i will continue to support the independent record store until it is no more. i still thoroughly enjoy the moment of ripping that plastic wrap and sticker off of the case and popping the disc into the player for the first time. that feeling, yes, actual feeling, can never be replaced by watching a task bar or window tell me a download is complete. i am not against downloading as it is the most convenient and probably cheapest form of obtaining music which goes hand in hand with our impatience and lazyness. its nice to have everything at our fingertips and not having to wait until tuesday morning when the record store opens to get what we want. shit, in 2006, it was fantastic to have a recent pj show on my ipod within x hours after it concluded. as far as major releases though, i prefer to purchase a tangible product that hopefully compensates, albeit a silly percentage, the artist that granted us with the gift of music.
Don't buy many CDs. I also think that the argument about mp3s not sounding as good is slightly exaggerated. Whilst it's obviously true, I never find them unlistenable (unless it's something like 62kbs).
I think people like the idea of having an impressive music collection in their house. I'm not too fussed, the music is always first with me. The album artwork and 'packaging' is just secondary to me.
I still buy albums, LP's, VINYL, and used CD's MP3's sound like SHIT if you know anything about music, they are compressed music files that don't sound anything like they were intended to sound like.
So keep downloading all the free mp3 files you want, they sound horrible anyway, if any of the people that download all this crap had half a brain they'd go buy a used turntable somewhere and start listening to music the way it's suppose to sound. Or at least a decent CD player with a good Digital to Analog converter connected to it. WAKE UP young people you're listening to SHITTY sounding music.
and thus that is why I buy CDs of older music but download newer stuff if somewhat interested. Most stuff released today I will not buy because I cannot support something like that; when CD audio starts to sound like low quality MP3's you can count me out.
If I happen upon something new that actually sounds decent, I'll buy it.
I still buy CDs. I don't download, legally or illegally, because I still like looking at the artwork and having a physical object. I only buy CDs of bands that I know I enjoy and don't do the whole 'well I've heard so-and-so talk about BandX, so I'll pick up this album' thing anymore.
CDs vs downloading is one issue, and mainly a personal choice. Even though I still only buy CDs, I don't think that the ability to legally download a song or album is bad or shouldn't be done. If that's what you prefer then all power to you. Downloading legally vs illegally is an entirely different topic that the OP threw in. While still a choice, one option is a criminal action and the other is not. I do have a problem with downloading music illegally though. Part of that stems from having a mother who is a musician and hearing her thoughts on the issue and part of it is because of the struggling bands who sometimes can't afford to not get paid for their product.
Don't buy many CDs. I also think that the argument about mp3s not sounding as good is slightly exaggerated. Whilst it's obviously true, I never find them unlistenable (unless it's something like 62kbs).
Very rarely do I not have issues with a 128kbps mp3. All of the stuff on my iPod is 192, and even then I have issues from time to time. Compressed audio is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I don't think it is exaggerated at all. People who can listen to crappy sounding mp3s are beyond me - I just don't get it. I actually had iTunes reimburse me for the download of "Love Reign Over Me" by PJ because it sounded atrocious.
I've only DL'd mp3s from iTunes because of gift cards I have gotten. For little 1-off downloads I am ok with it, but I will never replace album buying with album downloading.
Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
When I was 15 I probably spent hours looking the artwork in my Pearl Jam CD's, but 10 years later I quickly flip through my new booklets and put the case away for months or even years at a time. Most of my listening time is spent surfing the internet, working or relaxing in the dark at night, so there aren't many opportunities to read lyrics and look at artwork.
I miss those days when I'd sit by the CD player listening to the same album 2 or 3 times in a row, examining the packaging.:)
When I was 15 I probably spent hours looking the artwork in my Pearl Jam CD's, but 10 years later I quickly flip through my new booklets and put the case away for months or even years at a time. Most of my listening time is spent surfing the internet, working or relaxing in the dark at night, so there aren't many opportunities to read lyrics and look at artwork.
I miss those days when I'd sit by the CD player listening to the same album 2 or 3 times in a row, examining the packaging.:)
I know what you mean, I always did the same thing. I usually flip through the booklet and scan the lyrics as soon as I get a new one, but after that I rarely ever look at it again.
Personally, I grew up with parents that had a ton of records and I think for me buying cds is enjoying standing there in front of shelves full of cds looking for what I want.....a full cd shelf is a wonderful sight to me
All I have to do is revel in the everyday....then do it again tomorrow
They say every sin is deadly but I believe they may be wrong...I'm guilty of all seven and I don't feel too bad at all
If I like it I buy it. Simple as that. I enjoy having the 'whole' package as others have said. I do consider it stealing, and therefore won't do it.
but how do you know if you like it? you try it first.
