Being personally invested in the music industry (I run a small record label), I continue to ask the question whether people still believe in owning albums. Since most people listen to individual songs rather than albums, the whole mp3/i-pod technology has taken the world listener base by storm, while the record industry (in its antiquated ways) has nearly done everything in its power to undermine itself (why pay $18 for a 40 minute cd???) What remains are those of us who still strongly desire to own the albums we listen to (perhaps paired with the idea that albums should be heard as a whole.)
So what do you think? Are albums a dinosaur about to cash in, or is this whole music downloading business equivalent to when we dubbed songs off the radio as kids?
Do you believe in albums?
I should also add, that choice #2 (own albums and copies) would include those of you who WANT to purchase the albums but are currently broke (a lot of my friends). So poverty shouldn't be pushing you down to choice three or so. We are talking about the way you listen to (and collect) music, not how much money you make.
-
BulletMagnet
- Posts: 14205
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 4:05 am
- Location: Wherever.
- Contact:
I only listen to (and thus buy) a small amount of music, so for me buying albums isn't a big deal...I'm also just not particularly interested in downloading/burning stuff for myself, for whatever reason. I suppose it also has something to do with the fact that I like most of the songs on the albums of the stuff I listen to, not just one or two songs...I realize I'm very much in the minority though, so I'm not in much of a position to offer "industry analysis" or whatnot.
-
SheSaidDutch
- Posts: 1092
- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:46 am
-
Monkey_Man
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:05 pm
- Contact:
I'm only interested in albums if the whole damn thing is worth listening to.
I downloaded a lot of the music I have, but virtually all of it I've paid for at some point - a good amount of my CD's were stolen while I was in highschool, so I feel it's ok to get a small portion of the songs I paid for back via piracy. And I use my parent's itunes when possible (iTunes has a very limited selection, at least where it concerns what I want to listen to)
I downloaded a lot of the music I have, but virtually all of it I've paid for at some point - a good amount of my CD's were stolen while I was in highschool, so I feel it's ok to get a small portion of the songs I paid for back via piracy. And I use my parent's itunes when possible (iTunes has a very limited selection, at least where it concerns what I want to listen to)
-
Super Laydock
- Posts: 3094
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:24 pm
- Location: Latis / Netherlands
I'll buy whatever I TRULY want to have. I must be sure before I buy though, so I download samples and stuff a lot (mostly from official websites since I am not into P2P programs and MP3 download sites.
Thinking about registering to a legal music download service atm.
PS. since some others are bragging about there number of albums as well: 200+ albums and counting (though fewer than 10 albums have been bought in the last 2 years!)
Thinking about registering to a legal music download service atm.
PS. since some others are bragging about there number of albums as well: 200+ albums and counting (though fewer than 10 albums have been bought in the last 2 years!)
Last edited by Super Laydock on Tue Aug 16, 2005 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Barroom hero!
Bathroom hero!
Bathroom hero!
I've worked as a DJ for the past ten years and have a shit ton of musical media. A couple thousand records in all three sizes, hundreds of CDs and still a couple hundred tapes even. Every song on my hard drive is from one of my own CDs or records. In the past four years I've probably downloaded a couple dozen songs but only from the websites of the bands that created them. And then, if they're any good, I buy the album/CD/7". It is the law of nature.
I didn't vote though because I don't like albums. I just buy full albums worth of music for the good songs. Almost noone has ever put out an album that is 100%. I always skip around no matter how much I like the artist. Even if it's The Spits.
Pa
I didn't vote though because I don't like albums. I just buy full albums worth of music for the good songs. Almost noone has ever put out an album that is 100%. I always skip around no matter how much I like the artist. Even if it's The Spits.
Pa
I was just about to add photos of my record collection (~1500 cds, ~300 lps, etc.), but figured someone else would immediately respond with an even larger collection. ...and there it is.PaCrappa wrote:...stuff...
I find I just don't have time to listen to music without spines or covers.
Not liking albums though...that's interersting. You'd get your own catagory on the poll!
I download a lot of music because it's a great way to find new bands, but I do my best to make sure I regularly purchase a disc or two off the top of my list. I would probably purchase more if I could buy locally or didn't have to deal with international shipping rates. I'm also way more likely to purchase an album or shirt directly from the band after a show, even if very few stop by here.
Right now I listen to nearly all of my music in digital form. I like having it all infront of me so I don't have to swap discs or wait inbetween songs. I own several discs I have yet to take the shrinkwrap off of, and a few more which I've only unwrapped to rip proper mp3s. Even though I only use the actual CDs when no other player is available I would much rather own the actual disc than buy an album from a download service. I also prefer full albums, simply because something in my head feels much more satisfied about a 'complete' collection as opposed to pieces of one. With most bands I listen to I don't really need to worry about only liking a few songs off of an album.
