Kid Rock Lashes Out Against iTunes, Endorses Illegal Downloading

[djluis2k6]

In an interesting interview with the BBC, Kid Rock explained why most of his music isn’t available on iTunes. “The internet was an opportunity for everyone to be treated fairly, for the consumer to get a fair price, for the artist to be paid fairly, for the record companies to make some money,” Rock said. “[But iTunes is] an old system, where iTunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don’t give it to the artists.” Rock went on to explain that he doesn’t mind people downloading his albums illegally as long as they buy tickets to his concerts. “I was telling kids: download it illegally, I don’t care. I want you to hear my music so I can play live. But I think they should steal everything. You know how much money the oil companies have? If you need some gas, just go fill your tank off and drive off, they’re not going to miss it.” Rock added, though, that he doesn’t participate in that philosophy. “I don’t steal things. I’m rich.”

This is old news, but I just saw it and thought it'd be interesting to discuss here.

I can see where he's coming from, but I'm not sure boycotting it completely is the best idea.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by djluis2k6

This is old news, but I just saw it and thought it'd be interesting to discuss here.

I can see where he's coming from, but I'm not sure boycotting it completely is the best idea.

Yeah, go ahead and steal music. He's already "made it", he can make his money from concerts. What about the young no names who need the record companies to promote them and pay for the studio time to record their albums? If he doesn't like the way the record companies do business, he shouldn't have signed a contract with them.

[toef]

Originally Posted by Rob71

Yeah, go ahead and steal music. He's already "made it", he can make his money from concerts. What about the young no names who need the record companies to promote them and pay for the studio time to record their albums? If he doesn't like the way the record companies do business, he shouldn't have signed a contract with them.

Well aside from the other recording artists, there are all the regular employees that a record company needs money to pay.

It's easy to assume that for every record sold a cut goes to the artist, and the rest goes to some rich old man in a suit who counts his money all day, but it's not that simple.

I understand Kid Rock's point, because he doesn't care about the money himself, and thinks it will hurt the studio execs, but he's leaving out all the people in between that it'd hurt.

It's similar to Michael Moore saying a few years ago that he encourages people to download his movies, because he doesn't care about making money, he just wants people to see them.

Such a noble thing to say, but he's forgetting that he wasn't the only person involved in making his movies.

[becomingwater]

I see what he is talking about. Apple just recently raised some songs to $1.29 from $.99, which I do not understand that. The next big act from Apple will be the App store going crazy with an outrage of high prices. Right now the App store is their baby with over 1 billion downloads. on another note Trent Reznor gave away one of his albums and his shows sell out, so it was a good thing on his part. The record company's get greedy which is sad and to top it off you get fake Billboard chart which to this day are still inaccurate.

[Leopold BUTTERS]

Originally Posted by becomingwater

I see what he is talking about. Apple just recently raised some songs to $1.29 from $.99, which I do not understand that. The next big act from Apple will be the App store going crazy with an outrage of high prices. Right now the App store is their baby with over 1 billion downloads. on another note Trent Reznor gave away one of his albums and his shows sell out, so it was a good thing on his part. The record company's get greedy which is sad and to top it off you get fake Billboard chart which to this day are still inaccurate.

It's because the songs are now up to the quality you would get from a cd. So they are 30 cents more.

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by Leopold BUTTERS

It's because the songs are now up to the quality you would get from a cd. So they are 30 cents more.

Nope, they inflated the prices of the more popular songs. The songs on iTunes have always been of CD quality.

[BStecke]

128kbps and 256kbps are NOT CD quality. It'll be interesting to see how many established artists start embracing this mentality. Trent Reznor, in the Napster days, even said that piracy was wrong, plain and simple. But unlike the record companies who have no idea how to handle the internet in terms of their product, he's actually realized that there is no way he control people downloading his music, so he's changed how his product is distributed and ended up better for it. Yes, it does suck for up and coming acts, but at the same time, it encourages people to put out a better product.

