The Rise And Fall Of The Music Industry

[Ed Hansberry]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=13' target='_blank'>http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=13</a><br /><br /></div><p>Yesterday on National Public Radio's "Fresh Air" program, Terry Gross interviewed Steve Knopper, a <em>Rolling Stone</em> contributing editor, on the history of the recording industry from the end of the vinyl era to the future. Of course, DRM and content protection are discussed at length, but are not the sole topic.&nbsp;Also discussed are the&nbsp;differences in the market caused by the advent of the CD, home computers, DAT, CD burner, MP3 player and on to the future where the CD may cease to exist and the music industry itself may struggle for relevance. Anyone that has ever downloaded a song illegally or has done so legally and then fought with DRM issues with their device(s) will enjoy this show. It lasts roughly 30 minutes. The main article link takes you to the RSS feed that you can copy and paste into your favorite podcasting software. It aired yesterday, but the RSS feed is showing it as a January 15 show. You'll know right away if you have the wrong one because it starts right into the story. Alternatively, you can <a href="http://podcastdownload.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/13/99385952/npr_99385952.mp3" target="_blank">download the MP3 file</a> directly or use the <a href="http://thin.npr.org/dmg.wax?prgCode=FA&amp;showDate=14-Jan-2009&amp;mediaPref=WM" target="_blank">WMA stream</a> to whatever device or desktop you have.</p><p>Be sure to listen to the show before disputing anything. You may be surprised at some of the conclusions presented by Mr. Knopper.</p>

[Jason Dunn]

I'm only at the 25 minute mark, but I'll dispute his point that iTunes works with other MP3 players and that the "wall have come down" - maybe he just mis-spoke, but he's saying that because the DRM has been removed, iTunes works with non-iPods. The content you buy from iTunes can be used on other devices, but that's a very different thing than being able to purchase, download, and transfer said music to your Creative Sansa, Zune, etc.

Very interesting interview though overall! Will most post more once I finish listening to it. :)

[Jason Dunn]

Really good interview - I've added the book to my Amazon wish list. I'm not sure that I fully buy into the idea that artists don't need record labels any more - I think they do, at least until radio stations are willing to do what they're supposed to do: play music that the DJs think is good. Radio still gets a lot of listeners - I heard in 2008 listeners actually grew in number - and I sometimes hear new singles on the radio before I hear them elsewhere. I can count on one hand the number of artists that I've purchased CDs from due to discovering them only online - I think that part of the system has to evolve more...and it will.

[Ed Hansberry]

I'm only at the 25 minute mark, but I'll dispute his point that iTunes works with other MP3 players and that the "wall have come down" - maybe he just mis-spoke, but he's saying that because the DRM has been removed, iTunes works with non-iPods.
I am hoping he was just trying to be simplistic for the lay audience. It should be true that the file from iTunes can be played anywhere, I think you are right, chances of any non-Apple device connecting and syncing to iTunes is slim and none, and Slim just left town.

It is enough to make me consider installing iTunes in a VM to buy music. My understanding is the Zune can play non-DRM'd AAC files. My primary store is Amazon's MP3 store. I'd use iTunes as my secondary. I'll use Zune marketplace when hell freezes over.

[Ed Hansberry]

Really good interview - I've added the book to my Amazon wish list. I'm not sure that I fully buy into the idea that artists don't need record labels any more - I think they do, at least until radio stations are willing to do what they're supposed to do: play music that the DJs think is good. Radio still gets a lot of listeners - I heard in 2008 listeners actually grew in number - and I sometimes hear new singles on the radio before I hear them elsewhere. I can count on one hand the number of artists that I've purchased CDs from due to discovering them only online - I think that part of the system has to evolve more...and it will.

That is strange - totally opposite of me. I haven't listened to the radio in 3 years - other than occasionally for news. 100% of my music purchases in the last few years have come from:

new stuff by artists I like
finding "sounds like" stuff on the internet
music I hear from TV shows, commercials and movies.
Seeing what the .99c of the day CD from Amazon sounds like.
Everyone is different of course, but perhaps there are more and more people like me that are making the model this guy proposes more feasible.

[Jason Dunn]

My understanding is the Zune can play non-DRM'd AAC files.

Yes, correct.

My primary store is Amazon's MP3 store. I'd use iTunes as my secondary. I'll use Zune marketplace when hell freezes over.

Why the vitrol for the Zune Marketplace? Upwards of 90% of their tracks are in MP3 format now...they're going the same route that Apple is (and in fact led the way compared to iTunes).

[Jason Dunn]

100% of my music purchases in the last few years have come from:

new stuff by artists I like
finding "sounds like" stuff on the internet
music I hear from TV shows, commercials and movies.
Seeing what the .99c of the day CD from Amazon sounds like.
I think what works for people in the US will be different for everyone else - for instance, virtually every "music discovery service" out there today is blocked for anyone without a US IP address. So all those services are out. I hadn't thought of movies and TV shows, but now that I think about it I have discovered a fair number of new artists that way (Sia, Marie Digby, etc.).

The model is definitely changing, but it needs to be more world-wide focused.

[Ed Hansberry]

Why the vitrol for the Zune Marketplace? Upwards of 90% of their tracks are in MP3 format now...they're going the same route that Apple is (and in fact led the way compared to iTunes).

Customer service (http://forums.zune.net/380312/ShowPost.aspx).

