ARTISTS SPEAK OUT
.STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
"A lot more goes into a CD than it may appear. The price of a CD doesn’t just go back to the record company. Everyone who works with me to record and distribute my music makes a living and supports their families from CD sales as well. It’s a big network of people from my co-producer, the engineers, my band all the way to assembly line people who help to manufacture the CDs and the truck drivers who get them to the stores. There are now legitimate websites that provide an alternative to illegal burning. I want to encourage my listeners to use these sites and to buy instead of burning illegally. On behalf of the team who works alongside me, we’d appreciate it."

.STACIE ORRICO
"As an artist it can be discouraging that people don’t realize how much time and effort you put into making and promoting a record. I’ve found that in both the Christian and mainstream markets, the misconception is the same - everyone thinks that as soon as you have a song on radio, you are living glamourously. For many of us, that is far from the truth. There are many people that contribute to my career as an artist and, when you participate in illegal copying of music, you not only hurt the artist, you hurt all the support staff that work with them. I think I speak for most artists when I say that we do this because we love music and we love people - that is what motivates us to keep a hectic pace and be away from our families. We need the support of our fans and that includes your support by choosing legal downloading."

.SHAUN GROVES
"Students I’ve spoken with adopt a Robin Hood complex, saying they’re stealing from wealthy people and therefore it’s not wrong. Perhaps artists should be more open with their audiences, shattering the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous image. The reality is that my wife and two kids live in an apartment. We drive 10-year old Camrys, not BMWs. And what about the bands of four or five guys signed to a small label, splitting love offerings from weekend shows, buying gas for their van, sharing a house or hotel room and working as waiters or garbage men to make ends meet? Very few artists I know are getting rich, and our consumers need to know that so we can correct their perception and obliterate their rationale for stealing music. But even if I was outrageously wealthy…, would it then justify someone illegally downloading my music? Of course not."