Essay, Research Paper: Napster And Musician Rights

Music copyright is something that will always be in question. Many people believe that music is for all to hear and should not be restricted on how we obtain it. Napster is the greatest controversy in the United States at current. Many musicians and people believe others should have free access to all music. Music is an expression of feelings and it is an art, And art is something that is there for others to observe whether it is by looking at it with their eyes or listening to it with their ears. We can go into a museum and view a painting freely why should we not be allowed to listen to music freely although it is air over the radio. Unrestricted access to music allows people to more readily know what music they prefer and appeals to them. The program Napster allows people to find music listen to it and find out what artist sings a particular song and listen to it. Then many of those people go out and purchase those CD's which makes money for those bands. Free access to music allows knowledge of new bands to become more wide spread and can increase the circulation and popularity of a song and a band. Napster creates an environment that allows people all over America to share their music with others This is no different from someone copying a CD for a friend so they can have it but no one can control that just because Napster it nationwide record companies want to control it. niether record companies or the government should not determine how people get their music or find out about new music people should determine this for themselves.
Many recording artist state that they are losing money because of Internet programs such as Napster. This statement made by the band Metallica states the feelings of many recording artist "From day one our fight has always been to protect the rights of artists who chose not to have their music exploited without consent. The court's decision validates this right and confirms that Napster was wrong in taking not only Metallica's music but other artists who do not want to be a part of the Napster system and exploiting it without their approval." We have never objected to the technology, the Internet or the digital distribution of music. All we have ever asked is that artists be able to control how, when and in what form their creativity is distributed through these channels. These are some of the basic rights that Napster has continually refused to accept." Many musical artist feel that they are being cheated because people are not paying to listen to their music. Just like a poem some songs are not meant for the world to hear and Napster puts songs all over America available at the click of a button.
Although Napster does offer music to be accessed by anyone it does not censor children from accessing music that contains lyrics not appropriate for them. Altough parents should be responsible for obtaining programs or viewing what their children are accessing online. As a musical artist myself I believe that everyone should have access to all music at no cost but if you want to have that music on such as a CD you should have to pay for the artist time and effort put into making that CD you wouldn't goto work everyday if you didn't get paid. Napster also allows people for all over the nation to share and introduce others to new music and who has the right to restrict the freedom and ideas of an individual who is trying to express themselves. Napster is something that will always be in controversy as long as it exist but who will make the final decision.