Trading CD-Rs of OOP music--Illegal? Immoral?

As I was [am] new to this site, I started a thread on the Classifieds forum asking for clarification of the rules prohibiting CD-R trading on this site. I have since come to see that because of Steve's close ties to the music industry--indeed his livelihood is dependent on that industry--condoning CD-R trading here would only make trouble for him.

From that thread and others on this site, it seems that there is general agreement that CD-R trading of in-print items hurts the artist and record company [though there doesn't seem to be much sympathy for record companies]. Plus, it's clearly illegal. And done in large quantities it goes by such names as "bootlegging" and "pirating."

But there was another line of discussion from that Classifieds forum thread that I found interesting, and as that thread was unceremoniously closed yesterday, I thought I'd bring that discussion to the Music Corner and a wider audience. Namely, whereas out of print music may indeed be copyright protected, is it immoral to trade CD-Rs of OOP items as there are no royalties lost to either the artist or record company? In this sense is CD-R trading any different than buying a used CD [where neither artist or record company get nickle one in royalties]?

 

It is illegal to trade OOP music on CD-R and cassette as well. The record companies claim that it will lower demand for the music if done so.

 

BTW, in such countries as China, etc. you can see bootleg CDs everywhere on store shelves, even is such places as HMV and Tower.

 

Selling boots of in-print items in large quantities [like China] and trading CD-Rs of OOP items to a few friends strikes me as two very different things. As far as record company claims that trading CD-Rs will lower demand, I have to ask "Lower demand for what?" The CD, in this hypothetical example, is OOP. There's nothing for the fan to buy. If anything, this trading creates a buzz such that if and when the item is released, sales might actually be higher than they otherwise would be.

 

Enough with the CD-R threads, please! Thread closed.