Buy Original
January 30, 2007 by Jo Minor
Why should we obtain original recordings - be it CDs, DVDs, or even cassette tapes or LPs (hey, some people still prefer to go analogue)? Why should we spend our hard earned cash buying these exorbitantly priced pieces of plastic and paper?
It would be easier, for us Malaysians, to resort to pirated CDs and other forms of recordings, but here are some reasons why it does pay to be original.
Do It For Value
When was the last time you bought an original piece of recording and treated yourself to its outstanding, crystal clear recording qualities? If you can’t remember this, then you should be ashamed of yourself.
If music is your thing, and if you take pride in being a music enthusiast, then you should also take the initiative in purchasing original recordings of your favorite artistes. The reason being that if you get a licensed record, then you can be sure of the quality of the recording.
Many would argue that for the price of an original record, we can get 5 or even 10 pirated recordings - but are you sure that you’re hearing the best of what your favorite band has to offer? Are you even sure that you will enjoy looking at the cheaply printed cover?
Do It For The Musicians
Musicians survive on the sales of their records, and they also earn a little from doing shows and merchandise sales - but their bread and butter will always rely on the successes of their hard work.
It is disheartening to know that many musicians are surviving from paycheck to paycheck - unlike some of the wealthy pop stars - so buying their original recordings the right thing to do? I wouldn’t want my money to go to some organized crime syndicate that produces illegal copies of music albums - in fact, it makes me sleep better at night knowing that the few hundred ringgit or so I spend every month on music recordings and memorabilia goes directly to the people making the music I find great joy listening to.
Do It For The Future
How long can musicians survive if piracy keeps getting more and more rampant? What if the widespread piracy disease of Asia spreads to The US and Europe?
Musicians can only survive if they are getting paid for their honest work - they can’t do much if they have to quit the music industry to make a living in another industry. That’s exactly why it’s up to us, the consumer, to keep them alive and running.
Also, piracy will die off if there is no one to support pirated recordings - you are killing two birds with one stone if you stick to buying original recordings.
Do It For Yourself
What would you rather have - an unimpressive stash of 40 gigabytes of illegally downloaded music files on your computer, or a CD rack full of original imported CDs - complete with their vibrantly colored covers and informative liner notes inside?
Admit it, being a supporter of pirated music just isn’t cool. I wish I was paid to spread this message around, but I’m doing it out of my own conscience.
There is no greater passion for me in this life than listening and playing the music I love - and now since I can afford original CDs, I only resort to buying those - it was definitely harder when I was a student with little pocket money to splurge on CDs and music memorabilia.
Do your idols and yourself a favor the next time you think of buying an album.
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