We've just started a new thing on Loöq Records ... we're offering free high quality mp3 downloads to all members, for all tracks released over a year ago. That's a lot of music.

My thinking about music downloading has changed over the years. I still fully believe in intellectual property rights, and I think artists should be compensated for their work. At the same time, loosening the binds a bit adds to overall social wealth, and more enjoyment of music for everybody.

The music industry has drastically changed. What has changed is the way people think about music, and paying for it. Is downloading stealing? The answer is really "who cares?". You can do it, you generally won't get caught, and most everyone else is also doing it. It doesn't *feel* like a crime to drag a folder onto your desktop. The injured party, if there is one, is incredibly far away, in terms of personal empathy (which is really the best crime deterrent, sociopaths aside).

I still believe there is massive cognitive dissonance among illegal downloaders. Most would like to believe that their actions don't hurt the artist, only the greedy label. Well, it certainly hurts the label more, but it hurts the artists too. There is almost no money is music sales these days. Artists will still be able to make money from performance royalties, licensing royalties, and live performances/touring. Labels will have to negotiate a share from these revenue sources.

What's more important is not whether or not unauthorized music downloading is morally right or not ... it's that people just do it, and don't even think about. After many years, I've finally accepted that! The defining moment was a conversation I overheard between an airline steward and a passenger. The airline steward was admiring the passenger's new iPhone, and told him about a piece of music software that allows you to copy music from one iPod to another. In other words, music pirating on a massive scale. But this information was shared so nonchalantly, without any concern or even the slightest inkling that something about that activity might be wrong or unfair, that I just had to laugh to myself. This was the new reality! Music "sharing" was so in the mainstream that the whole debate had become totally irrelevant. Kind of like meat-eating, or something like that. If you think about it, killing other animals, that are quite likely conscious and aware to some extent, and have feelings, and eating them ... well it's kind of fucked up. But they're so delicious! So most of do it anyway. And we don't think about it, much. And when we do, we try to come up with good reasons for why it's ok. And so it is with unauthorized music downloading and sharing.

So, what *are* people willing to pay for, in terms of music? Convenience, and newness. So ... that's the new model for Loöq Records. If you join our list, and are willing to receive information about our new releases, you get the back catalog for free.