[Jason Dunn]

Customer service (http://forums.zune.net/380312/ShowPost.aspx).

<shrug> No company is perfect; there will always be screw-ups, bad customer service etc. I'm sure I can find multiple negative stories about iTunes, Amazon's MP3 store, etc.

[Pony99CA]

My understanding is the Zune can play non-DRM'd AAC files.
Even if the Zune can play AAC, Windows Mobile can't, right? (At least, not the standard Windows Media Player; Core Player will work, I assume.)

Like you, I'd consider using iTunes to buy music now that most DRM is gone, but I use my WinMo device as my media player, so I believe that I need MP3 (or WMA).

Steve

[Pony99CA]

I think what works for people in the US will be different for everyone else - for instance, virtually every "music discovery service" out there today is blocked for anyone without a US IP address. So all those services are out.
Even in the U.S., you're not alone. I listen to the radio a lot (usually during my commute). Also, I think Internet radio counts as "radio", too, whether streaming standard AM/FM stations or stations that don't have a broadcast counterpart.

I hadn't thought of movies and TV shows, but now that I think about it I have discovered a fair number of new artists that way (Sia, Marie Digby, etc.).
Agreed. I bought Ting Tings and Flobots CDs after seeing them perform on talk shows. I think I first heard Rihanna, Shakira and maybe Linkin Park through MTV videos.

Steve

[doogald]

Even if the Zune can play AAC, Windows Mobile can't, right? (At least, not the standard Windows Media Player; Core Player will work, I assume.)

Like you, I'd consider using iTunes to buy music now that most DRM is gone, but I use my WinMo device as my media player, so I believe that I need MP3 (or WMA).


You can use iTunes to transcode unprotected AAC files to MP3. Just set the default import settings to MP3 and the bit rate that you prefer, highlight the tracks that you want to convert (you can create a smart playlist that shows all of the AAC files, if you wish) and then choose "Create MP3 version" from the right-click menu (or from the "Advanced" menu).

Or just use Amazon, whichever.

[Pony99CA]

You can use iTunes to transcode unprotected AAC files to MP3. Just set the default import settings to MP3 and the bit rate that you prefer, highlight the tracks that you want to convert (you can create a smart playlist that shows all of the AAC files, if you wish) and then choose "Create MP3 version" from the right-click menu (or from the "Advanced" menu).
So you no longer have to burn a CD and rip to MP3? That's good to know.

Steve

[Ed Hansberry]

<SHRUG> No company is perfect; there will always be screw-ups, bad customer service etc. I'm sure I can find multiple negative stories about iTunes, Amazon's MP3 store, etc.

Maybe. I've never seen customer service so bad where they totally ignore you though. I've had technical problems with Amazon too and they responded to me within 6 hrs. Who do you think is going to get my money?

[Ed Hansberry]

Agreed. I bought Ting Tings and Flobots CDs after seeing them perform on talk shows. I think I first heard Rihanna, Shakira and maybe Linkin Park through MTV videos.
Yeah, but that isn't waht I meant. The record industry is still involved in that to a large degree.

I am talkining about regular TV shows with music in them. For example, I have purchased 2 CDs and half a dozen single just from the show "Life" alone. I TiVo what I watch, so when I hear a song I like, I rewind, listen again and get enough of the lyrics to be googlable and then buy the song or entire CD if I like enough of it.

[doogald]

So you no longer have to burn a CD and rip to MP3? That's good to know.


For unprotected AAC files, it has always been that way (well, for as long as I have been using iTunes). If they have DRM, you must, of course, transcode via burned audio CD.

[doogald]

I listened to the show this morning, and I pretty much agree with everything that he said - that the record companies blew it, but that they also will continue to have a function (albeit smaller) in the industry going forward. When talking about the start if the iTunes Music Store he mentioned that the record industry executives are pretty savvy businessmen. They've made terrible mistakes in the last ten years, basically trying to plug the holes in the MP3 levies with their fingers, but they remain strong and mature businesses. To discount them would be a terrific mistake. They really do a very good job of discovering and marketing new music. While I do not think that they will control new music going forward, they will continue to have a place at the table.

He brought up an interesting point about Apple and the iTunes Store - that Apple didn't really care about not making much money on media sales at the start, because the inclusion of DRM locked their customers in to buying iPods going forward. The reason that I find it interesting is the recent decision to remove DRM from almost all music media. While this makes it easier to escape the lock-in, I wonder if Apple recognizes that the standalone portable media player market is mature, if not saturated, so there is less reason to care about the lock-in (and every reason to care more about the media sales)? (And, of course, that a majority of their customers are very happy with their products and have not been itching to escape the iTunes/iPod prison.) It reminds me of all of the comparison reviews of the Zune models, for example, to the iPod Classic and Nano, ignoring the fact that Apple has pretty much moved on past anything but the lightest improvements in these product going forward. For Apple, they will just ride the wave of brand equity and minor improvements to these existing products while they develop, and care more about, their more converged and capable iPhone and Touch based products going forward.

[j2inet]

Even if the Zune can play AAC, Windows Mobile can't, right? (At least, not the standard Windows Media Player; Core Player will work, I assume.)

The Windows Mobile Adaptation Kit (which is the microsoft product that OEMs use to make their Windows Mobile images) don't have the AAC codecs. If an OEM decides to license the codecs from some one then Windows Media Player will be able to play such tracks. I have a Samsung Windows Mobile Standard device here in my house that shipped with those codecs.