Downloads // Current

MTV censors filesharing sites in Weird Al's "Don't Download This Song"

Heaven forbid we hear the names of sites we all know already. Do you think MTV is right in bleeping the site names?

abbym0308
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Snoop Dogg and Massive Attack colaborate

Snoop Dogg and Massive Attack leader 3D have recorded a song together entitled 'Calling Mumia'. Song is available at... more

bgonsoulin
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Carbon/Silicon on the next wave of technology

Mick Jones (The Clash) and Tony James (Generation X) are ready to embrace whats to come in technology.

chapinyoung
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AC/DC Resists Online Music Distribution Trend

Instead of reeling musicians in, Apple’s Internet music store iTunes seems to be pushing away the truly heavy names of the... more

Apocalipstick
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YouTube introduces music downloads

YouTube announces tie-in with iTunes and Amazon: YouTube bosses have introduced a new feature that allows users to download music... more

Apocalipstick
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Mis-trial declared in RIAA Kazaa case - downloaders rejoice

A judge has declared a mistrial in the Jammie Thomas Kazaa case, and reconsidering the validity of the 'making... more

derider
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New Brit film going for the mother of all releases

UK filmmakers Revolver Entertainment are breaking free from the standard marketing campaign and releasing their next film on all... more

mattbrawn
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BFI offer 75 films at 75 pence each

Part of the BFI's 75th anniversary, choose from a wide array of films. Neat. EXCEPT IF YOU USE A MAC. They're... more

derider
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Snow Patrol’s “Suns” packed with extras for iPods and iPhones

The next big digital step for albums may arrive this October, when U.K. rockers Snow Patrol release their new LP A Million Hundred... more

BerkRS
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Comcast: Comcast's 250GB data caps now official, starting in October

Bad news for Comcast folks—the 250GB caps that were once rumored are now officially official and will start October 1 for... more

goldenways
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Cinemanow Movie Downloads now available on Apple Macs

In a move that could step up the competitive pressure on Apple, movie download service CinemaNow has inked a deal that will make... more

born4thesurf
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‘Song of the Year’ winner says downloading is “amazing”

One of the big breakthrough acts of the last year has joined the increasing ranks of artists who don’t mind if people share their music. Duffy, the million-selling 24 year-old vocalist and winner of this year’s MOJO Song of the Year Award has been downloading for a couple of years. “It’s amazing,” she said.

If the media is to be believed, some artists spend most of their time going to big parties in hugely expensive designer clothes, drinking expensive champagne, driving around in prestige cars, smashing up hotel rooms - and the rest of the time complaining about piracy. It’s very difficult for the average Joe in the street to feel sorry for them, such is the lifestyle gap, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

In recent times we’ve written about the positive attitudes towards file-sharing shown by some big names in the music business. The Nine Inch Nails are probably the most outspoken but there are others, including 50 Cent and more recently Joss Stone, who called file-sharing “brilliant”. Others, like ‘Travis’ are happy for their fans to share.

Now, in an interview with Shortlist magazine, the million-selling 2008 MOJO Song of the Year Award winner, Duffy, says that she got into downloading a couple of years ago, calling it “amazing”.

One of twins, 24 year-old Duffy has sold over a million copies of her debut album Rockferry, making it the biggest selling album of the year in the UK, netting 180,000 sales in the first week alone. In America, the album sold 72,000 in its first week, entering the Billboard 200 at Number 4. Her track ‘Mercy’ has been viewed over 17.6 million times on YouTube (although I quite like the just-for-fun remix from ‘The Game’)

But if you don’t have the cash for the album, don’t worry - Duffy is pretty forward thinking when it comes to ‘legal’ versus ‘illegal’ downloads: “Somebody asked me the other day what I thought of illegal downloading, and I thought, ‘You know what? I don’t care,’ because I think the majority are kids and as they get old and get more income they’ll probably buy records. It’s just making music a part of everyone’s lives.”

Duffy notes that access to music is all-important but due to where she lived in her childhood, she had no easy access herself, having to take a two-hour bus trip to get to a good record store.

She’s pragmatic when looking at the big picture: “Well, I mean, it can go two ways – there are pros and cons to everything. Some people think it creates illegal access, but I think the big wheel is round, y’know?” I think it’s got more positives because it basically gives people access, what’s the harm in that?”

“It’s just making music a part of everyone’s lives”One of the big breakthrough acts of the last year has joined the increasing ranks of artists who don’t mind if people share... more

Sons_Of_Liberty
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4 months ago

UK government wants to cut illegal filesharing 80% by 2011

"The government has set a secret target to reduce illegal filesharing of music and films by up to 80% over the next three years, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal. The goal was outlined in a letter by Baroness Vadera, the business minister, relating to the agreement the government struck with internet service providers and the film and music industries to curb illegal filesharing.

The leaked letter, dated July 22, was sent to all the proposed signatories of the memorandum of understanding which proposes to "significantly reduce" illegal filesharing in the next two to three years.

"Although this letter has no effect on the agreement, which stands in its own terms, this may help to ensure all signatories have the same expectations," Vadera wrote. "I would regard a reduction as 'significant' if it had reduced the number of people filesharing unlawfully in the UK by well over 50%, and we hope in the region of 70%-80% from a baseline to be agreed, with work to start immediately, rather than waiting for legislation."

But Vadera's target did not form part of the memorandum of understanding, released yesterday and other parties to the agreement have not signed up to it. Industry estimates put the number of illegal filesharers in the UK at between 6 and 7 million people.

"Success will significantly depend on the effectiveness of the letter writing, awareness raising and other measures," Vadera adds.

Part of the memorandum requires the UK's six biggest ISPs - BSkyB, Tiscali, BT, Orange, Virgin Media and Carphone Warehouse - to send out 1,000 letters a week to subscribers identified as having engaged in illegal uploading or downloading of music. Following the three-month trial, media regulator Ofcom will agree an "escalation" in the number of letters and broaden the campaign to target other content being illegally shared, such as films. Ofcom will look to use other measures to deal with repeat offenders, including slowing internet speeds or blocking content. Rights holders will consider prosecuting "particularly serious infringers".

Some analysts are sceptical that the government's goal can be achieved without heavy measures being introduced.

"I think trimming off a million filesharers from the total number in the UK would be a great measure of success for this letter campaign, but even that would be an unprecedented success in tackling global file sharing," said Mark Mulligan, a vice-president at analysts Jupiter Research. "In the US, where the Recording Industry Association of America has been very aggressive, the result has predominately been one of containment."

The BPI, the body that represents record labels, is keen on a three-step procedure to tackle illegal filesharers. First, an "educational" letter would be sent to customers explaining the account abuse. If a customer was identified a second time, their account would be suspended until an undertaking promising no more illegal use was signed. A third breach would result in cancellation of their internet account."The government has set a secret target to reduce illegal filesharing of music and films by up to 80% over the next three... more