Joe Public to Music Industry: "Your Music Sucks"

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://cnet.com.au/mp3players/musicsoftware/0,39029154,40060145,00.htm' target='_blank'>http://cnet.com.au/mp3players/musicsoftware/0,39029154,40060145,00.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The music industry has long blamed rampant illegal file-sharing as the primary cause of its declining revenues. And with digital music fans flocking to P2P services in record numbers last December, that argument continues to have supporting data. But music fans themselves disagree, according to poll results released today. The poll, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of the Associated Press and Rolling Stone, found that most music fans think that the declining quality of music and expensive CD prices are to blame for the industry's woes. Global music retail revenues fell about 2 percent in 2005, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, and have fallen about 20 percent globally since 1999."</i><br /><br />I'm not one of those people who believes that there's no good music out today - I still pick up, on average, 30-60 CDs a year. There's a lot of good music out there, and not just one song on a CD. However, it seems that the people surveyed here tend to disagree, and it doesn't surprise me. CD prices are still too expensive - if an album is $9.95 CND, I'll take a chance and buy it even if I'm iffy about the music. At $18 CND, I'm far less likely. For me, the evil DRM found on so many albums now is becoming a huge factor - ever since <a href="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,9131">my scarring DRM experience</a> I haven't purchased many CDs, mostly because it's becoming such a hassle to buy a CD and rip it. <br /><br />Has DRM impacted your purchasing patterns? Or the quality of the music out now? Think back five years to 2001 - are you buying less albums? Or are you buying more digital singles, but less actual albums?

[sojourner753]

I'm not one of those people who believes that there's no good music out today -

I agree. There is still good music out there. IMO its just more work to find it. Gone are the days when you could use the radio to know what to buy (If those days were in fact ever here).

I actually buy very few CDs because its much more ground work for me to find something I like. I have to really like atleast 3 songs on a CD before I consider buying. The rest of the songs have to good to listen to. I generally listen to music in album chunks rather than playlists.

Naturally its all a matter of taste. I think that most of the "suckiness" lives in the "Big 4" genres. Namely Pop, R&amp;B, Rap, and to a lesser degree Rock. Because these guys are mainstream, its difficult to wade through the industries endless stream of formula based product.

If you turn off the radio, peruse the CD stores (those that actually let you listen before you buy), you'd be surprised what you find. Many times the creative stuff is coming from the non-industry favorites.

[Chris Gohlke]

Something to add, I buy 90% of my music used, so this is something that the industry never sees.

[Damion Chaplin]

I'm definitely less interested in the music that's being churned out these days. Nothing very good is coming out of the major record labels these days. Indies will always be a source of good music, but their very nature makes bands and music hard to find.

This, however, may be a result of my generation. My friends and I joke that here it is, 2006, we're all over 30 now, and we're still running out to buy the latest Madonna and Depeche Mode album (I personally can't abide the new Madonna, but DM still kicks a**!).

I also have a hard time supporting the Music Industry (capitalized) and their puppetmasters the RIAA. Sometimes their behavior is right on par for drug dealers: they've got the product, they know you want it, and they will use any means necessary to ensure that A) you continue to buy the product and B) you buy the product from them only.

[Jason Dunn]

Something to add, I buy 90% of my music used, so this is something that the industry never sees.

Indeed, the RIAA would love to see used music vanish. I've bought a lot of used music off eBay lately, and it was great getting CDs for $5-8 including shipping.

[sojourner753]

To date, I've never gotten music online legally or otherwise. There just something about paying money for music in a medium that, if we're honest, I have no control over. A liberal DRM policy today can turn into a oppressive policy tomorrow. At the whim of the distributer and/or supplier.

Then the whole device issue. :roll:
How long before the particular format I chose to buy into is obsoleted?
Its possible that in this one issue I'm a wooly mammoth who is oblivious to the glacier.


Indeed, the RIAA would love to see used music vanish.


True, and I think they have a plan. Its a generational approach. As CDs become less popular and more expensive, the used CD market will eventually shrivel up.

I
This, however, may be a result of my generation. My friends and I joke that here it is, 2006, we're all over 30 now, and we're still running out to buy the latest Madonna and Depeche Mode album (I personally can't abide the new Madonna, but DM still kicks a**!).


Its quite possible that its generational. When I think back to the 80s and some of the music I liked... :oops:

[Filip Norrgard]

Interestingly enough, the last album I bought (for myself) was in early 2005, I think. It was (shameless plug coming right up) “Signs of Life” by Poets of the Fall (http://www.poetsofthefall.com/) which I bought because (1) it cost sub-20-euros (unusual for an album),
(2) it was a real CD! (sing hallelujah!),
(3) the unsigned band released a completely Internet only track for free just before the album release (look at the bottom of this page to download it (http://potfmedia.com/media/audio/)), and finally
(4) I absolutely loved every track/single they’ve released until the album. Looking at Amazon.com’s reviews of the album, it seems like I wasn’t the only one to miss music like the one I found on this album. Which is something that has never happened to me before. :)

Otherwise, I’ve haven’t been buying much online music, CDs nor copy protected discs lately since I loathe the way the music industry has been treating me as a consumer (read:criminal). Not only is the music bad and way over-homogenized, but the prices on music albums have gone up and copy protections have been added to such a level that it disgusts me. One now has to lighten their wallet with over 20 euros to only find yourself buying a copy protected disc (which isn’t always visibly marked either).

The crème de la crème is that Finnish law prohibiting using anything (yes, even the shift button on your keyboard should be included) to bypass copy protections came into effect this year. The Lex Karpela (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Karpela), as that law is called, is not only equal to the DCMA on steroids, but it was passed through the Finnish parliament suspiciously fast. Fun thing about the law? Linux can’t be distributed in Finland legally (with a DVD viewer in the distro), but the parliament has since claimed that the law will not be enforced. To which use, one automatically asks… :?

The online music situation has become better in Finland, but I still think it sux to buy DRM:ed music. MTV Finland has actually started their own music store, which is kinda cool since they not only sell DRM WMA but also MP3s! I assume the MP3s are non-DRM and that they should work with any normal MP3 player out there. But the amount of artists allowing their music to be sold in MP3 format is still very limited. I haven’t bought anything from the MTV music store just yet, but if I every buy anything, it sure will be in MP3… or OGG, or FLAC if they are smart enough to sell in those formats. ;)

Lastly, let me say that when you start thinking that every buyer is a criminal and threat them as such, that is the start of the demise of your business. Mark my words.

[ctmagnus]

imo, the amount of good music has remained roughly the same over the years. There's just so much filler now, that the good stuff is harder to find.
It seems that record execs will sign anyone to make a nickel.