This is why people share files

Spike Lee’s recent film Inside Man included some very nice incidental music and one song that absolutely blew me away. Chaiyya Chaiyya Bollywood Joint (featuring Panjabi MC) is a remix of a song from the Bollywood film Dil Se which, if the cover of the CD is any indication, has a very Romeo and Juliet sort of flavor to it.

I admit, I didn’t see Dil Se but I was intrigued enough by the remix to buy the soundtrack used. It’s good but it points out the very reason why many people share files and have no qualms about it. The remix is only available on iTunes as a full album, and while Terence Blanchard’s classical score is beautiful incidental music and only adds to the film in context out of context is it just that: incidental.

Sure, when you divide the price of the album ($9.99) by the number of cuts (27) you only pay $.37 per song, but given that most of those tracks probably will never be listened to more than once, and that 12 of them are under 1:30, that $9 over what you’d be willing to for the one song you want is enough to make anyone think about illegally downloading.

So, are the producers of this movie shooting themselves in the collective foot by trying to artificially boost album sales by refusing to sell this one single? Only time, and Kaaza, will tell.