What Are Pirated CDs, Copies CDs and Bootleg CDs?

Music that has been illegally copied onto a CD and sold as the copyrighted version are referred to as pirated, copies or bootleg CDs.

Sometimes the labels on such CDs and the CD covers are also counterfeit to make the product appear genuine. None of these terms (pirated, copied or bootlegged CDs) refer to physical CDs which have been stolen, but rather to the copyright in the music which has been illegally used.

Therefore it is the so-called “intellectual property” i.e. the music itself which has been stolen and NOT the physical CD.

Blank compact discs (CDs) are available extremely cheaply, for less than a dollar apiece. The technology for copying music onto CDs has become highly evolved and increasingly affordable.

It is possible to sell almost anything with a fair degree of anonymity online as well, from anywhere in the world. This makes a fertile environment for counterfeiters to copy and sell fake CDs.

You might argue that music-lovers benefit from this kind of activity but this is false. The criminals engaged in selling pirated CDs do not sell them much more cheaply than the originals.

In addition, the talented people who are responsible for creating the music – artistes, singers, producers – do not get paid their fair cut when you buy the CD. It is also false to assume that a CD bootlegger cannot make much of a business out of his or her activities.

Sometimes it is hard to tell if you are buying the genuine article or a pirated CD but there are a couple of pointers.

Is the CD properly sealed in plastic?
If it is not it could well be an illegal CD copy.
Does it have a printed, high-quality label?

A poor or partial label is probably the most obvious sign of a bootleg CD. Does the disc itself have an identifying label? If not it is certainly a pirated CD. You should look on the artiste’s website to see what the legal CD disc and cover look like and compare these with the article on sale.

Finally you should consider the marketing channel. Many sellers of counterfeit CDs reside in the Far East. Make an enquiry to the seller asking about the genuineness of the CD.

The reply, or a non-response, will tell you volumes about the product you are interested in. If there is no response at all, then definitely do not buy from that vendor. If there is a vague answer in bad grammar, do not answer.

You can always check the seller’s ratings by other buyers on eBay or other auction sites. They generally report if they received their merchandize and if the quality of the recording was professional or poor.

When in doubt, never order a CD online.