Over at Ars Technica a thread in the Battlefront has brought the argument of downloads, iTunes, p2p, and other mediums back into the sunlight. I used to be a DJ (radio, clubs) and own a lot of CDs. I have since ripped my entire collection. However I have not bought a phyical CD for myself since the summer of 1999 when Kozmo (the now defunct Blockbuster competitor) where I bought 4 new CDs for a $7.99 special.Personally I have purchased 20 songs off of iTunes. These songs were either remixes or hard to find songs. I found that the ease of use and instant access was paramount in purchasing these songs. I have never bought a full album.

Now I won’t lie. I have downloaded various albums that peeked my curiosity. Do I consider this a lost sale or “stealing”? No. Why? For starters I would have NEVER bought the album in the first place. Few new artists really hold my interest now, and I mostly play from my older collection. Did I “steal” their songs? Absolutely not. To steal is to deprive someone of a physical object. While you may argue that the physical object was money, it was never to be had in the first place. Again I would have never bought it in the first place.

What is funny is before 12/16/1997 the act of distributing music for free was perfectly legal in the US, but thanks to the NET ACT this made it illegal. Coupled with the seemingly endless copyright extensions and heavy handed RIAA pursuits this climate we see here today. What has lacked is serious debate about a number of topics in congress and because of that, things like the NET ACT and other favorable laws have crept into the system and has perverted this marketplace.

RIAA has always been an 800-lb gorilla anytime something changes their business model. Reel to reel tapes, 8 tracks, DAT, CDs, Mini Disc, iPods have all served as some form of catalyst for RIAA challenges. Must we forget when the Rio PMP 300 hit the market in 1998 RIAA tried to make it illegal or that when you purchased a cassette tape there was a tax built into it to compensate RIAA (but not the artists). And for those in previous pages that has been on this “illegal this” and “illegal that” tip, let’s remember RIAA has played a major role in illegal activities like price fixing in downloads and price fixing of CDs. RIAA has not allowed for real free market competition.

The time has come for real reform and a level playing field in the music industry. Let’s investigate copyright laws that reverts back to “limited” ownership. Let’s make works for hire illegal in the music industry so artists control their fate. Let’s make sure that music prices are fair and that all music is available for vendors like Apple.