What's/will/could be happening to music?

[Dyno247365]

This must be a repost BUT this is a situation that develops everyday, it's not like it's history or something.

IPODS = DEATH, Napster you bastards, you started this now everyone's doing it. Usually I like to illegally download music but now I'm trying to cut down, plus if i get caught I get kicked outta school...not fun. But what are the sale of ipods and the free distro of p2p programs doing to music? What about music videos on Youtube? How is all of this affecting the future production of bands and their albums?
Free Music
Advantanges/Disadvantages? Guesses of what will ultimately happen to the industry? Proof from what has happened in the past?

Alright HighFidelity AF members
READYSETPOST!!!

[beef_bourito]

well, i don't think it'll affect the big guys very much. they'll always have peolpe buying their cd's. the problem comes when people download a small upcoming band's cd, they actually need all the money they can get. I myself try to buy music when i can but i don't have all that much money, i just recently went out and bought $50 worth of music (bagain bin baby, you never know what you'll find. i found a few used cd's that i actually wanted for like $10 or $20 cheaper).

I don't think it's going to impact it hugely, i think you might see a rise in cd and concert prices if it gets bad but music will always be around, it might just be more expensive.

['97ventureowner]

Having been around when vinyl record albums were the most popular format of music, which was followed by the advent of 8 track tapes, cassettes, and then cds, I think what's happening now is just the next generation occuring in the industry. Couple that with the explosion of technology which allows us to put "billions" of songs on an iPod, and you have changes happening like they never did before. What's happening now in the music industry is very similar in a lot of ways as to what went on in the '70s & '80s. There was complaints by the music industry giants of consumers copying the music for their personal use from records and cds, and now that has transitioned to the internet. There will be a lot of things to be played out in the public domain as well as in the courts as to legalities, and whether or not what is occuring today is moral. A lot of laws were written decades ago and with the use of new technologies , and even more uses being found everyday, these laws will have to be updated to reflect current thinking/ standards. I could never have imagined things would be like they are today just 15 years ago. Home computers were not used like they are today, the internet wasn't around, so they weren't such a big part of our lives as they are now.
On the subject of free music. I think the general public has come to expect things like this. It started years ago and snowballed from there. I don't think many people realized to what extent the impact would do to the industry. People now expect items like that and the growth will only continue. It seems now that the industry is more consumer driven, than in the past where the big companies and label dictated what was bought and sold. With the advent of the internet, it has opened more doors to smaller bands, and companies who may have not had a chance or been able to make it just a few short years ago. Look what technology has done to the movie business. Movie ticket sales are down and even some video/dvd rental businesses have closed due to the ability to gain more access to the media (movies) that customers want. You can rent online, and not have to worry about getting it back on time. That has taken a big cut of the business from the theaters and brick-and-mortar rental stores. The same could happen even further in the music industry. I know people in my area complain at the cost of concerts, and if the prices were to increase to try to make up for lost profits, then these companies and artists will suffer even more as the consumer will not put up with it and find alternate means to satisfy their needs/ desires with the new technologies available to them.

[vinnym86]

I use uTorrent to get an album i want to listen to. I listen to it. If i like it, I go to the store and buy it. If I don't, I delete it.
Also, fuck iTunes and similar programs.

First off, dl'ing from p2p is never as good as buying the CD. I have an expensive audio system that i payed for, and i want to make use of it by listening to good, clear music. not some 128bit mp3. Second, buying a CD to me is like buying a record back in the day... its not really a collectible, but its a show of ownership and devotion to the music. Also, if you have an iPod, nothing says you can't rip the music from cd to computer and then put it on the ipod.

[LjasonL]

I think it hurts the labels more than the artists, and the labels can go to hell anyways, so there.
A band doesn't NEED a label to produce or distribute music. I think this is the first step to a new and better system.
CD retail outlet might be on the way out though...

edit:
Alrighty then, picture this if you will...

