How do you obtain your music?

[doady]

I don't really understand why people why would download the entire Tragically Hip albums. I recently bought 3 of their early albums brand new in store for $20 altogether. That's less than $7 each...

I also found used vinyl copies of U2 War and Joshua Tree for $2 each this past summer. Of course, since I grew up in the 90's, I had no record player, so I get one of those too.

The only new albums I have bought at full price recently are independent releases like Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, etc... Not really a conscious choice though. The most interesting music just happened to be from indie bands...

I also have 100s of MP3s on my computer as well, including some songs from bands that are impossible to find in stores now anyways...

 

[SunriseChampion]

I don't really understand why people why would download the entire Tragically Hip albums. I recently bought 3 of their early albums brand new in store for $20 altogether. That's less than $7 each...

QUOTE]

That's what I was saying. Paying to download is a scam. I'm not sure if prices in record shops have recently gone down (as I have purchased most of my hard copy music at used record shops in the last two years) but it seems it is actually more affordable to buy hard copies than to pay for the downloads.

Maybe record companies got their business in order and decided to stop gouging consumers due to the prevalence of pirated music or did the prices become subsidised by taxes on media (such as blank CDs)?

 

[gabe]

Unless you travel to downtown Record stores are few and far between. Wal Mart, Best Buy only carry the mainstream bands. Downloading is the easiest way for most people to get music, Ipods take up a lot less room too. Most of my cd collection is packed away in box's i got my cds loaded on my Ipods.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Unless you travel to downtown Record stores are few and far between. Wal Mart, Best Buy only carry the mainstream bands. Downloading is the easiest way for most people to get music, Ipods take up a lot less room too.

I won't disagree with the first bit, but will say that it's very much worth it.


The Internet's the easiest way for people to do a lot of things; does that automatically make it the best?

I'm talking, groceries, books, music, clothing....shit, do you even have to leave your house anymore for anything?

 

[doady]

The reason there are so few record stores is because of the Internet. Ten years ago, there were at least 3 record stores in Square One: HMV, Sam the Record Man, and Music World. Now only HMV is left, and it doesn't sell that much music anymore. It is not just music either, other kinds of retail are disappearing too. Retail is the real casualty of the internet. The record industry is not a casualty, they brought it upon themselves, and the Internet is just speeding up the process.

 

[adma]

Like a Virgin Megastore, shut for the very last time

 

[lordmandeep]

HMV sells far more DVD's then Musics cd's

Games are doing good for them as well.

I know during the Holidays/Boxing Day that place literally empty their shelves.

 

[Hydrogen]

Bla bla bla bla artists need money, GET WITH THE TIMES. Sorry but Sir Paul Mccarntey or David Bowie who's net worth is over half a billion dollars doesn't need my money. Bowie even charges people to join his lame fan club. No way i'm paying for a CD when artists are charging over $200 for ONE concert ticket i have no sympathy for them at all.

You're citing an extreme minority. Most artists have nowhere near the income of a Bowie or McCartney. If concerts cost more it's because they are becoming the primary source of income for artists. It's not as if that is cheap, either.

 

[TKTKTK]

The Internet's the easiest way for people to do a lot of things; does that automatically make it the best?

Not for everything, no. But for music (and, say, porn), absolutely.

 

[gabe]

You're citing an extreme minority. Most artists have nowhere near the income of a Bowie or McCartney. If concerts cost more it's because they are becoming the primary source of income for artists. It's not as if that is cheap, either.

Now a days for the majority of artists touring is the ONLY income, The greedy record companies takes a large percent of sales, I have seen a number of indie bands that encourage you to down load their album off their websites for free since they make peanuts from the record label sales. More their music is out there the more concert tickets they sell.

 

[adma]

Now a days for the majority of artists touring is the ONLY income,

Or if not that, licensing.

 

[lordmandeep]

Aerosmith has made a crap load of Money off Guitar Hero.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Not for everything, no. But for music (and, say, porn), absolutely.

Absolutely? Or is it still a matter of personal preference? The best porn is always the self-made stuff anyway.

Man, I feel weird. In the rollerblading thread in Toronto Issues I'm all pro-skateboard, young whippersnapper and here I feel like some seriously old-fashioned, need-to-get-with-the-times fella.

 

[LAz]

There should be a choice of other. I sometimes get some CD on half.com, but most of the time I exchange music via msn.

 

[doady]

Now a days for the majority of artists touring is the ONLY income, The greedy record companies takes a large percent of sales, I have seen a number of indie bands that encourage you to down load their album off their websites for free since they make peanuts from the record label sales. More their music is out there the more concert tickets they sell.

If artists feel that they benefit so little from signing to record companies, then why did they sign with the record companies? Unless they are unsigned, they should stop complaining because it makes them hypocrites.