It's not a generation thing.
I'm 36 and there isn't a single vinyl, tape or CD I ever bought without having listened to it first (apart from new albums of people I already owned the whole back catalog of).
In the past through a tape made by a friend or a copy of a CD borrowed at the library, now though download.
It's nothing new and in fact the internet expanded everyone musical horizon since it made music sharing global, your musical buddies are everywhere.
Now I do still, eventually, buy the CDs of stuff I like, but it's really just for the principle because the CDs are just gathering dust. I can't hear the difference between a V2 or V0 mp3 and a CD, so for convenience play the music through the PC (hooked to an amp digitally though)
and anyway listen to most of my music on the move (which is why I consider streaming services pointless).
I will not otoh, pay for a lossy format. Certainly not without a significant discount on what I pay for a CD, which is generally £5-$10, but then if I pay, I might as well get the full thing.
oh and never if DRMd.. DRM = no buy. ever.
actually, I think the decline of the 'value' of music happened not with the internet but with the switch to CD:
It went from something to value, cherish for its look (artwork works only really on Vinyl) and most importantly treat with care, to something light, 'undamageable', easily tucked away, copied (not necessarily bad things in themselves).
the way people treated the support moulded the way they thought about and treated the content.
I would never pay for a compressed MP3. I grew up with LPs and it was hard enough transitioning to CDs. At this point I only buy CDs. No way I'd ever pay for low-fidelity single songs with no artwork. This phenomenon has killed fidelity and proper studio mastering.
Why do people buy posters or paintings? Why not just download a low-res jpg of your favorite poster or piece of art?
"I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
I do both but I download a lot, feel no guilt and will buy stuff from a band if I download their stuff and like it. Fact is, I wouldn't have heard half of the incredible music I have if I didn't download illegally. Can't afford to buy it all. The way I see it is, the well-known and therefore rich artists can't complain and the smallers ones who deserve my money would rather I heard and enjoyed their music without paying and might go out of my way to find their rare releases and see their gigs in the future than just never bother listening to them because I don't want to shell out £20 on an imported CD that was only pressed 500 times. I know if it was my music I'd feel that way.
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
Yes - but I'm old. I like the physical artefact, though I'm still nostalgic for vinyl.
I get a lot of things sent to me for review though so "buy" often doesn't come into it. I do dl stuff from iTunes but usualy just when I want a single track from something. Otherwise I just dl boots and so on.
Can honestly say I've never downloaded anything illegally and rarely download anything at all if possible (with the exception of the last lot of PJ Flac boots!).
Much prefer to have the physical entity and take in the experience of opening it up and seeing the artwork for the first time.
Honestly hope downloads don't result in the extinction of the physical manifestations!
I just got a new mp3 player and I downloaded 1 song for 99 cents from amazon and bought two Toad the Wet sprocket cds used from amazon.com (and maybe half.com) and put the songs on there.
I'll keep buying cds. I could lose my mp3 player or my computer could crash.
I play cds in my car still (I'm ancient!)
I've got alot of cds and movies. It does make my spare room cluttered though.
speaking of cds, every morning this week, I played brian vander ark's resurrection cd. I love 90 percent of it. So relaxing when I'm in a hurry.
9/98, 9/00 - DC, 4/03 - Pitt., 7/03 - Bristow, 10/04 - Reading, 10/05 - Philly, 5/06 - DC, 6/06 - Pitt., 6/08 - Va Beach, 6/08 - DC, 5/10 - Bristow, 10/13 B'more
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
I think for me buying cds is enjoying standing there in front of shelves full of cds looking for what I want.....a full cd shelf is a wonderful sight to me
it's so true. looking at cd and vinyl collections make me happy. the possibilities seem endless when they are all lined up.
and as everyone said...the best is opening a new cd, reading the whole booklet, absorbing the lyrics... i hope these things never become obsolete.
I'll always buy it if I feel its worthy of being in my library. And by library, I mean physical library. Of course I load everything into iTunes as well, but I like the physical representation.
If it all ends up going digital only in the future, I'll be burning every single thing I have to d/l to disc and then putting it in my physical collection.
Guess I'm old fashioned in that way...
