The demise of the physical music product - records etc..
Discussion
Anyone eles find it rather sad how the way we own and purchase music has changed? Yes I am a hypocrite with two fully loaded Ipods but I also have a spare room dedicated to my record collection.
Years ago there was always something special about record shopping, I would take the hour long bus journey from Tavistock to Plymouth when I was at school and have a bounty of record shops to thumb through.. Virgin, Rival Records, Our Price, Woolies, Music Box, Purple Haze, HMV, WH Smiths etc, now with a lot of artists download only and the rise of P2P sharing these are all but gone! All we have now is an HMV!
For me there was always something special about finding the tunes you wanted, getting them home, playing them for the first time and checking out the sleeve etc..
Click and drop's just not the same!
But as many artists say, with the increase of downloads etc the only way to really make money is to tour.
Shame.
Years ago there was always something special about record shopping, I would take the hour long bus journey from Tavistock to Plymouth when I was at school and have a bounty of record shops to thumb through.. Virgin, Rival Records, Our Price, Woolies, Music Box, Purple Haze, HMV, WH Smiths etc, now with a lot of artists download only and the rise of P2P sharing these are all but gone! All we have now is an HMV!
For me there was always something special about finding the tunes you wanted, getting them home, playing them for the first time and checking out the sleeve etc..
Click and drop's just not the same!
But as many artists say, with the increase of downloads etc the only way to really make money is to tour.
Shame.
Bomber Denton said:
But as many artists say, with the increase of downloads etc the only way to really make money is to tour.
Touring seems to be more lucrative, but if paid downloads are taking over from CD sales, I don't see why the bands are making less money. Usually not cheaper than a CD, the download also doesn't have the overheads of producing, distributing and stocking a physical product.Touring doesn't make a huge amount of money for most bands either.
If a band/artist is successful the whole package can be quite lucrative still. Sales, licensing (tv, film, adverts etc), touring, merch and sponsorship.
How many will achieve that though?
I really do miss the album package.
CD's are ok and I like what some bands do where there will be an in depth online extension to the physical purchase.
Luckily there is still some good shops like Fopp available where buying music is still an enjoyable experience.
If a band/artist is successful the whole package can be quite lucrative still. Sales, licensing (tv, film, adverts etc), touring, merch and sponsorship.
How many will achieve that though?
I really do miss the album package.
CD's are ok and I like what some bands do where there will be an in depth online extension to the physical purchase.
Luckily there is still some good shops like Fopp available where buying music is still an enjoyable experience.
I think it's sad too. But on the other hand, I love how I can hear any album on Spotify straight away after reading a review for example.
I also have a huge collection of CDs and quite a bit of vinyl, and I will continue to buy both. The only real change is that I now just buy stuff that I've got to like on Spotify rather than taking a chance.
I agree though about record shops. I used to spend hours in places like Tower Records and HMV and then spent hours listening to them whilst reading the album covers when I got home.
I also have a huge collection of CDs and quite a bit of vinyl, and I will continue to buy both. The only real change is that I now just buy stuff that I've got to like on Spotify rather than taking a chance.
I agree though about record shops. I used to spend hours in places like Tower Records and HMV and then spent hours listening to them whilst reading the album covers when I got home.
I have pretty large CD collection (mostly albums but quite a lot of singles too). Until fairly recently I furiously defended the physical product and lamented the loss of high street record stores, but then gradually I have become less fussed and now buy about 50% on CD and 50% downloads.
The fact that all I do when I buy a CD is rip it to the computer and then onto the ipod proably has something to do with it, but I did also realise that I never actually look at the artwork much, you can get lyrics online, and the bulk and weight of a large music collection is a hassle when moving and/or storing! I'm still keeping them all for now, but am less worried about the demise of the CD than I used to be.
The fact that all I do when I buy a CD is rip it to the computer and then onto the ipod proably has something to do with it, but I did also realise that I never actually look at the artwork much, you can get lyrics online, and the bulk and weight of a large music collection is a hassle when moving and/or storing! I'm still keeping them all for now, but am less worried about the demise of the CD than I used to be.
Edited by Hub on Monday 19th July 16:40
Lots of record companies realise that things are going this way, and offer a "360" deal where they handle, and get a stake of, all of the revenues of a band. Certainly from the limited contact I've had with it, the two biggest sources of revenue are live work, and licensing of tracks to be used on mobile phone adverts (going rate is into 7 figures per track if it's a worldwide campaign I'm told)
I went into a record shop a few weeks ago to buy the new Chemical Brothers album
It struck me then that the last time I went into a record shop was to buy Orbital's TWenty
Then the nostalgia of hunting for a specific record hit me, the hours spent in various record shops, listening, reading, the joy of buying a record in fact.
The internet has destroyed rare groove, as nothing is rare any more (well, ok, some stuff is but only if its kept under lock and key - most isnt).
Whilst there is a lot to be said for the convenience of the internet, I have to admit to missing the old way quite a lot too.
It struck me then that the last time I went into a record shop was to buy Orbital's TWenty
Then the nostalgia of hunting for a specific record hit me, the hours spent in various record shops, listening, reading, the joy of buying a record in fact.
The internet has destroyed rare groove, as nothing is rare any more (well, ok, some stuff is but only if its kept under lock and key - most isnt).
Whilst there is a lot to be said for the convenience of the internet, I have to admit to missing the old way quite a lot too.
Well, I still go to physical record shops and buy physical vinyl records, usually 2 or 3 times a week. I don't buy music via download, I want to own the object, not a file on the PC.
This is possible as long as there are record shops, but they are closing at an alarming rate over the last few years, and most towns now don't have a record shops, certainly a shop selling new vinyl.
Long may the shops survive, I hope.
Koenig
This is possible as long as there are record shops, but they are closing at an alarming rate over the last few years, and most towns now don't have a record shops, certainly a shop selling new vinyl.
Long may the shops survive, I hope.
Koenig
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