Right now I listen to nearly all of my music in digital form. I like having it all infront of me so I don't have to swap discs or wait inbetween songs. I own several discs I have yet to take the shrinkwrap off of, and a few more which I've only unwrapped to rip proper mp3s. Even though I only use the actual CDs when no other player is available I would much rather own the actual disc than buy an album from a download service. I also prefer full albums, simply because something in my head feels much more satisfied about a 'complete' collection as opposed to pieces of one. With most bands I listen to I don't really need to worry about only liking a few songs off of an album.
I know what you mean. I sit in this office all day long and use my itunes and it just ain't the same. I mean I keep everything uncompressed because I can detect MP3 compression with one ear closed and I hate it. So it isn't a sound quality issue or anything. I also like looking at the art when I bust out something awesome to listen to and that is just lost with hard drive music.CMoon wrote:I find I just don't have time to listen to music without spines or covers.
Not liking albums though...that's interersting. You'd get your own catagory on the poll!
There are a few groups that made/make albums I can listen to all the way. Pre-Johnsonian AC/DC for example. Thee Headcoats, Teengenerate, The Mummies, Zeke and a few others are very consistent but I'd still have to skip around if I was near the player. My library may not necessarily only represent my favorite music but my favorite songs are all I ever listen to.
Pa
I don't use download services, atleast not anymore, I just grab stuff from label and band sites and buy albums if I like it or just leave it at the few songs I have. Awhile back I downloaded a crapload of music from a friend of mine using soulseek but don't listen to most of it because I don't like it or there are problems with the MP3s.
If there's something a really want though, I plunk down the money for it. I paid $50 for my Acrimony 'Hymns to the Stone' CD thanks to it being out of print.
If there's something a really want though, I plunk down the money for it. I paid $50 for my Acrimony 'Hymns to the Stone' CD thanks to it being out of print.
Last edited by Acid King on Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Feedback will set you free.
captpain wrote:Basically, the reason people don't like Bakraid is because they are fat and dumb
This is a loaded question, partially because the term "album" is open to interpretation. Some people mean "LP" or "45" when they say Album. Some people refer to studio releases as opposed to live versions or compilations. Some people mean full-length recordings and not singles. Apparently the context implied here is legitimate recordings as opposed to burned/downloaded/pirated music.
I consider myself a bit of a music snob
. I listen to a good deal of "artsy" music, from Pink Floyd and Yes to Bach to Castlevania soundtracks. I own about 100 CDs, 25 cassette tapes, and 1 LP. I also have about 200 burned CDs, 100 burned game soundtrack CDs, 15 cassettes recorded off the radio, and 35 CDs full of mp3s.
Generally I burn music that I think I might get into, or music that I have no way of obtaining otherwise (game soundtracks which have no official release). If there's a CD that's rare, but available for purchase, and I want the music enough, I'll buy it. I own some 15 genuine/official game soundtracks. And with regular audio CDs, if I find that I've listened to the album more than two or three times, I'll buy the actual CD.
As far as listening to full length recordings and not just a song or two, I listen to most of my albums all the way through. Give me any Days of the New or Jewel or Boston CD and I'll listen to it straight through from beginning to end. I even listen to crap like Britney Spears straight through, skipping the song or two that are completely, unbearably horrid. But of course there are some albums that I just find mediocre overall, and if I like a song or two on the album I'll just listen to those and skip the rest.
It really comes down to which album we're talking about. Many albums (the best ones, IMO) were made to be listened to as one cohesive work. Some are so manufactured and artificial that the whole thing is listenable, even if totally devoid of artistic merit. Generally I find the ones that aren't wholly enjoyable are those that are produced by artists with enough integrity to do their own work but without the skill to do it all well.
As far as the above poll goes, all but the fourth choice apply to me.
I consider myself a bit of a music snob
. I listen to a good deal of "artsy" music, from Pink Floyd and Yes to Bach to Castlevania soundtracks. I own about 100 CDs, 25 cassette tapes, and 1 LP. I also have about 200 burned CDs, 100 burned game soundtrack CDs, 15 cassettes recorded off the radio, and 35 CDs full of mp3s.Generally I burn music that I think I might get into, or music that I have no way of obtaining otherwise (game soundtracks which have no official release). If there's a CD that's rare, but available for purchase, and I want the music enough, I'll buy it. I own some 15 genuine/official game soundtracks. And with regular audio CDs, if I find that I've listened to the album more than two or three times, I'll buy the actual CD.
As far as listening to full length recordings and not just a song or two, I listen to most of my albums all the way through. Give me any Days of the New or Jewel or Boston CD and I'll listen to it straight through from beginning to end. I even listen to crap like Britney Spears straight through, skipping the song or two that are completely, unbearably horrid. But of course there are some albums that I just find mediocre overall, and if I like a song or two on the album I'll just listen to those and skip the rest.
