Skip Navigation

A New Documentary Traces How Piracy Overhauled the Music Industry

hypebeast.com A New Documentary Traces How Piracy Overhauled the Music Industry

‘How Music Got Free’ features interviews with Eminem, 50 Cent, Timbaland and more.

A New Documentary Traces How Piracy Overhauled the Music Industry

May be of interest to fellow pirates... youtube trailer | invidious trailer

Ah, the good old days of Kazaa, Bear Share, LimeWire, and Morpheus. What do you guys think - did piracy permanently devalue the music industry as claimed? Or were the record companies just massively overcharging for music in the first place? Given that record companies have been stiffing artists since forever, what is the best way to support your favorite musicians today?

In the streaming age, the concept of music piracy seems eons behind us. Back in the early 2000s, however, pirates shook up the industry by stealing and illegally distributing MP3s, which listeners would otherwise have to pay for.

How Music Got Free takes viewers back to the ‘90s and early aughts, when the FBI launched a sprawling investigation into music piracy to identify – and convict – those stealing music. Even once the thieves were discovered, mass music piracy was blamed for permanently devaluing music.

Directed by Alexandria Stapleton, the two-part documentary premiered at SXSW earlier this year.

22

You're viewing a single thread.

22 comments
You've viewed 22 comments.