Educate Gospel Thieves, Monthly ArticlesLeave No Stone Unturne

Mar

2005

Educate Gospel Thieves

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Music theft. Did you think it wouldn't hit Southern Gospel? If you did - you were dead wrong, friend. "File Sharing" has become an enormous problem in all music markets. In Southern Gospel, music is being stolen - illegally downloaded from the Internet - every hour of every day. Every Tuesday morning I watch the sales sheets coming in, and I am amazed at the continuos drop in units sold by top Southern Gospel artist. Artist that use to sell 30 to 40,000 units per project, are lucky to move 9,000 a year.

Gritting my teeth, I set out to prove what many say has "not yet become a problem" in Southern Gospel music. I allowed a song, I had written and owned to be added to three well known file sharing websites. Anyone can sign up for free and download music, illegally, for nothing. Nothing. Within 24 hours over 400 people had downloaded the song. With just one song, that's nearly $6,000.00 in lost revenues for the record companies, distributors, writers and publishers.

Not a problem in Southern Gospel? I beg to differ. It's stealing. It's unfair-and it's happening everyday. Statistics show that 5 out of 10 consumers own or have burned at least one CD in their collection that they did not purchase.

Morally speaking, I'm not sure I understand why the downloaders don't just get a bag, run down to the local Walmart, pick up a CD, slide it under their coat and hit the door. Folks, stealing is stealing. Sure, Southern Gospel music is hard to find in retail outlets. But, what exactly makes illegal file sharing different to these people from shoplifting?

Why it's easy to "share files":

YOU ARE IN THE SAFETY OF YOUR OWN HOME
NO SECURITY CAMERAS ARE WATCHING
YOU CAN SAVE YOURSELF 14 DOLLARS
YOU WILL NOT BE STOPPED AT THE DOOR AND ARRESTED

Why it's WRONG to share files:

YOU ARE ROBBING ARTIST'S, LABEL'S AND WRITER'S OF MILLION'S OF DOLLAR'S
YOU ARE BEING WATCHED BY THE LAW
YOU CAN BE ARRESTED FOR STEALING MUSIC ON LINE
YOU MAY NOT HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS WATCHING - BUT, GOD IS

I took my search a little further. I searched some of the online hosts of these sites. Some of these folks had downloaded my song. While searching their shared files, I crossed Gaither Vocal Band, Happy Goodmans, Hinsons, Gold City and many other artist they were currently sharing.

The following are estimated numbers of stolen music files in a 7 day period

GAITHER VOCAL BAND- SHARED 8,654 FILES
HINSONS-SHARED 4,598 FILES
GOLD CITY- SHARED 3,457 FILES
PERRYS- SHARED 1,877 FILES
CATHEDRALS-SHARED 4,555 FILES

Even more alarming is the file sharing of our current top hit songs. Below, are the Top 5 songs in the National Charts for March 2005. Next to the title, you will find the estimated times the songs were stolen and shared on-line by users of these 3 sites.

Top 5 Songs in the Nation

1. "I GOT HERE AS FAST AS I COULD" - MARK BISHOP- USERS SHARED 1685 TIMES
2. "COME AWAY" - KEVIN SPENCER - USERS SHARED 959 TIMES
3. "FACES" - GREATER VISION - USERS SHARED 655 TIMES
4. "YOU'LL NEVER RUN OUT OF THE BLOOD" - HEIRLINE SHARED 1644 TIMES
5. "IT LOOKS LIKE LOVE TO ME" - CROSSWAY- SHARED 306 TIMES

There is a flip side to all this, of course. From the consumer standpoint, Southern Gospel may have become perfectly ripe for what is called by many "justifiable theft." Radio stations are lost every day to corporate takeovers and poor revenue related format changes. Record companies are releasing new music at an unbelievable pace while retail shelf space is still, primarily, given to Contemporary and Black Gospel artists. Demand increases while supply or, at least, local retail supply -- dwindles. The Internet puts the hard-to-find Southern Gospel smack in the lap of the consumer - for free.

There is also a "doomsayers" contingent, both in our corner of the music industry and across the board, that suggests we are heading for a black out and total shut down of Southern Gospel music. I strongly disagree. We are not going away. But, my question is where are we going? Labels are already cutting projects back to 10 songs, dropping artist, and cutting retail prices by 15%. Artist are being charged unreasonable recoupments by their labels, not getting paid royalties on time, suffering a shortage of concerts and losing shelf space.

If the labels are going to charge artists unreasonable recoupments, and wash any profits under the table, then PROTECT your product. Labels, are less concerned in gospel, because their money has already been made.

But, can't we think past the recoupment stage? Can we think beyond reaching the industry standard? Can we look past selling 9,000 units because that's what the average artist is moving? The industry is dropping it's standard, cutting the consumers out of more music, cheating the artists, publishers, and writers out of their money. If the labels and owners are going to bark about every issue and going to spend big money to showcase their clients with ads and lavish projects, then start protecting your product.

