Hey oh

one of the "rampant" opinions is that downloading is rampant and damaging to musicians. The counter arguments is that it is damaging but to the label and not the musician because when you sign with a label you no longer own your music.

Internet downloading of music has been a 10+ year reality now, and one thing that can be assured is that no musician is starving or rolling in cash more or less than they were over 10+ years ago.

So, I did a poll on a Guitar Site called Guitars Canada [link] to see what the blend of means of getting music is, and in that mix, all avenues are explored and so far the brick and mortar is a leader in sourcing of music. That suggest that there is not the "rampant" damage or mass download behaviour. This does beg the honest examination of what is happening.

I am re-creating that poll here too, to see what the feeling is in the art community. The only difference will be that here you only have one choice of answer and I think that will limit the polls effectiveness or intent; showing the broader mix of means. But for the sake of the curious it will be here too.

For my own self, I can tell you. When I was 10 way back 30 years ago, I had a ratio of "music I listened to/taped off the radio" and "music on vinyl that I purchased" and no matter the means today, my ratio has not changed in this matter. What artists earned from my purchasing behaviours is the same now as it was 30 years ago (and 30 years ago musicians didn't get a cut from radio play, that is a new behaviour and since radio is essentially on its way out as a medium as has been extensivly talk of on GC already really a non-starter for bands today) and that could actually express a deeper truth of the current way things are, that where the money comes from is still the 'where' it always has; from networked listings of music and random introductions of songs motivating peoples fandom of singers/performers/and bands.

In any event, each person has to do what they do. Society will either change to adapt to the new ways or change to prevent the news ways and eventually adapt anyway

Keeps