Yep. And like I said, not judging, just opining.
Gotcha. I guess it's the "just in case I end up liking it" strategy. Usually for more experimental records that are outside of my usual music zone.
Yep. And like I said, not judging, just opining.
Am I buying new R.E.M. album? YES.
This isn't quite right. I download lots and lots of albums and I listen to them all at least once. I don't share them with anyone. If I'm not into it after giving it a fair shot, I'll discard it. If I like something ok, I might leave it around for a while, but I'll eventually discard it if I'm not interested in it after 6 months or so. Albums that end up resonating with me get purchased. I use downloading as a way of filtering/finding the music I like. It takes the risk out of purchases for me, so perhaps I buy less than I would otherwise, but I still buy albums that I think are deserving of support. I think that's the group of people ndmaxfield was talking about above.
It's definitely not "wishful thinking" or "nonsensical". It's a combination of supporting deserving artists and the enjoyment of having the physical CD with physical liner notes in a physical case.
This is a classic, "but that doesn't apply to me!" response to evidence of an undeniable trend. There are exceptions to any rule. You are the exception, not the rule. If everyone was like you album sales wouldn't be down.
p.s.- I rarely meet anyone who will admit that they only steal music and never buy it. And yet...
Are you referring to the Murmurs reissue or is there another new album that I don't know about?
I also go with the download and then buy if I like it pattern. I mean there are bands I'd buy the album no matter what U2, Morrissey etc. But only because I want all their albums, for most other bands unless they make a good album I don't want it. I listen to plenty of artists who barely sell any albums, if no one buys these artists albums they might not get to make another one. Maybe one euro won't make a difference to the artist, maybe one sale won't convince the record label to give them another album. Most artists aren't rich and I find it just unfair to not pay for an album if they release something great. The artist deserves it
The problem is a lot of people just download and don't buy, even if they love the album. And that really affects sales
Unless you're Amy Winehouse of course
Also-keep in mind that stolen/illegally downloaded music has helped more than one band rise to prominence and wealth in recent years. Fleet Foxes would be the most recent one--their album leaked something like 6 months early. Everyone had heard that thing before it was out, and now they're featured in music mags from LA to France.
I definitely agree with this, a lot of bands do benefit from downloading. I mean how many of the big indie bands would of been big if there was no illegal downloading?
I'm in college, one of the questions in class was
"Who here has illegally downloaded an album in the last few weeks?"
Nearly everyone raised their hands
"Who here's bought a cd in the last few weeks?"
Two people raised their hands
Downloading definitely does affects sales. The best selling album of the last three years sold 10 million, albums could sell that in the US 10 years ago.
But who is to say that those downloads would have equaled sales otherwise? Those kids might just have not heard anything new....
But who is to say that those downloads would have equaled sales otherwise? Those kids might just have not heard anything new....
Irishteen, if you haven't read it yet, check out Appetite for Self-Destruction by Steve Knopper. It's an excellent review of how mismanagement and short-sightedness ran the record business aground.
(Several references to U2 being one of the labels "bulletproof" assets as well.)
Downloads will affect it like any other release and the album will be lucky to sell anything close to three quarters what the Bomb sold. Due to downloads, no matter what it will probably sell less than Pop did
That may be so, but your comments before implied that there were no exceptions to the rule...and I imagine that they are more numerous than you think. Do you really think that all the guys browsing around the local, hip, last-of-a-dying-breed record shops only listen to physical albums and never download?
p.s. Do you really meet a lot of people and ask them whether they buy or steal music?
Also-keep in mind that stolen/illegally downloaded music has helped more than one band rise to prominence and wealth in recent years. Fleet Foxes would be the most recent one--their album leaked something like 6 months early. Everyone had heard that thing before it was out, and now they're featured in music mags from LA to France.
Yes, precisely. Free music plus crazy internet buzz equals lots of promotion. If your music is good, this promotion will far outweigh money lost on downloading because you'll end up getting more albums purchased than you would have otherwise AND you get to make bank from touring.
No stolen music: 500 albums sold. Stolen music: 347,000 albums stolen and 120,000 albums purchased. Which would you rather have?
All in all, I'd argue that this has led to better music quality in recent illegal-downloading years. Music corporations may suffer but the cream is rising to the top and good bands are rewarded.
So instead of bands getting rewarded just because Universal pushes the living shit out of the album, bands are more likely to get rewarded on quality. This also explains the rise of the indie label to some degree.
But record sales are a lot lower now than in 2000 or 2004. Illegal downloading is still huge. Did the best selling album in the US last year even sell 3 million?
And there's more to the worldwide than the US, I honestly think album sales worldwide for the album will struggle to match Pop. Worldwide sales are just too low lately
But record sales are a lot lower now than in 2000 or 2004. Illegal downloading is still huge. Did the best selling album in the US last year even sell 3 million?
And there's more to the worldwide than the US, I honestly think album sales worldwide for the album will struggle to match Pop. Worldwide sales are just too low lately
Again, I think it will be a generational change, where kids that are just now starting to buy (or steal) music won't mind not having anything tangible because that's not been their experience. I wouldn't be surprised if physical media was completely dead in 15 years, maybe even sooner.
I'm even more scared of the day when it will be hard to get lossless (preferably uncompressed) audio in any format.
It's sad really, because the internet really has become the end for a lot of stores and purchasing of some physical items.