Lobby and educate consumers about the file sharing. Go on these sites and demand users and hosts to stop using your products, hire a lawyer to certify letters to the file sharing companies. And for the consumers, stop stealing people's music. Every time you rip a copy of someone's CD's to give to someone else, you could just as well have stuck your hand in their cash box and grabbed you a $20.00 bill. You my friend, just took $15.00.

The artists pick the songs, sing the songs, pay the musicians, fight for their creative control, spend endless months recording, radio tours, photo shoots, single releases, leave their families, fight the politics of the industry, suffer concert disappointments, bad checks from promoters and churches, rising fuel costs, travel thousands of miles, sleep sometimes 3 hours a night, set up and sing, stand on their feet 10 hours a night, pray endless for their ministry. Then here comes Aunt Mable to stand at their tape table and decide which CD's you will buy and burn for each other. Stop stealing!! I hope Southern Gospel consumers, labels, and artists will help educate the public.

I would love to know everyone's take on this.

Do consumers have the right to download Southern Gospel music?
Do you feel it's stealing, if the consumer can't find it anywhere else?

Rick Hendrix
http://www.rickhendrix.com

Reader Comments

Larry are you the one, I met with Dottie Rambo at Gospel Music TV. I enjoyed her at the Grand Resort.I cannot imagine people stealing music.

Carla

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 03/14/2005

Sorry, I got to thinking about Dottie Rambo. This is a wonderful article. Sad. Our world thinks everything is its own.
Carla

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 03/14/2005

You never know where you will find your music. My wife and I were at a resort last summer when they announced there was to be a wedding in the lobby and asked everyone to not come through after the start. We walked in to watch and while the couple were reading their vows in the back ground was playing our new single "When A Man Loves A Woman". After the wedding was over I asked teh couple about the song. They said it was one of their favorites and they had gotten it from the internet. I gave them a copy sothey would not be starting out their new life with this sin hanging over them. Instead of rejoicing with them I greived over their plight.
You see they thought they had gotten away with downloading that song when they actualy came face to face with the one that had recorded it.
You may think you are getting away with stealing but there will come a day when you will come face to face with He that ons it all the author and finisher of every thought and situation. What will you say to Jesus then.

And yes you can visit songfile.com and see where i paid for the rights for "When A Man Loves A Woman"

Dan Traxler

Commented by Dan Traxler (Gospel Sax-Man) On 03/14/2005

I'm a graduate student at a Christian university. One of our professors was talking about this recently. When he approached the subject with his undergrad class, they said this was ok if it was Christian music because they were, in essence, spreading the Gospel message.

He then asked if Jesus condoned stealing for a "greater good." At this point, the students became quiet.

But, it's the truth. So many think it's okay to do it because it's Christian music. I just hope one day people will realize that it is what it is--stealing.

Commented by Alicia Morris On 03/15/2005

Praise God Rick for your article! We have people that come back to our table after a concert and have the audacity to stand there and tell each other one will by the cd's and burn them off for the other person! I've heard it more than once!

Commented by Ben Scroggs On 03/15/2005

To old97fan, the license fees paid by radio stations, venues and other music users do not go to the artists. They go to the songwriters and publishers of the songs. Just as you would not build a house without paying for the lumber and bricks, you should not build a music related business without paying for the basic building material -- the music. By the way, the 8.5 cents per song, per copy royalty that is supposed to be paid for the use of songs on a CD is the way the artists pay for the use of their building material.

Commented by Keith Prater On 03/15/2005

I know what we say is happening.What can be done about it? Books are free on line, music videos at AOL, news,weather etc. To most people,its like turning the channel and watching MTV, CMT or something.

Dale

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 03/16/2005

You are so right, Rick. This is stealing. The trouble is that most people don't consider it wrong. That is the tragedy. There are plenty of sites on the Internet where one can purchase projects online, so the excuse of not being able to find the music doesn't work. Your article really hit the nail on the head. Thanks for telling it like it is. I hope lots of people read it & take it to heart & stop stealing from these ministers of God.

God is good all the time & all the time God is good.

Elaine Harcourt

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 03/16/2005

I fully agree with this article. However, I would sadly have to say that the majority of us are guilty at some point in our lives. I think that this article is a real eye opener. Way to go Rick. I like how you aren't afraid to tackle hard subjects.

Justin

Commented by Justin Endicott On 03/16/2005

Rick,
Once again, you hit it right "on the money" (sorry, I just couldn't resist!).
There are probably a few folks who don't realize this is actually "illegal"; however, I think that the number who don't is probably very small. I think it's honestly more an issue of "it's a ministry" and I should "share God's Word however I can."
You know, if Christian people would adhere to God's Word on giving and finances, there would typically be enough money in our budgets to actually PURCHASE the music. Let's face it, folks. The church at large has gotten caught up in the "gotta-have-it-now" mentality and we allow our money to go toward things that will be burned up one day. Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't have nice things. But I do wonder how many times we could support "ministries" with our finances. Then maybe we would have the extra money to BUY the music for ourselves or those to whom we're trying to "minister." I have to wonder what the people to whom we minister think when they receive a pirated copy of gospel music ... hmm! What kind of a witness is that????!!!!

Commented by Donna Strong On 03/16/2005

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