Oh, Mama Mia!
Former Abba member speaks out against the evil that is digital piracy
Posted 21.02.2020 at 8:18 am
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The Swedes revere their beloved ABBA the same way Americans do the Boss. So it comes as no surprise one former band member is weighing in on the music copyright trial of the century currently taking place in the land of IKEA. On Tuesday, Björn Ulvaeus slammed supporters of the defendants in the case (The Pirate Bay), who “speak with trembling voices about their 'freedom' on the internet."
Pirate Bay, a BitTorrent site run by three young computer geeks and a businessman, face civil and criminal charges for alleged contributory copyright infringement. File sharing sites have come under fire for years as the recording industry struggles to maintain control over their published works. Not to mention their disappearing profits. Although the trial seems to be headed in favor of The Pirate Bay, Ulvaeus believes it’s a battle that shouldn’t exist at all.
Ulvaeus, co-producer of the blockbuster Mama Mia movie, pleaded the “cheap and lazy” masses to comprehend the idea that they weren’t stealing from a mass media giant with no face, but from the original artist. “What you steal is something that once started as an idea coming from one single individual,” he argued. Ulvaeus’ statement, published on the Newsmill.se website, concluded by asking readers to put aside the question of whether the legislation being debated was relevant and ask themselves, “Is it really so damn difficult to pay your way?"
Doesn’t ABBA’s song “Money, Money, Money” make so much more sense now?
Via: Newsmill
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Comments
I'll admit that I torrent stuff, but if I like it then I'll go out and buy the original. Torrenting to me is a way of "trying before buying". There's nothing worse than buying something off the shelf and discovering you hate it, especially when it is expensive like a season boxset.
So while I have no problems with people who torrent, I'd say that if you intend to keep it, go out and buy it - preferably at the cheapest price possible! That way, everyone is happy.
2 out of 2 people found this comment helpfulJust like you'd be annoyed if someone took something that belonged to you, made hundreds of thousands of copies of it and sold them off as their own, I can understand why the entertainment industry is getting peeved at digital pirates. A lot of people earn their livelihood by making sales, so piracy cuts them out of a living. I always stick to the original. If you want to try it, borrow it from a friend or rent it somewhere and then decide.
0 out of 2 people found this comment helpfulHow rich is Björn Ulvaeus?.
And he wants more?.
Share with the poor people.
1 out of 1 people found this comment helpfulI reckon if they weren't charging so much for their products, then people wouldn't have to resort to pirating. Its not like they aren't making a profit, the problem is that they believe they aren't making ENOUGH of a profit!
Seriously, how much does it cost to mass produce a DVD? I think the last estimate I saw was like $1.67 or something, and then in store they charge up to $40 for it!
2 out of 2 people found this comment helpfulThe problem I see in the music industry these days is that too many artists are becoming sucked in by the ringtone craze. When an 'artist' like Soulja Boy can sell over 1 million ringtones in a month, why would he bother putting any effort into his actual album?
Similarly, why would any NEW artist bother with an actual album of worth, when ringtones and digital downloads of singles are currently their highest source of revenue?
I'm not saying all artists are getting sucked in, but the ones in the mainstream eye who ultimately set trends for younger audiences or even other artists in the industry are getting entranced by delusions of mediocrity offered by ringtones.
You want to blame someone for declining sales? Blame the artists putting out consistently garbage albums because there's more money in the singles/ringtone business
0 out of 0 people found this comment helpful