‘Song of the Year’ Winner Says Downloading is “Amazing”
Written by enigmax on August 03, 2008One of the big breakthrough acts of the last year has joined the increasing ranks of artists who don’t mind if people share their music. Duffy, the million-selling 24 year-old vocalist and winner of this year’s MOJO Song of the Year Award has been downloading for a couple of years. “It’s amazing,” she said.
If the media is to be believed, some artists spend most of their time going to big parties in hugely expensive designer clothes, drinking expensive champagne, driving around in prestige cars, smashing up hotel rooms - and the rest of the time complaining about piracy. It’s very difficult for the average Joe in the street to feel sorry for them, such is the lifestyle gap, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
In recent times we’ve written about the positive attitudes towards file-sharing shown by some big names in the music business. The Nine Inch Nails are probably the most outspoken but there are others, including 50 Cent and more recently Joss Stone, who called file-sharing “brilliant”. Others, like ‘Travis’ are happy for their fans to share.
Now, in an interview with Shortlist magazine, the million-selling 2008 MOJO Song of the Year Award winner, Duffy, says that she got into downloading a couple of years ago, calling it “amazing”.
One of twins, 24 year-old Duffy has sold over a million copies of her debut album Rockferry, making it the biggest selling album of the year in the UK, netting 180,000 sales in the first week alone. In America, the album sold 72,000 in its first week, entering the Billboard 200 at Number 4. Her track ‘Mercy’ has been viewed over 17.6 million times on YouTube (although I quite like the just-for-fun remix from ‘The Game’)
But if you don’t have the cash for the album, don’t worry - Duffy is pretty forward thinking when it comes to ‘legal’ versus ‘illegal’ downloads: “Somebody asked me the other day what I thought of illegal downloading, and I thought, ‘You know what? I don’t care,’ because I think the majority are kids and as they get old and get more income they’ll probably buy records. It’s just making music a part of everyone’s lives.”
Duffy notes that access to music is all-important but due to where she lived in her childhood, she had no easy access herself, having to take a two-hour bus trip to get to a good record store.
She’s pragmatic when looking at the big picture: “Well, I mean, it can go two ways , there are pros and cons to everything. Some people think it creates illegal access, but I think the big wheel is round, y’know?” I think it’s got more positives because it basically gives people access, what’s the harm in that?”
“It’s just making music a part of everyone’s lives”
Previously: EFF Tool Hunts BitTorrent Throttling ISPs
Next: Anti-Piracy Lobby Gains Power Over Internet Subscribers
59 Responses
FINALLY, someone who understands.. I with everyone could be like that..
‘Torrentfreak’ Visitor Says “Duffy Got Balls”
important. tbh she has no choice but to like it as without youtube she would not have been as succcessfull.
shes hot
Hot and smart. lol
She’s got a new fan. Smart artists are rare these days :)
if she is from rock ferry, which is about 5 miles away from me then she’d have a 30 min ride to a decent record store in liverpool.
but i say good on her! she’s from a very deprived run down area that wouldnt have any decent record stores near by due to its industrial shipping area! cammel lairds!
Well, good on ya Duffy. The more artists that come out and tell it like it is, the better. She is rather hot to boot :D
i download here album hehehe, but i dont like bit :(, but know after i read thes, i will go 2moro 2 buy here album
download here album hehehe, but i dont like it :(, but know after i read thes, i will go 2moro 2 buy here album :D edited
@7
She’s from Wales….
Its good that she thinks that way, but I don’t think that as people gro up and can afford to buy music they will, mainly due to the normalitty of downloading things through out there childhood.
its not really a good song iether.
she have my support.
To show support, I think that the best thing we could do is to create derivative works. You know, taking the music and making new music from it.
Nice to see another artist with a more pragmatic view of ‘illegal’ downloading. Now if only the record companies and their lackeys (IFPI, RIAA etc) could adjust their business model to suit the times, we’d all be happy…
Ah, she’s welsh, no wonder she can see sense! :)
Good on her, might go out and buy one of her albums today.
w00t for the younger generation of artists :)
hopefully once all the baby-boomers fuck off and die we can all live in a free music sharing paradise :PP
I think that conventions are a good way for file-sharers to gather in real-life. That way, perhaps we could show overt support rather than in small comment spaces like these.
What a nice and humble attitude.
“Duffy notes that access to music is all-important but due to where she lived in her childhood, she had no easy access herself, having to take a two-hour bus trip to get to a good record store.”
Yeah, that must’ve been hard… I can’t really think of that situation myself, but that was surely not a good situation…
“… it basically gives people access, what’s the harm in that?”
“It’s just making music a part of everyone’s lives”
Now that are two great things to explain that she understands how it works… and good quotes to use… totally the right way, go Duffy!
Most of the revenue that a recording artist makes is not through record sales but through concert venues. This fact should be mentioned.
@12
‘Its good that she thinks that way, but I don’t think that as people gro up and can afford to buy music they will, mainly due to the normalitty of downloading things through out there childhood’
You might be right about those who download EVERYTHING, but it figures that for most people -those who buy some, download some - the amount they buy is going to be related to their income.
Duffy’s album is great. Buy it, download it, steal it, whatever… just get a copy! :-)
Now that is the difference between lying wannebe highlanders like Ian and his chick Melissa aka. Indiana that spit out fake figures about how many times her shit songs are allegedly listen too
and real people’s favorites like duffy as you can see with the proven figures of YT views!
+1 for duffy
-2 for lying idiots like indiana gregg, ian morrow, buck cherry ect.
1) Her attitude towards the reality of what IS and not what media WANTS it to be, is refreshing and second-to-none.
2) Her voice and Motown vibe are AWESOME!
