Latest Lists

Should Rhapsody and other similar businesses continue to offer music online at reduced rates?

How much is a music CD worth to you-10 bucks, or 15, or 20? In recent years, CD prices have hovered around the $14 to $18 range, and the music industry would love to see them top $20. But consumers have been saying no to these price increases in a variety of ways. First, there was illegal downloading via Napster and other sites that contained unrestricted MP3 music files. Until Napster was shut down, music buffs could download thousands of songs onto their computers for free, meaning that artists and related businesses did not receive any revenues for their products. But the music industry was not guilt free, either. The states of New York and Florida sued the five largest music labels and several retail chains, alleging that CD prices had been fixed, a practice prohibited by federal law. The plaintiffs were ordered to pay $65 million in cash and distribute $75 million worth of CDs to nonprofit organizations in 50 states. Then came Rhapsody, a legal online music service that allowed consumers to download songs for a modest fee. Through its subscription service, music lovers can formulate their own CDs for roughly half the retail price and continue to listen to the tunes-as long as they continue to pay for their subscriptions. Should Rhapsody and other similar businesses continue to offer music online at reduced rates as a compromise between consumers and the music industry?

Public Comments

1. Assuming that Rhapsody MUST be paying royalties to meet their legal obligations, yes they should. I am highly opposed to buying a CD for one or two DECENT songs - the rest being unusable garbage.