'Do you pay to download music?' Poll discussion

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Former_MSE_Lawrence
Former_MSE_Lawrence Posts: 975 Forumite
edited 14 December 2009 at 2:29PM in MoneySaving polls
Poll ran 07-14 Dec 2009:

Do you pay to download music?

Last week, we launched the new www.tunechecker.com legal MP3 download comparison site. Yet of course piracy is common and many people still download music and films for free... Where do you stand on this issue?

Which of these is closest to your situation over the last year?

A. Always legal. I pay for all tracks (unless they’re being given away) - 29% (2634 votes)
B. Mostly legal. I usually pay but have occasionally done illegal downloads. - 13% (1208 votes)
C. Mostly illegal. Though I sometimes buy tracks - 13% (1148 votes)
D. Always illegal. I never pay for tracks - 18% (1595 votes)
E. Don’t/ rarely download (either buy CDs or don’t buy music) - 28% (2521 votes)

Total Votes: 9106

Voting has now closed, but you can still click 'post reply' to discuss below. Thanks :)

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Comments

  • irishwench69
    irishwench69 Posts: 807 Forumite
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    Guess I'll start off :)

    I don't download (love music but just don't really need to - online radio at work, mp3 for commute (but can burn tracks off my cds!), then radio or tv (for videos) at home......

    If I did download, definitely wouldn't go illegal - why, when there's reasonably priced music to be found? (even if you do have to search a bit harder sometimes!)

    Not a fool though - get cds online - you can get some really good deals :)

    IW x
    Official DFW Nerd Club - Member no. 222 :beer:
    :T Debt free wannabe - Proud to be dealing with my debts! :T

    Remember the MoneySaving mantras!

    IF YOU'RE SKINT......
    Do I need it? Can I afford it? Can I find it cheaper anywhere else?

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  • dmcallister1506
    dmcallister1506 Posts: 9 Forumite
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    I always buy online. Full albums from Tesco for about £3.97 - and in near perfect quality? Why go illegal especially if you don't know what the quality is like. Used to buy a lot of CDs but prefer to download them now - the best move I've ever made. With prices this low, why download illegally?
  • robin_banks
    robin_banks Posts: 15,778 Forumite
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    I buy real music, either CD's, tape or vinyl. I convert to MP3 thereafter.
    "An arrogant and self-righteous Guardian reading tvv@t".

    !!!!!! is all that about?
  • f300
    f300 Posts: 183 Forumite
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    edited 7 December 2009 at 4:31PM
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    I don't buy or download music at the moment. I mainly listen at the computer so I just use Spotify, the ads are few enough that they don't bother me.

    If I was wanting to download I wouldn't do it illegally. I'd buy downloads rather than CDs if the price was quite a bit less, decent quality and no drm. I do like owning the CD though, as then I can encode it to a lossless format.
  • ThinkingOfLinking
    ThinkingOfLinking Posts: 11,828 Forumite
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    E. I don't download. I stream via www.blip.fm when I'm using music as background sound sometimes but if I want to "own" music, I buy CDs. I collect CDs and love the whole package; the sleevenotes, artwork, seeing them on my shelves, etc.
  • minerva_windsong
    minerva_windsong Posts: 3,808 Forumite
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    B. I pay £15 a month to Napster to download as many songs as I like, and anything that I can't get from there - which admittedly happens very very occasionally, to the extent that I actually can't remember the last time I did it - I download via Limewire.

    The reason I don't buy CDs is because I tend to get lots of music at once and the charge from Napster evens out once you get more than 20 songs.
    "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." - Tyrion Lannister
    Married my best friend 1st November 2014
    Loose = the opposite of tight (eg "These trousers feel a little loose")
    Lose = the opposite of find/gain (eg "I'm going to lose weight this year")
  • glossyhair
    glossyhair Posts: 133 Forumite
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    I voted B

    I go the legal route 99.9% of the time. The only exception is where the track or album I am looking for is actually not available to purchase anywhere. Then I would be looking at more "creative" ways to get hold of it :confused:
    mmmm, still seeking something witty to be my auto-signature . . . so this will have to suffice for now ;)
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
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    I rarely download music online since lossy compression sounds awful. I always buy CDs and, if I'm out of the house, I'll listen to variable bit-rate WMV files, which sound better than MP3s (to my ears).

    The only compressed music that I've paid for was when I discovered a few albums that I *HAD* to have, and found that they were about £2.50 for MP3s or £15 for the CD. I bought the MP3s to tide me over, but will get the CDs as soon as I find somewhere selling them for £8-ish or less.

    I love online streaming like Spotify and Pandora, but since the audio quality is lower than most MP3s, I only really use them to discover new music...

    Tunechecker is a great idea, though - I'm sure it will be very popular.
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
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    edited 10 December 2009 at 5:00PM
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    glossyhair wrote: »
    I go the legal route 99.9% of the time. The only exception is where the track or album I am looking for is actually not available to purchase anywhere. Then I would be looking at more "creative" ways to get hold of it :confused:

    Talking of which... I don't suppose anyone would know where I can get a CD of "Trample the Eagle and the Dragon and the Bear" by Alpha and Omega? EDIT: Don't worry - I found a FLAC copy on Mindawn.

    Apparently it was released in 2005, but has already gone out of production. I suppose that's the one advantage of electronically distributed media - no huge production fees to keep pressing discs :-(
  • Jennifer_Jane
    Jennifer_Jane Posts: 3,237 Forumite
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    On the Daily Mail Online site just now:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1234101/New-music-download-price-checker-threatens-unseat-pricey-iTunes.html

    Jen

    PS - of course I'm legal! Download legally or via purchased CD.
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