[ThePhantomOak]

Originally Posted by djluis2k6

This is old news, but I just saw it and thought it'd be interesting to discuss here.

I can see where he's coming from, but I'm not sure boycotting it completely is the best idea.

Kid rock is a douche.

[scweb13]

Originally Posted by Leopold BUTTERS

It's because the songs are now up to the quality you would get from a cd. So they are 30 cents more.

Some songs are also 30 cents less.

Originally Posted by mikejet

Nope, they inflated the prices of the more popular songs. The songs on iTunes have always been of CD quality.

All the songs are now iTunes plus (DRM free and higher quality).

It would be illegal for the studios not to pay the artist their royalties. Kid Rock probably just doesn't make as much money or sell as many songs as he would like to from iTunes.

[Galley]

Kid Rock is an idiot! It's the record companies who set the prices. Apple makes about 5 cents per track.

[Forrestandjen07]

yeap, hes ben pro illegal download for years now

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by becomingwater

I see what he is talking about. Apple just recently raised some songs to $1.29 from $.99, which I do not understand that. The next big act from Apple will be the App store going crazy with an outrage of high prices. Right now the App store is their baby with over 1 billion downloads. on another note Trent Reznor gave away one of his albums and his shows sell out, so it was a good thing on his part. The record company's get greedy which is sad and to top it off you get fake Billboard chart which to this day are still inaccurate.

I do business studies at AS so know that this basically means that Apple are treating their songs as Inelastic when it comes to prices with the 30c increase

Basically, your still willing to buy those music tracks at that price, kinda like ferrari tacking on $500 to their cars, your not gonna say no over that much

[PH3AR]

Kid Rock...

Lars...

[scweb13]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I do business studies at AS so know that this basically means that Apple are treating their songs as Inelastic when it comes to prices with the 30c increase

Basically, your still willing to buy those music tracks at that price, kinda like ferrari tacking on $500 to their cars, your not gonna say no over that much

Haven't the iTunes Plus songs always been more expensive?

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by scweb13

Haven't the iTunes Plus songs always been more expensive?

i wouldn't know as i don't use them but i'm giving a blanket reason as to why they're willing to increase their prices that much but if sales dip then they will reduce till their profits back up

[Mike53421]

You can argue this to no-end (see 1999 to current) but I'm on the fence really. I've bought about one CD a year (Raconteurs last year since they released it with a weeks notice) and in previous years smaller acts that I couldn't find online, and usually wind up paying to attend the artists concert if they're good.

There's really no optimal method here, but downloading does allow the common person to listen to more music without the risk of wasting money. Prime example, downloaded The Kills' albums last week, listened and liked, and am now going to see them in concert in a few weeks. Also downloaded Bloc Party last year, didn't like their stuff despite the hype and chose NOT to see them in person.

Kid Rock's comments were in a video I believe and it came off very tongue-in-cheek.

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by BStecke

128kbps and 256kbps are NOT CD quality.

Thank you...it amazes me to see how many people actually think iTunes sound quality is equal to CD, and how many will actually PAY for something with inferior sound.

[JamesKurtovich]

Wow, for once I agree with Kid Rock. I usually hate his face. The one good thing about the internet is that it's forced people to reduce the price of CD's. Before iTunes, I had to pay $22 for a CD.

[hc666]

Originally Posted by BrandonT

Thank you...it amazes me to see how many people actually think iTunes sound quality is equal to CD, and how many will actually PAY for something with inferior sound.

MP3 quality blows from these sites...

they sound fine on a crappy ipod, but play them on a kick ass stereo and you can hear just how crappy MP3s really are.

It blows my mind that a place where people demand the best audio and video from bluray, will then download their music on mp3 format and think it's good.

:P

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by PH3AR

Kid Rock...

Lars...

LOL!
Napster BAAADDDD!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIuR5TNyL8Y