It really comes down to which album we're talking about. Many albums (the best ones, IMO) were made to be listened to as one cohesive work. Some are so manufactured and artificial that the whole thing is listenable, even if totally devoid of artistic merit. Generally I find the ones that aren't wholly enjoyable are those that are produced by artists with enough integrity to do their own work but without the skill to do it all well.
As far as the above poll goes, all but the fourth choice apply to me.
When I say album I mean only a collection of songs in an order as described by the artist. I mean, as far as I am concerned, Beethoven's 5th is an album even though it existed before recordable media. I think there is a clear distinction between listening to a random assortment of songs and listening to an album.PFG 9000 wrote:This is a loaded question, partially because the term "album" is open to interpretation.
Another DJ here. Most of my music is in 12" single format, and often only available in that format, so the question of buying an album or not isn't there. But I do buy them fairly often, and I think it's a good thing to do -- you never know, there might be another track on the record that you enjoy more than the one you happened to hear initially. I also tend to buy/acquire the whole album when possible because I don't really like switching from one artist to another rapidly when I'm casually listening to music at work or whatever. I want to hear some sort of 'musical program', and I'm not a big fan of random playlists, probably because I have a wide variety of stuff.
I do that as well. I can take three albums, remove the junk and have one 80 minute CD of pure musical joy. To quote the immortal Kip Dynamite, "Yes, I love technology..."Andi wrote:I burn the albums I buy or acquire otherwise and then reburn all the tracks I like from all of an artists albums onto one "greatest hits" style compilation. I enjoy listening to back to back songs by a single artist, I just don't care about the order they were originally released in.
Pa
It always feels better for me if I own the album, but I have a couple burned ones/copies as well. For example, copied albums of Dark Moor, a power metal band in Spain, and they don't sell their music here in the States. No way I'm selling out $40 for a CD, no matter how much I like the artist.
Sethsez, I don't trust car CD players either, but only for a different reason: aftermarket ones attract thieves. My 95 Explorer has a cassette deck, and I use one of those cassette adapters that have a headphone jack you plug into a CD player. It's ghetto, but the adapter is very verisitile. If it has a headphone outlet, you can listen to it in the car's stereo. I've had iPods and my DS playing thru the truck's speakers, so maybe tape decks aren't so bad.
Speaking of cassette tapes, who here collects them?
Sethsez, I don't trust car CD players either, but only for a different reason: aftermarket ones attract thieves. My 95 Explorer has a cassette deck, and I use one of those cassette adapters that have a headphone jack you plug into a CD player. It's ghetto, but the adapter is very verisitile. If it has a headphone outlet, you can listen to it in the car's stereo. I've had iPods and my DS playing thru the truck's speakers, so maybe tape decks aren't so bad.
Speaking of cassette tapes, who here collects them?
Shmups: It's all about blowing stuff up!
When I want to listen to music I'm looking for a particular sound, and I usually think of particular artists or albums, which is easy and quick. A good single will rarely keep my interest as much as a well sequenced album.
Purchasing: on an album I will listen to 5 times at most, not anymore (as I see my collection and haven't listened to half of it a year or two after purchase, which cost over $1000). So I just stick to buying the stuff I really really like and download, burn, delete the rest.
Last few months: downloaded and listened to about 40-50 albums, kept about 5 burns, bought 3.
Purchasing: on an album I will listen to 5 times at most, not anymore (as I see my collection and haven't listened to half of it a year or two after purchase, which cost over $1000). So I just stick to buying the stuff I really really like and download, burn, delete the rest.
Last few months: downloaded and listened to about 40-50 albums, kept about 5 burns, bought 3.
-
captain ahar
- Posts: 3182
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:03 pm
- Location: #50 Bitch!
i have never downloaded music, and i plan never to (and by this, i want to make it clear that the industry should stop leaning in this direction). i like having a physical music format, and owning the real deal is important to me. there are a few exceptions to this though, if something is out of print and ridiculously rare, i'd burn it if i had the means (one cd i was looking for commonly hit $120, when it would even appear, well apparently Xmal Deutschland got less rare, still no sign of the Incubus Succubus ep though 
).
).I have no sig whatsoever.
-
Herr Schatten
- Posts: 3287
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 12:14 pm
- Location: Germany
- Contact:
I was a DJ for a few years - my take on albums as a complete work vs individual songs is that I prefer albums, but I also expect them to be decent. I'm not talking 12 A+ tracks, but it should at least hang together as a whole, and only have 1 or 2 fillers if any.
As for the whole downloads issue.. I'll sometimes download OSTs of a game I own, or am considering owning - music in games is important to me. I'll grab mp3 extracts from the bands site if possible, at a last resort if I'm really interested in something and cannot find any kind of sampler, I'll download it, listen once, delete, and buy as appropriate. These are very rare occasions, the sort of bands I like seem to already have worked out that online samples = good idea.