3) She should get together w/ Mr. Tom Jones and make Welsh Superbabies.
4) She IS really hot.
5) If you haven’t seen it, The Maidstone Festival (she performed at it), there is a file of her performance. Wikkid strong voice.
tom jones ewwwwwwwwww
@ 7
She is from Nefyn on the Pen Llyn, so the nearest shops would have been in Pwllheli or Caernarvon.
@28 A B S O L U T E L Y
Probably written by a new summer student hire =P
About 1500 guys have said to 1500 different articles “Finally someone understands”..
kinda cliche:)
yeah. i’m sure a bunch of artists are really condoning the free giving-away of their hard work.
whatever you say.
What you mean is:-
About 1500 guys have said to 1 article by a hot chick “Finally someone understands”..
;-)
Now compare this to Indiana Gregg and Ian Morrow’s attitude :-)
I would like to point out that her response to illegal downloading being OK is primarily because she thinks people will buy the music when they get older and have an income. She’s not saying it is always great — just great if it leads to more sales in the end.
So, this reminds me. Bill Nye the Science Guy spoke at my college a couple months ago. At the end he took questions, and someone asked him about torrenting the old Bill Nye episodes.
Bill Nye himself said that he doesn’t care about downloading episodes of the show - “it’s not pirating” - unless you sell them for profit.
nice to see more artists speaking up the truth
nice to see more artists speaking up the truth Because Smart artists are rare these days.
@30
Absolutely correct. I mean, the ultimate purpose of their hard work is essentially to make it as popular as possible, and what better and easier way is there other than file-sharing? When people don’t have to pay, then there is less possibility that they would choose not to see it.
@37 We sill need to find some good ways to monetize this, though. I want to be all for file sharing — truly, I do — but until I see a surefire way to let everyone involved make an income from it, I’m not sure what more to say. I’m glad she is popular thanks to downloading, but at the same time, she would be broke and would have no backing if EVERYONE pirated her album…
blond AND intelligent ? wow :P
#21 said: “Most of the revenue that a recording artist makes is not through record sales but through concert venues. This fact should be mentioned.”
That’s not so much the case anymore these days. When record companies sign artists the record companies put up money for their recordings to be completed and the artist essentially has to pay back this “loan”. Record companies are cutting into live performance income more and more these days leaving the artists with little money left over in the end. It’s just another way for the record company to recoup their losses due to their dying business model that they so hopelessly cling to.
What we are seeing here with Duffy and others like her is the tip of an iceberg which will eventually mean the end of the big record companies and the corporate assholes dwelling therein. No longer will the talentless gits be able to dictate to us and rip us off.
@38
Guess what, there’s donations. People who are fans could donate. Why didn’t you think of that? Just look at churches and how much money they pull in from donations.
Music Free
Hot Body Free
Smart Brain PRICELESS
@38
What about merchandise and tours?
Thats how real bands make their money,by touring and performing for their fans.
@38
You make it sound like people would give money to the original artist only if they were forced to. But that’s untrue - there are things like live performances and whatnot. I am sure that any fan would give money either through donations or through paying for attendance at a live performance if they care.
Sad to see there are so many misguided fools like duffy out there.
Like someone’s previously mentioned, most of the money is to be made from concerts etc. If the album was shared, you could hear whether or not you like them and decide whether to go to a concert. After all, there’s nothing like a great stage show and rocking out to the music with an artist who enjoys what they do. Those types of artists are the ones who make the best music anyhow.
The Nine Inch Nails? Nice. Oh, hey, you got one of the other band names wrong: it’s “The 50 Cents”.
But seriously: As nice as it is to hear an artist say she downloads too, that sort of faux-legitimacy isn’t as helpful as it sounds; it’s about as effective as a bumper sticker.
The Music Industry needs to figure out a way to adapt to these new technologies. People all over the internet are making money by giving shit away for free… it can’t be that hard.
The only problem we have now is, that she can’t sing!
And that her voice resembels a strangled cat. :(
Duffy’s got it goin on, fink im gonna go buy her album…or at least download it!
Jam bands and DJs have known this for years. If you are a musician and love playing music…tour. Let people distribute your shows so fans that haven’t seen you live will want to. Sell tickets. Buy a gold-plated shark tank bar if you feel so inclined.
Wow. a smart woman like this is truly precious and rare
It’s “Nine Inch Nails” not “The Nine Inch Nails”
great response…i like her
I love how there are people who think music has only been around since sound could be recorded. There were musicians way before the first recording. Back to the dawn of man I would say. Stop saying they won’t be able to earn a living. They tour, play their music and earn it. Writing the music is half a job. They think they can laze around and play a show every once in awhile while taking sometimes up to a year to write 10 tracks which don’t sound like 1 years worth of work. The sooner they all realize that giving their music away and getting people to their shows is the only sure fire way of making a decent living for the majority of artists. They have to be decent though. Shit musicians will disappear and do it as a hobby only.
Perfect Microsoft E3 Karaoke Redemption. -Had never heard of Duffy when she sang at the MS E3 press conference. Wasn’t very good either. But a perfect example of the old phrase used in academia: “The only thing required for real change is for the old guard to die off.” …The new generation always gets it.
I didn’t like her one bit before, now i think shes GREAT!
I Love Duffy’s Music, she is such a new fresh artist. Her voice is awesome and her soulful bluesy pop genre is such a cool different sound that I think she will be a huge success in the US. I wish she would tour more cities in the US. I downloaded her music, but I will also buy her CD because I like what she said about sharing the music.
You have a big fan in Pittsburgh Duffy
Responses are closed
All remaining responses will continue to be archived. Use the TorrentFreak forums if you want to discuss something.