I, like the next commie filthy downloader, have to agree that though there is some inherent guilt in downloading full albums without ponying up a single cent, there isn't a single thing as rewarding as the sound of your newest favorite track coming from your 'Altec Lansings'. The problem I find with the old way of acquiring music was that it wasn't economically sensible. You had to pay 12, 14, 18 bucks for two songs you liked, one song that grew on you after the 13th listen and then 11 songs that you could care less about. You could give them away and people still wouldn't take them. That's why I agree, the advent of Amazon Digital Music/MP3 store and iTunes has revolutionized the way we build our personal repertoire of tunes. Gone are the days of buying CDs for the one song the artist made that you like. Even if now the people at Apple are applying even more economic insight to their iTunes store and price discriminate, they are able to extract all the consumer surplus without a complaint.
In fact, Amazon's digital downloads, of very high quality, are considerably cheaper than purchasing a CD. At about 1 dollar a song, you can get full CDs via the internet without the trouble of delivery charges (though most CDs are being shipped from most providers free of charge) and taking up space or getting scratched. Why are you going to pay $11.49 for a CD version of Day and Age if you can get it for $8.99? You are still going to rip it to your hard drive, make a digital copy and copy it over to your iPhone, iPod, Sansa, Zune, or you mp3 player of choice.
I will not exhaust the reader with another run through of the opportunities to acquire free music on the world wide web because, personally, though I exalt the virtues of digital music over the internet, I myself still purchase CDs. Odd, I know.
Allow me, before I tell you why and proceed to share with you some songs from my recent purchases, to bring to your attention a great resource for charge-less music.
Mercedes Benz maintains a website dubbed Mercedes-Benz.tv. Every couple of months, they release their 'Mixed Tapes' which shines a light on new, up and coming artist. They publish a digital record and make it available to any visitor to download for their enjoyment. I have the 24 installments published and let me tell you, if you like to listen to music that is different that what you get on the radio, give these a try.
Try Mercedes-Benz.tv for mixed tape #24 and check out this site for the previous 23.
In any case, back to my irrational waste of $$$ on CDs.
I still buy CDs because I realized long ago two things: I) Artists are in it because of their love for the art and for money. II) Artists need CDs purchases to fund their crack addictions and without my purchase of their CD, I cannot support the music I like and possibly, no more such music will be produced. Hence my dilemma: why pay for a CD when I don't like all the songs if I can purchase the songs I like directly from an online source.
Solution: buy CDs that fit any of my three criteria:
i) I like the artist and have previewed the CD somewhere/somehow. This means, don't buy a CD in hopes that you'll like; buy a CD you already know you like.
ii) Buy a CD from an artist that you could attend a three hour concert and not get bored. Electronic music fits this profile since I don't necessarily like every track on the CD but all the tracks are required for a wonderful set. I will buy Electronic music CDs without hesitation.
iii) Buy a CD that is part of a collection. This is probably the single most important reason I buys CDs. I continue to purchase CDs because I wish to complete the collection. That is the reason I bought Tiesto's 'In Search of Sunrise', the reason I have the Cafe del Mar CDs, the Hotel Costes CDs, the Global Undergound CDs, etc. I can't have 1 & 3 without 2 & 4. I just can't and thus, I purchase the following productions even if they represent a small increment in my welfare or utility (to revert to economic terminology.
BUT why a physical CD if I have the digital versions and I rip them to my computer anyway once I receive them.
This too fits three criteria:
a) I see them as any other collectible: shot glasses, flags, pins rocks, etc. They reflect the owners interest and are a tangible good that you own. Why spent 9 bucks on a digital purchase if 12 bucks will get you the digital version and a nifty booklet, CD case, pretty pictures and something you can sell during hard times.
b) It is much more satisfying to pry open the CD case and tear apart the plastic cover than to double click a file on your desktop. Honest.
c) A CD purchase helps drive businesses in developing countries and bring people out of poverty... OK, I lie. CDs look pretty all stacked up against one another. OK! I like how they look on my wall/shelf/bookcase.
I have to say, ultimately, I realized that the purchase of physical CDs was about status and stature.
The single most impressive thing I experienced at a friend's house when I visited was not their amazing penthouse, their view, the luxury of the finishing or the gorgeous furniture. It wasn't the great technology at hand or the fact that you walk around and get lost in their apartment.
It was the hundreds of CDs her father kept in his home office stacked against a wall. They were begging to be touched, admired, sorted and listened to. Nothing could have decorated that wall better. The sight, actually made me a little hot.
I am a troubled mind that won't pay 99 cents for the newest Katy Perry song but will dish out 25 dollars for an obscure lounge artists with a cafe somewhere in the Adriatic sea. Thank goodness late night infomercials sell kitchen rags and power tools and not Electronic music CDs.
Here is my list of some favorite songs from recently purchased music of which I own a physical copy. Come over sometime, I can lend you my copy :)
The Purchases
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