I'm a great believer in paying for what you use, music, games, films - these are not basic rights or requirements - they're luxuries. Luxuries should be earned, not taken for free just because you can. The worst thing of all these days, are the people who say they are "objecting to the industry" (insert industry here depending on what they're downloading..) by copying their music/film/game instead of buying it. An obviously bollocks claim - if they really objected, they wouldn't endorse the content in any way, and would simply not bother.
This is why I don't play any EA games.
This is why I rarely go to the Cinema and haven't seen many modern films. I don't think Spiderman 2 is worth paying to see, so I'm not going to see it - it's that simple.
As for the whole downloads issue.. I'll sometimes download OSTs of a game I own, or am considering owning - music in games is important to me. I'll grab mp3 extracts from the bands site if possible, at a last resort if I'm really interested in something and cannot find any kind of sampler, I'll download it, listen once, delete, and buy as appropriate. These are very rare occasions, the sort of bands I like seem to already have worked out that online samples = good idea.
I'm a great believer in paying for what you use, music, games, films - these are not basic rights or requirements - they're luxuries. Luxuries should be earned, not taken for free just because you can. The worst thing of all these days, are the people who say they are "objecting to the industry" (insert industry here depending on what they're downloading..) by copying their music/film/game instead of buying it. An obviously bollocks claim - if they really objected, they wouldn't endorse the content in any way, and would simply not bother.
This is why I don't play any EA games.
This is why I rarely go to the Cinema and haven't seen many modern films. I don't think Spiderman 2 is worth paying to see, so I'm not going to see it - it's that simple.
System11's random blog, with things - and stuff!
http://blog.system11.org
http://blog.system11.org
I'm the type of person who only buys cd's of a select few bands. I will, without hesitation, shell out money for anything by Rammstein, Smashing Pumpkins (kinda moot now though), The Distillers, Bad Religion, and Weezer. Anyone else is up in the air though. Oh, I also believe in getting the entire album. To me, an album should have a unity and flow. Taking one song out of an album doesn't reflect the spirit of the album.
I sold off almost all of my vinyl in the 80s, but I currently own over 1000 original CDs.
When I like a band, I tend to buy most or all of their albums. When I get 'into' a band, I tend to want all of their singles as well (or at least, a good number of them).
These days I don't buy CDs as often as I did back in the late 80s and early 90s, but I do still tend to buy what I like. The only time I download anything is if it isn't availabe any other way.
When I like a band, I tend to buy most or all of their albums. When I get 'into' a band, I tend to want all of their singles as well (or at least, a good number of them).
These days I don't buy CDs as often as I did back in the late 80s and early 90s, but I do still tend to buy what I like. The only time I download anything is if it isn't availabe any other way.
-
freddiebamboo
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: UK
I used to DJ as well, but the sheer price of buying LPs for a couple of cracking tracks just catches up with you eventually.
I can't think of one album in the past 5 years that I could listen to from start to finish.
They have no place in the industry anymore, instead of bands and artists cashing in on a hit/hot record by hurrying out an album to ride the sales, make them just release singles of 4 tracks, at a push, a double pack (do you still get them?) and stop conning the public with awful filler records.
I can't think of one album in the past 5 years that I could listen to from start to finish.
They have no place in the industry anymore, instead of bands and artists cashing in on a hit/hot record by hurrying out an album to ride the sales, make them just release singles of 4 tracks, at a push, a double pack (do you still get them?) and stop conning the public with awful filler records.
i buy tons of music from indie labels, even stuff i don't listen to, just to support the artists and labels.
however, i am guilty of downloading albums through bittorrent. mostly major label stuff. yeah, i know it doesn't matter who put out the album and that i should still pay for it.
as far as albums go, i only listen to music as full albums. i rarely listen to mixes or singles. if an album has just one bad song on it, it's likely that i won't even listen to it at all. i just hate the idea of skipping songs for some reason. i think artists are putting far too many songs on their albums these days. cds ruined albums. 78mins for a cd vs. 50(?)mins for a record. that's why there are so few great albums. they're full of filler.
however, i am guilty of downloading albums through bittorrent. mostly major label stuff. yeah, i know it doesn't matter who put out the album and that i should still pay for it.
as far as albums go, i only listen to music as full albums. i rarely listen to mixes or singles. if an album has just one bad song on it, it's likely that i won't even listen to it at all. i just hate the idea of skipping songs for some reason. i think artists are putting far too many songs on their albums these days. cds ruined albums. 78mins for a cd vs. 50(?)mins for a record. that's why there are so few great albums. they're full of filler.
say, by the way...
and in the meantime, it's gone away....
and in the meantime, it's gone away....