By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 02:22:57 +0000

With the current swoop on Kazaa, I’d just like to note that since I explored music with Kazaa- just in recent months, I’ve purchased more Cds than for a long time - and with artists I hadnt formally known about. The 30 second samples you get at various track-selling sites dont really give a taste of the artist as they often cut out before the artist gets going. Being able to hear more of a song I have now developed new favorites.
Also with Kazaa I can do a search on a song title. Through this method I have explored other artists singing favorites songs and have then developed an interest in them.
Those I know who use Kazaa dont swap at the expense of buying but to enhance it. We tend to respect artists and not want to take from their income so we buy when we get a sense of an album we’d like- after all you get the cover to curl up with etc too. In a sense I use it as a substitute radio station where I can pick and choose when and what I want to listen to and can revist a song at my leisure to decide whether that’s the one to buy. Ok the artists may not get the royalties as they would on radio but they dont when friends lend me something they’ve bought and say ‘listen to this’. This sort of exposure seems to have been the life blood of music all the time I’ve been into it (and I’m 51 and now happily exploring new artists- and even recently bought an Australian artist I didnt know befiore I explored some of his tracks on Kazaa. Ironic when the Australian Music Industry was the one behind the recent swoop). One could be cynical about the timing of the swoop with some big businesses just about to move into paid tracks in Australia!

Comments on: Morpheus, Grokster fight Hollywood

By: Reader's Write