. I have asked teens over the past few years if they engage in such actions and often they would respond with, “If the artist is independent, I buy the music. If they are on a label, I don’t. I burn a friend’s CD or illegally download.” They have no remorse for the latter. They seem to think the artist and label are making enough money and won’t miss a few dollars. I have felt the pain of illegal downloading on behalf of the independent artists I work with. Having read the pros and cons and numerous artist reactions—some belligerent and some feeling like it has boosted their career—I now have another thought to ponder.

I am currently reading “Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes From The American Indie Underground 1981-1991” by Michael Azerrad. Each chapter is a story about a particular band including Black Flag, Husker Du, Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Sonic Youth. Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat/Fugazi) states, “It was all about documentation.” So let’s ponder that statement. Consider a visual artist who puts their artwork on display at a gallery. You pay to go in the gallery and view the artwork. That artist might make an occasional sale or have smaller prints made as well as postcards or gift cards to sell. The performing artist displays their work through shows making money through ticket sales. And, another type of display for their music is licensing a song for a TV show or film. That artist might sell t-shirts, posters, or-----yes, CDs and digital downloads. We call that merchandise. Artists must rethink their income sources. Those sources from top to bottom would be: touring, licensing, and then merchandise. A thrilling live show is what fans want and what they’ll pay for. The CDs are merely documentation and merchandise.