It's three years from now and your favorite band has a new album to be released. You purchase directly through their website with the option of a direct download or an actual hard copy mailed to you. You choose the hard copy and pay $2.99 + shipping (no record label to pay, no distribution prices). The hard copy is not a CD, it's a small storage device similar to the portable memory sticks available today. It arrives the next day or two days later at a maximum as production is exceedingly simple (just copy files to a memory device and mail it, no CD's to press) so distribution points are set up across the country that take orders from bands and can process them the same day. The data pack has a USB interface on one end you can plug into your home computer, portable media player, or car stereo (which will have USB interface as standard equipment by then). You plug it into whatever device you choose and check it out. It contains not only music, but music videos, interviews, and other multimedia goodies. You can choose to carry the data pack with you and plug it in to play directly off it, the same you do with CD's now, or save one or more files to the device of your choosing. The data pack never scratches or skips. For those still stuck in the stone age listening to CD's, you can then burn the music files onto a CD from your home computer. It will have the look of a professional CD instead of a magic-marker burn because CD burners by then will be capable of printing a design on the top of the CD at the same time as they're burning data to the bottom. The artists design for the CD face is included in the data pack and you can choose to use it or one of your own.
Had you chosen the direct download option you would get all the same data, only as an instant download and without the hard copy to carry around. You would have paid 99 cents and no shipping.

edit again: I haven't actually paid for a CD in years by the way. If my system comes true I'd buy all my music. It's worth a buck or two to have a direct high quality download from the artist rather than hunting around for the right files. Most bands only see a buck or two from a CD sale anyways, it's not going to hurt them to offer downloads for a dollar. Where it is going to hurt is labels and retail, big time.

[beef_bourito]

well they COULD only charge you 2.99 per copy but why would they? i mean their cd's are being sold for $15+ they could easily pull off selling them for $10 and make a killing. they only see a fraction of the price on cd's but now they could see a whole lot more and make a whole lot more money off of cd sales.

[LjasonL]

Because making the price reasonable is the only way to combat illegal downloading. $2.99 is better than $free.99

But you're right in that it's not going to be an instant jump down to two or three bucks. In the beginning I see smaller independent labels offering downloads for about $10. Then unsigned bands are going to see that and think "there's no reason we can't just do that ourselves" and put their stuff up for pay download, but with less confidence in their ability to sell (because they're not signed) they'll be more in the $5 range. As those bands become more popular the unsigned bands with $5 downloads will become more the norm.

[vinnym86]

yes, but you are seeing a band very keen on business. Labels excel in business, its their job. (which is why some of the more intelligent bands despise them) Think of an emerging artist... money from 2 years of working at Mickey D's, maybe a GED or (possibly) enrolled in college, and the talent and potential of kings and legends. He'll probably make a tape, get it out into his community, and that could possibly be the end of the road for him. maybe he'll seek out some bars to play at on a thursday night.
Enter record label at said Bar...
maybe, some years later, you check out ticketmaster, and there featured on front page, opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers, its...
just a counter argument/thought.

Originally Posted by LjasonL

Alrighty then, picture this if you will...

[LjasonL]

I think websites like MySpace (as gay as MySpace is...) are going to revolutionize how people learn about new artists, labels and the publicity they provide aren't going to be totally necessary as they once were.

I can dream, can't I?

[TexasF355F1]

I haven't downloaded anything in years, and started buying cd's. I would feel a lot better knowing that the artists were getting most of my money instead of a few pennies for each sale. I also think if bands put out albums that had 7 out of 10 songs that were good, instead of 2 out of 10 it would be easier for people to shell out their money.

But I think youtube and the like help artists out. I can go on there, search a band, and find video of them performing live. That gives me an indication, other than word of mouth, of whether their worth a shit or not live.

[vinnym86]

Didn't OK GO circulate their music videos free on youtube intensionally? It got them a spot on the interview table on The Colbert Report and i think other talk shows as well. You're right, the internet can act as a great tool for bands to sell themselves, and ideally, can revolutionize the music industry. I still, however, think it is utopian style thinking to want to see the entire industry change. If anything, it's very possible that recording industries will become stronger in the future, having more government backing, more control over artists, more control over circulation of music.

again, just playing devil's advocate.