Music is what you hear and not what you see.

You go to Target for something in particular. When you pass by the electronic section, you notice a band you like put out a new CD. "I'll just download it later, no point in wasting my money on a CD." Do you understand that just by making that claim, that you will download it later (meaning for free), that you are potentionally hurting a band's career? Probably didn't look that far into it, did you?

Most people download illegally. I mean, why wouldn't you? Free verus paying for something, especially since iTunes raised their prices, and are apparently thinking about raising them again (or so I've heard), it sounds like a better deal. Like my friend says "if it's free, it's for me!" $1.29 for a track? It seems outrageous to the consumer, but what about the band that is selling that track. Granted, most $1.29 tracks are big named bands from big named labels. Most little named bands from little named labels are selling their for $0.99. Even still, some people think a dollar per track is outrageous. But again, what about the band who is selling that track? Did you ever think about what happens with them when you steal music from them? Probably not.

Oh, so what? That band doesn't get that $0.63 from me for buying their album. Who cares? You should care. In one of my classes, earlier this semester, we discussed this. Some kid spoke up, saying that bands normally don't make much from album sales and more from ticket sales and merchandise sales. Which is true, very true actually. Most musicians make between $0.25 and $2.50 (but some can earn more or earn less, depending on their contract) from each album they sell, which when added up, clearly isn't that much. So you buy a $20 ticket to a sold out show, and while you are there, you buy a t-shirt and a poster (do bands sell posters anymore?). It should equal out right? Sadly, it doesn't.

Let's say you didn't buy that CD, neither did your five friends who liked that band, or any of their friends who liked that band. You all illegally downloaded it. Where does that leave the band? Sitting at home, waiting to find out if they can ever tour again! Album sales determine tours. If a band doesn't sell albums, then they don't tour. That's why a lot of American bands don't really get to go over seas, or bands from other countries come here. They don't have good enough numbers for album sales to be able to know if they would sell enough tickets, or ever better-- sell out a tour. Also, something that some people don't know-- money from the album sales goes into touring. Touring cost money, so unless they are the richest people and can pay for everything out of pocket, if they aren't making money, they aren't touring.

Oh, whatever. I'll buy their next album then. That's a good way to think about, if ya'know, it was certain they were making another album. If the album sales were horrible for the first album, the label will probably put the next album on the back burner and wait until this album does good. Musicians would love to just keep putting out new music after new music, but of course, it doesn't work that way. The label isn't going to pay for them to go into the studio, unless they know whatever project the band is working on is going to pay off in the end.

The fans aren't the first ones to be affected by this, the people behind the scenes on tour are. I have had some luck in being able to work for a band to do merchandise at a couple of shows. I got to see what these people behind the scenes do, and let me to tell you, it is very important. The first people to go would be the lighting or the FOH/monitor engineers. Hundreds of people's jobs get put on the line because of this.

Stealing is much more than just downloading illegally; it consists of file-sharing and burning CD's for friends also.

It's hard to think that not spending that $10 on that CD you earlier passed by could create such a ripple effect, but it does. I understand that not everyone has enough money to buy all the CD's from their favorites, but that's where MySpace, and other music websites come in. Yeah, I know, you can't put it on your iPod. You can survive without that album, or song on you iPod, trust me.

But then again, I own an iPod that I don't ever use (and holds 500 songs). Unfortunately, I cannot live without concerts, so for me and people like me -- you'll be helping us get our concert fix. So think before you download! You'll be helping to save a job and you're showing the promoters and booking people that you want that band to come to your city.

Buying music = more concerts and more music to listen too (after you buy it, of course)!