Mojo
"A consistently good band works all the different elements well. A song has to appeal sentimentally, intellectually, physically, viscerally, and dig deep down into your soul and suck you into it. And after that, of course, it'd be a matter of taste." ~ Kim Thayil from Soundgarden
I still like having the physical copy, so I buy everything!
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
the possibilities seem endless when they are all lined up.
Exactly...I know I've got something in there that will perfectly fit whatever mood I am in at that moment, no matter what I want to hear or need to hear at that time. Having the actual cd just feels more personal to me as compared to a download burned on some plain, stupid looking blue cd.
I too hope we are never limited only to purchasing digital music, although I have no large problem with it and have never really found the sound to be that terrible as compared to the cds. It just wouldn't be the same though
All I have to do is revel in the everyday....then do it again tomorrow
They say every sin is deadly but I believe they may be wrong...I'm guilty of all seven and I don't feel too bad at all
I still like having the physical copy, so I buy everything!
Same here ....... plus I find more musicians and record companies are smartening up by reducing prices on cds and including more bonuses.
Van 92.07.21 / Van 98.07.19 / Sea 98.07.22 / Tor 98.08.22 / Sea 00.11.06 / Van 03.05.30/ Van 05.09.02/ Gorge 06.07.22 & 23 / EV Van 08.04.02 / Tor 09.08.21 / Sea 09.09.21 & 22 / Van 09.09.25 / Van 11.09.25 / Van 13.12.04 / Pem 16.07.17 / Sea 18.08.10
I buy everything I can on vinyl and wait for CD's I want to appear in a used CD bin. That being said I will partake in leaks and I'll download something early if I don't have the cash when it goes on sale.
i only buy CDs. i will not pay for digital music unless it is the only way to get it. i shouldn't have to pay for something that i do not possess a tangible copy of (IMO). blank CDs are soulless to me and i never use them. i am proud of my cd collection and even enjoy looking at it (as weird as that makes me sound). do i pirate music? of course. but if i genuinely like it enough to keep it on my computer i usually get around to buying the physical disc as well.
I definitely still buy cd's. I figure I have about 600 of them so it's a stupid time to stop. Not much worthwhile nowadays anyway except for older artists.....Pearl Jam included of course!!!
When I was 15 I probably spent hours looking the artwork in my Pearl Jam CD's, but 10 years later I quickly flip through my new booklets and put the case away for months or even years at a time. Most of my listening time is spent surfing the internet, working or relaxing in the dark at night, so there aren't many opportunities to read lyrics and look at artwork.
I miss those days when I'd sit by the CD player listening to the same album 2 or 3 times in a row, examining the packaging.:)
you know, i think about that all the time too. those times were so magical.
Yep. In fact, I haven't bought a PJ bootleg since 03 when they stopped making physical bootlegs. Other than the Gorge of course. I like being able to hold something in my hand and look at the cover work and read liner notes.
Comments
I think people like the idea of having an impressive music collection in their house. I'm not too fussed, the music is always first with me. The album artwork and 'packaging' is just secondary to me.
and thus that is why I buy CDs of older music but download newer stuff if somewhat interested. Most stuff released today I will not buy because I cannot support something like that; when CD audio starts to sound like low quality MP3's you can count me out.
If I happen upon something new that actually sounds decent, I'll buy it.
- Al Swearengen
http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com
CDs vs downloading is one issue, and mainly a personal choice. Even though I still only buy CDs, I don't think that the ability to legally download a song or album is bad or shouldn't be done. If that's what you prefer then all power to you. Downloading legally vs illegally is an entirely different topic that the OP threw in. While still a choice, one option is a criminal action and the other is not. I do have a problem with downloading music illegally though. Part of that stems from having a mother who is a musician and hearing her thoughts on the issue and part of it is because of the struggling bands who sometimes can't afford to not get paid for their product.
Very rarely do I not have issues with a 128kbps mp3. All of the stuff on my iPod is 192, and even then I have issues from time to time. Compressed audio is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I don't think it is exaggerated at all. People who can listen to crappy sounding mp3s are beyond me - I just don't get it. I actually had iTunes reimburse me for the download of "Love Reign Over Me" by PJ because it sounded atrocious.
I've only DL'd mp3s from iTunes because of gift cards I have gotten. For little 1-off downloads I am ok with it, but I will never replace album buying with album downloading.
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
When I was 15 I probably spent hours looking the artwork in my Pearl Jam CD's, but 10 years later I quickly flip through my new booklets and put the case away for months or even years at a time. Most of my listening time is spent surfing the internet, working or relaxing in the dark at night, so there aren't many opportunities to read lyrics and look at artwork.
