I love the sound of music and I may me hearing it more sooner than I expected as sanity may be forced upon the recording industry despite its best efforts at suicide. Apple Computer’s recent entry into the downloadable music market may make a difference in what has become a greed-based business that has lost contact with its consumers.
For years the music industry has spiraled out of control as mountains of money streamed in fueling an entity that has been long on hype but short on vision and ability, but long on stupidity and heavy-handed retribution. A long-standing consumer complaint is the high price of CDs and the lack of quality cuts on them, but Apple’s 99¢ store may be the answer.
Apple’s on-line music store offers downloadable and legal music at 99¢ a shot. One song for 99¢ is a throwback to the days when music lovers bought 45-RPM records for a similar price and were guaranteed to receive the hit record they wanted, plus a “B-Side” for free. It is an idea that might actually have a chance because it offers today’s music lovers access to their favorite music over the Internet—legally—and for only 99¢ without buying an entire CD.
Years ago, buyers of 45-RPM records were always assured they would get a hit song and had a 50/50 chance of getting a good song on the flip-side of the record and for the low cost of 99¢. Even when the cost of 45-RPM records went up, consumers still had the same chance. The fidelity wasn’t always the greatest but you always got the hit record you wanted.
When the vinyl album took over it was not unusual for as many as four songs from one album to become hits. Although many artists and recording companies tried to maintain high standards by making every track listenable, in reality it wasn’t possible. Nevertheless, the goal was always to produce top-flight music.
By the time CDs arrived, record companies called the shots and savvy music executives learned how to extend success by not putting all the best songs on one CD, but to save them for future releases. Nobody wants to pay $17 for a CD with one listenable song. CDs have anywhere from 9-15 tracks on them and nowadays there is a strong chance that 90% won’t be worth hearing. The way I see it, the industry owes me $15.86 for the 14 tracks that aren’t worth a ****.
Sure, pirating has hurt music sales, but it has been hurt more by sky-high prices, shoddy work and arrogance. So, in many ways the recording industry is responsible for its own demise and the pirating of its music. By making low quality products and hoarding the hits, the music industry has encouraged pirating as consumers find ways to get the songs they like without paying $17 for a CD that has but a single tune worth hearing.
The only way to get a CD full of hits today is to wait for the artist’s “Greatest Hits” CD and even then you may not be happy, but you are assured of getting more than one listenable song. With today’s CD players I can program my player so that I never have to hear songs that offend my ears, but more than likely my listening experience will be short because there aren’t enough good tracks on six CDs to fill an hour. It irritates me to pay for music that I don’t want. Obviously, there is more money to be made selling a $17 CD than a 99¢ MP3, but that isn’t my problem.
It is strange that the music industry has made use of modern technology to improve the sound of the music but seems to have no idea of how to market in the age of high-speed communications. Recording studios bustle with networking technology, digital apparatus and high-speed communication technologies, but when it comes to distribution the industry is barely ahead of the Pony Express.
That’s why Apple’s 99¢ store sounds like an idea whose time has come again. Like 45-RPM records of years ago, the buyer will be ensured of at least getting the song they want without needing to purchase 14 other songs that should be shut away in a closet.
No one owes a musician, singer or artist a career. The have to earn it or fade away into obscurity. As a musician, I am obviously in favor of artist being paid, but I am against the arrogant industry that thinks the world can’t live without them. Music and talented people will persevere as they always have, but perhaps it is time to give the music industry the kick in the *** it so richly deserves.
Ra
:maddd:
For years the music industry has spiraled out of control as mountains of money streamed in fueling an entity that has been long on hype but short on vision and ability, but long on stupidity and heavy-handed retribution. A long-standing consumer complaint is the high price of CDs and the lack of quality cuts on them, but Apple’s 99¢ store may be the answer.
Apple’s on-line music store offers downloadable and legal music at 99¢ a shot. One song for 99¢ is a throwback to the days when music lovers bought 45-RPM records for a similar price and were guaranteed to receive the hit record they wanted, plus a “B-Side” for free. It is an idea that might actually have a chance because it offers today’s music lovers access to their favorite music over the Internet—legally—and for only 99¢ without buying an entire CD.
Years ago, buyers of 45-RPM records were always assured they would get a hit song and had a 50/50 chance of getting a good song on the flip-side of the record and for the low cost of 99¢. Even when the cost of 45-RPM records went up, consumers still had the same chance. The fidelity wasn’t always the greatest but you always got the hit record you wanted.
When the vinyl album took over it was not unusual for as many as four songs from one album to become hits. Although many artists and recording companies tried to maintain high standards by making every track listenable, in reality it wasn’t possible. Nevertheless, the goal was always to produce top-flight music.
By the time CDs arrived, record companies called the shots and savvy music executives learned how to extend success by not putting all the best songs on one CD, but to save them for future releases. Nobody wants to pay $17 for a CD with one listenable song. CDs have anywhere from 9-15 tracks on them and nowadays there is a strong chance that 90% won’t be worth hearing. The way I see it, the industry owes me $15.86 for the 14 tracks that aren’t worth a ****.
Sure, pirating has hurt music sales, but it has been hurt more by sky-high prices, shoddy work and arrogance. So, in many ways the recording industry is responsible for its own demise and the pirating of its music. By making low quality products and hoarding the hits, the music industry has encouraged pirating as consumers find ways to get the songs they like without paying $17 for a CD that has but a single tune worth hearing.
The only way to get a CD full of hits today is to wait for the artist’s “Greatest Hits” CD and even then you may not be happy, but you are assured of getting more than one listenable song. With today’s CD players I can program my player so that I never have to hear songs that offend my ears, but more than likely my listening experience will be short because there aren’t enough good tracks on six CDs to fill an hour. It irritates me to pay for music that I don’t want. Obviously, there is more money to be made selling a $17 CD than a 99¢ MP3, but that isn’t my problem.
It is strange that the music industry has made use of modern technology to improve the sound of the music but seems to have no idea of how to market in the age of high-speed communications. Recording studios bustle with networking technology, digital apparatus and high-speed communication technologies, but when it comes to distribution the industry is barely ahead of the Pony Express.
That’s why Apple’s 99¢ store sounds like an idea whose time has come again. Like 45-RPM records of years ago, the buyer will be ensured of at least getting the song they want without needing to purchase 14 other songs that should be shut away in a closet.
No one owes a musician, singer or artist a career. The have to earn it or fade away into obscurity. As a musician, I am obviously in favor of artist being paid, but I am against the arrogant industry that thinks the world can’t live without them. Music and talented people will persevere as they always have, but perhaps it is time to give the music industry the kick in the *** it so richly deserves.
Ra
:maddd: