Something for the MusikIndustry
Ah I shied away to talk about rootkits and DRM for a while - things that plague about any bigger CD release as of now. Multiple studies are now surfacing that show just how damaging the DRM measures are for the big labels and how small labels benefit greatly when they make their music available for free and easy to access. The former study states that
"Downloads have an effect on sales which is statistically indistinguishable from zero."
The other says that big bands and labels are suffering from downloads but universally all small bands who open up their music catalog have benefited from more sales and fuller concerts.
The BBC reports that a whole generation of Europeans no longer see music as something that ought to be paid for. Jupiter analyst Mark Mulligan warns that children are being raised on a "limitless diet of free and disposable music." He sees this, unsurprisingly, as a Bad Thing (tm), but only time will tell if file-swapping music lovers are shooting themselves in the foot by putting the labels out of business, or whether they are making possible the growth of a new, artist-driven economy where even niche bands can earn a living.
I have always thought that Music on a platter is a way to promote your art - thus as freely distributed as possible - fans will know how to support a band when it comes to that. The income should come from concerts where you are doing a service - I think this whole industry goes more into that service rather then product direction.