Downloading out of print albums

[Yourselfisntsteam]

[paladisiac]

imo, the two main issues are:

01) morality
02) legality

I'm not sure what the legal precedent is for downloading a copy of an album because it's not for sale, hasn't been for sale in a while, and isn't for sale in the foreseeable future. The main reason the RIAA went after people was they were trying to protect sales ($$!) of their artist catalog. I expect this is technically illegal; however, i don't think anyone will notice as it's out of print..

When it comes to morality, how about this answer (if feasible) ? Download the album and then find the artist's website and contact them saying you want to donate $ to them. You don't even have to tell them why, but you can elaborate that you want to support them because you like their music and hope that your $ will go toward reprinting the CD/mp3-online in the future .

(P.S. The RIAA would hate that idea. They say they're trying to protect their artists, but their artists rarely see any money from album sales. Of course, I'm talking about the RIAA -- i'm not sure if that applies in the case of the artist you're interested in.)
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[GeevyDallas]

I download all my music illegally,apart from my favorite bands,I'll usually download these straight from i-Tunes.Before I discovered the marvels of the internet I did have a collection of 100 or so CDs.I try to spend my money that I save on CD's and legal downloads on going to see bands and attending festivals.I think artists would prefer it that way,I'm sure they make a lot more money from someone going to one of their gig's than someone buying their CD.I have also started collecting Vinyl which is usually from second hand record stores,so the band doesn't make money from that either.Is your reluctance because of the fact the band itself won't benefit from the download or because it's illegal?

[HigherThanTheSun]

[dp39]

I listen to a ton of old school rare rap CD's that have gone out of print. Hypothetically, if I were to download music... I would download all of the out of print albums you can get. Forget morals, do you want to pay $200 for an album that might blow, or get it for free?
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And I stare at the sun.
And it leaves me Blind.

[Guest]

I think music should be shared freely and without restriction. Bands can make their money through live performances.

But I am thinking about getting hard copies of the music albums I become more attached to over time, just for the sake of a physical collection. Digital collections aren't as satisfying for me.

[Guest]

[Romanelli]

There are a few albums that have eluded me over the years. If I find them, I will buy them so that I can finally have them in hand. Victory will be mine.

Of course, I could download them. But that would be, to me, kind of like really wanting a hot girl and then seeing that she did a nude spread. I could download those pictures and have them for whatever fantasies I wanted to play out alone...but in the morning, I still havent met her, and I still haven't physically had her. I've cheated myself.

I'll wait until I can find and buy the physical album.

[kramerfan86]

Personally I dont see any problem from a moral standpoint with downloading out of print material. the industry at that point has put you in a position where there is no other way to get the material. I also dont have a problem with downloading things which for whatever reason arent in print in a particular country and therefore are impossible to get at a remotely reasonable price. To me if you are openly saying "we really have no interest in you as a potential customer" then you have lost any moral right to lecture me on the download. Im sure the law is on their side, but I highly doubt the RIAA is looking for "pirates" of material they arent even trying to sell. I very very very rarely download anymore though thanks to spotify.

[Guest]