Those Who Share Music Spend More On Music

I've always argued that the RIAA is misguided in their pursuit of those who share music. Why sue your best customers and potential customers?

It seems that those who download music illegally also spend more on music and movies than those who are indifferent to music and movies.

Comments

[Carl Teachey]

My roommate is Iain Prittchard and he found your blog today and used it to explain to me the story of your battle with the state of VA over your vanity plate. While looking around the site he saw this post and told me about it knowing it would strike a chord. (pun)

Currently I have 31.4 GB of music stored on my iPod. After considering the amount lost in various hard drive failures, deleted songs, CD's bought, and songs not yet transfered from my laptop; I can safely say that the amount of that music that was purchased legally is nearly negligible. With that statement, I feel I can categorize myself as one of those wretched human beings who the industry paints as a "high-volume infringer"

In the year 2007, I worked as a lifeguard and managed to make about $3700 during the fiscal year. When I did my taxes that year, out of curiosity, I went back and tried to figure how much money I had spent on "music" that year. I considered money spent on band "merch" and admission to shows. That came to be about $670. This means that music (live music, merch, whatever....still supporting those who create the musc) was the final destination of about 18% of my income. (According to a quick google search, that's more than an average family should spend on food.)

The point is, this study is no Earth-shaking revelation....it merely proves what all of us filthy pirates, and presumably anyone with basic reasoning skills, has known for some time.

Kudos on the post.

Also, I have you next semester....I am officially excited.

Carl Teachey