Internet Piracy: Thanks, Me Hearties
Page: 74,
Date: 07/19/2008
Full Text:
Music piracy has reportedly contributed to 70% of the reasons why global sales of recorded music fell 8% in 2007. But it has provided business with at least one advantage: statistics. It is helping management companies and more get insight into music-lovers interests and into what is truly popular. For every song purchased legally, 20 are said to be illegally downloaded. BigChampagne is a firm that compiles data about file-sharing to sell to its customers, like how many times a song is downloaded and where. Music executives are saying illegal downloading is no reason to put your head in the sand, because you might as well take advantage of the data available. These statistics are helping managers, labels, and more plan tours using the locations where artists are popular and can pair artists with groups their fans have similar tastes in based on people who download the same artists. Even though the execs are reluctant at first to use data from illegal use, they are coming to terms with its benefits.
