The problem with this that I see, as a huge music fan who has over 400 CDs, and I usually get a new one every 2 weeks or so, is that all of this hype about a.) selling the single and b.) hyping the pop artists has effectively killed the album as an art form? Why are there few good albums (this isnt true, go check out pitchforkmedia.com for good new records)? Its because record companies are shifting their focus and plugging artists who can't write an albums worth of material. The album is an amazing art form when done well, creates a mood, evokes a feeling and moves the listener just like reading a good book or watching a really good film, a song is something you can tap your toe to or shake your ass or whatever.
I personally don't download anything, I'll listen to clips and then I'll go buy an album. Independent labels also seem to know how to price CDs, which is interesting, you've got these small labels who sell their discs for 11-12 bucks, and they obviously are making some money, and you've got these huge mega labels who sell discs for 18-20 bucks, its makes no sense. If you lower the prices, and give people a better product they will buy it. There are some of us that still love albums and getting them and experiencing the artwork and the whole thing, I feel that this can be found at the independent label level, and there are few really good records coming out at the major label level (modest mouse, radiohead to name a few).
First of all, I'm a CS and a German Language and Literature double degree student.
It amazes me, for my German literature my books are amazingly cheap. There's a publishing company that mostly deals with classic texts, and puts them out in little yellow books (Das kleine gelbe Buch), called Reclam publishing.
In Germany these books retail for anywhere between 2-4 Euros, and here with the markup, you're paying at least 2 dollars more, so about 6 bucks. Now literature isn't a text book, but if you're an English student, you're paying 12-20 bucks for that Penguin book.
Just another example of getting hosed.
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The problem with this that I see, as a huge music fan who has over 400 CDs, and I usually get a new one every 2 weeks or so, is that all of this hype about a.) selling the single and b.) hyping the pop artists has effectively killed the album as an art form? Why are there few good albums (this isnt true, go check out pitchforkmedia.com for good new records)? Its because record companies are shifting their focus and plugging artists who can't write an albums worth of material. The album is an amazing art form when done well, creates a mood, evokes a feeling and moves the listener just like reading a good book or watching a really good film, a song is something you can tap your toe to or shake your ass or whatever. I personally don't download anything, I'll listen to clips and then I'll go buy an album. Independent labels also seem to know how to price CDs, which is interesting, you've got these small labels who sell their discs for 11-12 bucks, and they obviously are making some money, and you've got these huge mega labels who sell discs for 18-20 bucks, its makes no sense. If you lower the prices, and give people a better product they will buy it. There are some of us that still love albums and getting them and experiencing the artwork and the whole thing, I feel that this can be found at the independent label level, and there are few really good records coming out at the major label level (modest mouse, radiohead to name a few).
First of all, I'm a CS and a German Language and Literature double degree student. It amazes me, for my German literature my books are amazingly cheap. There's a publishing company that mostly deals with classic texts, and puts them out in little yellow books (Das kleine gelbe Buch), called Reclam publishing. In Germany these books retail for anywhere between 2-4 Euros, and here with the markup, you're paying at least 2 dollars more, so about 6 bucks. Now literature isn't a text book, but if you're an English student, you're paying 12-20 bucks for that Penguin book. Just another example of getting hosed.