I miss those days when I'd sit by the CD player listening to the same album 2 or 3 times in a row, examining the packaging.:)
Personally, I grew up with parents that had a ton of records and I think for me buying cds is enjoying standing there in front of shelves full of cds looking for what I want.....a full cd shelf is a wonderful sight to me
They say every sin is deadly but I believe they may be wrong...I'm guilty of all seven and I don't feel too bad at all
It's not a generation thing.
I'm 36 and there isn't a single vinyl, tape or CD I ever bought without having listened to it first (apart from new albums of people I already owned the whole back catalog of).
In the past through a tape made by a friend or a copy of a CD borrowed at the library, now though download.
It's nothing new and in fact the internet expanded everyone musical horizon since it made music sharing global, your musical buddies are everywhere.
Now I do still, eventually, buy the CDs of stuff I like, but it's really just for the principle because the CDs are just gathering dust. I can't hear the difference between a V2 or V0 mp3 and a CD, so for convenience play the music through the PC (hooked to an amp digitally though)
and anyway listen to most of my music on the move (which is why I consider streaming services pointless).
I will not otoh, pay for a lossy format. Certainly not without a significant discount on what I pay for a CD, which is generally £5-$10, but then if I pay, I might as well get the full thing.
oh and never if DRMd..
DRM = no buy. ever.
actually, I think the decline of the 'value' of music happened not with the internet but with the switch to CD:
It went from something to value, cherish for its look (artwork works only really on Vinyl) and most importantly treat with care, to something light, 'undamageable', easily tucked away, copied (not necessarily bad things in themselves).
the way people treated the support moulded the way they thought about and treated the content.
Why do people buy posters or paintings? Why not just download a low-res jpg of your favorite poster or piece of art?
There's nothing like having the artwork, skimming through the booklet as you hear the songs for the first time.....
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
I get a lot of things sent to me for review though so "buy" often doesn't come into it. I do dl stuff from iTunes but usualy just when I want a single track from something. Otherwise I just dl boots and so on.
www.chriscornell.org.uk
Much prefer to have the physical entity and take in the experience of opening it up and seeing the artwork for the first time.
Honestly hope downloads don't result in the extinction of the physical manifestations!
http://www.strummersphotography.com
<object width="360" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.redbubble.com/swf/redbubble.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><PARAM NAME=FlashVars VALUE="url=http://www.redbubble.com/people/strummers/works/visual.atom?campaign=sales_widget&mode=slideshow"><embed src="http://www.redbubble.com/swf/redbubble.swf" FlashVars="url=http://www.redbubble.com/people/strummers/works/visual.atom?campaign=sales_widget&mode=slideshow" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="300"></embed></object>
I'll keep buying cds. I could lose my mp3 player or my computer could crash.
I play cds in my car still (I'm ancient!)
I've got alot of cds and movies. It does make my spare room cluttered though.
speaking of cds, every morning this week, I played brian vander ark's resurrection cd. I love 90 percent of it. So relaxing when I'm in a hurry.
8/08 - Ed solo in DC, 6/09 Ed in B'more,
10/10 - Brad in B'more
and as everyone said...the best is opening a new cd, reading the whole booklet, absorbing the lyrics... i hope these things never become obsolete.
If it all ends up going digital only in the future, I'll be burning every single thing I have to d/l to disc and then putting it in my physical collection.
Guess I'm old fashioned in that way...
Mojo
I too hope we are never limited only to purchasing digital music, although I have no large problem with it and have never really found the sound to be that terrible as compared to the cds. It just wouldn't be the same though
They say every sin is deadly but I believe they may be wrong...I'm guilty of all seven and I don't feel too bad at all
The price I pay ranges from 6.99 - 14.99...the average price is usually 9.99-11.99
I've never payed any higher, probably since 1999.
You guys really can't give 10 bucks to a band, record store, or record label that you support?
Same here ....... plus I find more musicians and record companies are smartening up by reducing prices on cds and including more bonuses.
I think the cd helps to put value on the music. I'd just delete mp3's if I got bored and then d/load another time, but I would never throw a cd out.
Wembley 18/06/07
If there was a reason, it was you.
O2 Arena 18/09/09
http://www.myspace.com/ramon1972
you know, i think about that all the time too. those times were so magical.
- 8/28/98
- 9/2/00
- 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
- 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
- 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
- 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
- 8/2/07, 8/5/07
- 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
- 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
- 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
- 9/11/11, 9/12/11
- 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13