RR: Mp3s are Killing Home Taping: The Rise of Internet Distribution and its Challenge to the Major Label Music Monopoly by McLeod

RR: McLeod, Kembrew. “Mp3s are Killing Home Taping: The Rise of Internet Distribution and its Challenge to the Major Label Music Monopoly”, Popular Music and Society 28.4 (2005): 521-531.


Word Count: 553


The reading by McLeod touches upon the basics of relations between the musician, the industry, and the consumer in a world where it only takes your natural senses to be able to reproduce digital media.


McLeod starts off by clarifying the reality of what musicians really get in terms of revenue when signed with a big label, and why this could be a reason for “illegal” discourse and downloading online for spreading digital media files across a multitude of networks. McLeod quoted that musicians according to a 3rd party simply want their music to be heard in as many places as possible by as many people as possible.


One of my favourite statements made by McLeod is in the first part, “the RIAA has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against downloading music fans, that same industry has never treated those musicians fairly or equitably”. This statement sums up the sad truth about the affect of the industry on musicians worldwide.


Particularly concerning downloading, it has to be accepted because it isn’t going anywhere. We live in a society where we are not talking about tangible products- we are talking about data files that can thus be reproduced. These files only take our eyes and our ears to consume- which makes them possible to reproduce and then of course- redistribute.
In the part titled “File Sharing”, McLeod starts with a quote by Brian Zisk of the Future of Music Coalition: “… the folks who do best are those who embrace the new technologies”. Musicians that expose their music online are adapting to the waves that technology are providing us with. As stated in the previous paragraphs, what musicians earn from music publication is so little compared to what the labels and (not even really) iTunes earn. Therefore, what they can do for free to get their music buzzing and into the fan’s iPods and MP3 players is where the real need is.


I found it very interesting starting on page 525, when McLeod mentions that the ‘dark days of downloading’ were originally ushered by the music labels. Continuing to jump back into history, it is evident that CDs are a pastime, they came and went. As much as it was ideal for music labels and a clear difference in revenues, the Internet technology has added a twist on the need for tangible music products, like the CD or the Cassette. Instead, where companies make money is the player of digital files: the MP3 player.


Over all I ultimately agree with the idea of going with the flow. All parts of the problem need to go with the same waves, whether that be of the consumer obtaining music and sharing it, or the desire for economic revenues on the side of the labels. However, this act of downloading is not going to go anywhere anytime soon until another solution or way to regulate it comes about. Regulation is needed, and would perhaps add some organization and penalties to excessive downloading (pirating, for example). But for small groups or artists, the act of downloading is getting their music out there and farther out there to more people.


Perhaps a new platform of regulation and testing is needed, although iTunes already provides a lot with individual song selling. This is only the start to a very big movement.


I found this online article to be particularly pertinent to our last course, and to the idea of the musician and his or her relationship to the music industry and also to the fanbase:


Here is a link from Mashable, about Why you should like bands and follow them on Facebook.