Re: [Marxism] Downloading: communism is the future

[Douglas Nesbitt <djnesbit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Digital technology has clearly caused a crisis in the music industry,
and not because of a developing class consciousness among computer
users. I would argue that very few people have been radicalized to any
extent by free music. That ought to be clear. If free downloading can
in any way be related to communism, it should only be seen as an
example of how we can efficiently communicate on a global level, while
simultaneously reducing labour demands for shipping, record-pressing,
printing, etc and freeing it up for other industries.

Only a few musicians ever reach a secure financial state through record
sales, and that is why many support free downloading of music. It is
commonly understood that a tour supports the album. This is mostly only
true from the record company's perspective because they reap their
largest profits from unit sales. From the musician's perspective, its
the other way around. Earnings *for the band* are derived primarily
from touring, hence the reason why underground and lesser-known major
label groups hardly leave the road. Music downloads really hit the
companies the most, and only seriously hurt artists who rely on record
sales. These artists are generally outright capitalists themselves,
such as the Rolling Stones.

For an excellent analysis of how musicians are systematically exploited
by the major record labels, Steve Albini - the producer of Nirvana's
"In Utero" - wrote this article: http://www.negativland.com/albini.html

It includes a very detailed, mathematical look at the costs and
earnings of a band.

~Doug Nesbitt

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