With sites like Limewire and Megaupload gone, and issues like music piracy rising to the top, it makes me wonder why people aren’t paying for entertainment.

I mean if one can just stay in the privacy of their own homes and enjoy all kinds of music, films and television shows for free…doesn’t that sounds like paradise? But we know that essentially this is illegal and some would say immoral. The piracy commercial always comes in mind, the whole you wouldn’t steal a car so you shouldn’t be downloading music and movies illegally. Unfortunately people do steal cars! You don’t see the car industry making an ad about the level of car thefts in our country.

Many people try to justify their means of downloading music or movies for free, saying that if Hollywood or the music industry produced more quality work, maybe more people would actually still buy or support their stuff.

Some people even complain that paying $10 for a crappy movie, which in many cases is either an unnecessary sequel or remake. And let’s not forget the fact that many movies are in 3D costing even more. New releases of DVD and Bluerays can cost you almost $30 and the price of a Netflix movie is always changing.

Album prices are the same way. The introduction of MP3s killed record sales and now it’s all about who can have the most digital sales. Unless it’s an artist or musician you really love, most people don’t buy entire CDs anymore.

So with all of this in mind, people don’t feel like they should have to pay for a movie they assume will be terrible, CDs where the only song you enjoy is the most popular single ($1.29 is too expensive) and TV shows that you don’t have the time to follow and will most likely get cancelled. With the economy being in the shape that it is now, people can’t afford the luxuries they once did.

From a mainstream point-of -view, sure the entertainment business has become watered down. However, the internet has created a space for people to discover new and truly talented people. Youtube for example has birthed many up and coming musicians, actors, comedians and directors. Why do you think the government, along with the entertainment industry want bills like SOPA and PIPA to pass? Because they haven’t found ways to totally profit off the internet and people are finding their own methods of entertainment outside the typical Hollywood or music industry formats.

But back to my original question, should people truly pay for entertainment? Of course we should, but if the music industry and Hollywood were producing more quality material maybe people wouldn’t feel the need to download music and movies or free. Yet that brings up another point, if the music and movie industry are not producing what the public really wants, we should turn to “alternative” methods. Alternative being all the D.I.Y independent artists who use the internet as a vehicle to display their talents. But if you’re going to consume media from these artists on the internet, be prepared to put up some money.

Bianca is a college student and blogger. Follow her on twitter @thefoxypoet

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The music industry business model is rapidly changing

by C. Zawadi Morris

In the spring of 2009, the band Coldplay announced they were giving away their nine-track live album, “LeftRightLeftRightLeft” as a free CD download on their website.  Soon afterward, Nine Inch Nails also decided to give away their band’s entire new album entitled “Slip.” What was this business of giving away an album?  Weren’t record label giants hemorrhaging from major losses in record sales?  (In the meantime, I downloaded the free albums).

The following fall, independent artist, Res finished her live performance by spelling out the web address to where anyone could download her entire new album… also for free! Were the indies in the free giveaway game too?  (While I pondered, I downloaded her album too).

Something was happening in music, across both the major labels and with independent artists. Something was changing.  Again.  And so soon, considering we’ve only recently come to fully understand the last major change, which took place during the last decade, from 2000 to 2009, when the traditional music industry business model (for the way music is produced, marketed and sold) was turned on its head.  Before, digital CD technology was developed by the producer to serve the producer.  Later, with the explosion of the Web, that same technology became accessible to all; the consumer became the developer to serve primarily… himself.

John King (2nd from left) at Chung King Studios

“The music business has shot itself in the foot by not having stayed up with the current technology,” said John King, founder of Chung King Studios, one of the first and oldest studios to record hip-hop music.  “Because they haven’t used digital watermarking or any of the protection devices, you can’t blame people for stealing music when it’s $21 for a CD.”

“The reality today is that anyone can bring a product to market,” said Maurice Bernstein, president and CEO of Giant Step Music.  “You can make a fairly good quality music project in your bedroom; you don’t need to manufacture the product to bring it to market and you can use all of the social network sites to build a fan base and market yourself.”

Bernstein founded Giant Step with Jonathan Rudnick in 1995 as a concert promotions and lifestyle marketing company.  Over time, it evolved into a successful mid-size record label, launching such acts as Macy Gray, Donnie, Jamiroquai, Zero 7 and Zap Mama.  By early 2000, Bernstein started noticing the fast-changing music landscape precipitated by advances in digital technology, and he moved quickly to adjust.  He got out of the music label business and converted the company back into a music marketing agency, where he said the company is doing tremendously well.

Giant Step markets artists like Erykah Badu

“New technology has made our job easier, because there are many more ways for us to communicate with people than there ever was before, and now things are viral,” said Bernstein.  “In 2010, there’s a plethora of ways to communicate with people that are quicker, easier and cheaper.  The possibilities are infinite.”

The landscape has, without question, changed.  It’s a virtual music free-for-all.

Yet, major labels have managed to hold on, and with a degree of success:  You need only look at some of the top-selling new artists of last year– such as Lady Ga Ga, Drake, Keri Hilson and the Dream—to know that success and fame in the music industry is alive and well.  So what’s keeping the major labels afloat, if not record sales?