Music for the last 2 decades has been a big yawn. Long live the 80's. Our teen daughters prefer 80's music over most of the junk nowadays.
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Digital Music Sales Decline for First Time Since Opening of iTunes Music Store
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Music for the last 2 decades has been a big yawn. Long live the 80's. Our teen daughters prefer 80's music over most of the junk nowadays.
I still buy CDs once in a while. But mostly I just download tracks from iTunes. Mainly because most artist, even the Christian artists I mainly listen to nowadays, don't produce enough good songs to warrant buying the whole album.
Also someone here mentioned ripping their CDs in "lossless" encoding. Are we talking about the "Apple Lossless Encoder" in iTunes? Also how much space would that take up?? Right now my music is 28GB worth of space on my HDD.
Also someone here mentioned ripping their CDs in "lossless" encoding. Are we talking about the "Apple Lossless Encoder" in iTunes? Also how much space would that take up?? Right now my music is 28GB worth of space on my HDD.
It may sound good, but ever consider how a 700MB disk can only hold like... 12 songs? Uncompressed or lossless audio takes up a lot of room, and people wouldn't like suddenly only being able to carry a fraction of the songs they used to on their devices. Personally, I compress all my CDs to 326kbps +VBR. It's as lossless as lossy compression gets (from what I can choose in iTunes at least). Much higher quality than regular iTunes music, but also takes up far less room on my iPhone.
So, I suppose you don't subscribe to cable or satellite TV, and (assuming you even have a TV), only watch OTA Digital HD (via antenna) and/or something from your extensive collection of Blu-Ray (which you may not have because of the DRM on the discs) to ensure you watch the best quality video on a medium that is legally free or that is tandgible and you own? I bet you cringe having to pay the utility company for electricity needed to actually watch what you already own (effectively paying twice, financially)? Never rented from Redbox or Blockbuster? Never go to the theater?
Just having a bit of fun with you, but really...sounds like you're missing out on a lot of convenience and fun. Streaming music allows me to work, drive, and live life and still enjoy the music I like without needing to be sitting in a sterile music listening room with $10,000 worth of gear to eek out every nuance of uncompressed music (or spend my days ripping my CD's to uncompressed digital files that take up expensive space on my expensive devices).
To be a fly on the wall in a day of your life.
I haven't bought any music since subscribing to Spotify. It's not even the cost savings, the wealth of choice, the extended app scene or the opportunity to explore music I would never have discovered otherwise, it's the convenience of it. Make a playlist on one device and it's instantly updated on all devices and synced for offline listening. It's just too easy.
EDIT: iTunes is just archaic in comparison. It really needs to move with the times.
EDIT: iTunes is just archaic in comparison. It really needs to move with the times.
There is some truth to that of course, but consider "our" decades didn't have AutoTune. Recording artists had to have at least some talent.
Today you throw a Disney starlet on stage and let the computers do the rest.
Sure but you could go back in history and hear people say:
Our decade didn't have amplified instruments
Our decade didn't have electronic synthesizers
Our decade didn't have XY or Z.
I had a music teacher in the 80s who's opinion was that most rock music was lazy because it tended to just repeat and fade out whereas "real" music is written with an actual end.
Artists of a particular decade use the instruments and tools available too them at that time be in a harpsichord, piano, electric guitar, or auto-tune. But instruments do not make for good music, talented people do. You don't need auto tune to fake an artist. See: Milli Vanilli. Just different technology.
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It's not all copycat. There has to be one big cat for the rest to copy. Problem is we are bombarded by so many copies, and the original isn't that memorable anyway, it's hard to remember who the originator of the sound was.
Prices always seem lower in the U.S. and then you get to the point of purchase and get stung with the tax, which we always include in the listed price. There is still quite a difference though, even after tax.
Roughly 3 hours = 1 GB. 1 day = 8 GB. If you take an average of four minutes per song, 45 songs = 1 GB. If your music comes from iTunes, it will be about 2 MB per minute, or 1 GB = 13 hours, so you would go up to say 150 GB. Plus 150 GB for backup, obviously.
(And that's the problem with SSD drives and the huge advantage of a Fusion drive: With a Fusion drive, you don't care that your music is 150 GB. With an SSD drive, 150 GB is real money).
I've been very disappointed in the last few CDs I've purchased due to their vastly different sound quality from old CDs from the 80s and 90s. It's as if they were the loud, dynamic range compressed radio versions. Maybe these particular bands meant for them to be produced this way but they sound just awful through my quality CD player, amp, and speakers. The rips don't benefit from that sort of production either. For this reason, I've mostly waited on discounts on the MP3 album versus buying CDs for music I like.
If you pop in a new CD and notice it is a lot "louder" overall than an old CD of a similar genre, you've probably experienced this too.
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LOL, then you're truly missing out. And that would be considered the music of my generation. There is absolutely awesome music from many other decades.
What an ignorant perspective. I guess modern cars, appliances, movies, etc. aren't any good either? If you can't find good recent music, you are looking in the wrong places. Whatever happened to the good ol' days, right?
what an ignorant post, do you read? I never said that - I specifically say that it is not bad, and I do have several tracks by various artists. I enjoyed 'Wrecking ball', 'Diamonds', 'Applause', 'Blurred lines' and many other songs, but I am already sick of them.
All what I am saying is that new music is not making the long term impact on people, and I'm not alone.
Here is a hint: Before you hit the reply button, read! now back to Justin Beiber.
I know it has already been said, but there is nothing lazier than saying no good music gets made anymore. It is easier to discover great new music than ever before. No matter what kind of music you like. I like rock music and I find great new bands all the time (Just learned about The Districts). I used to buy tons of music, but I now subscribe to Google Play Music All Access and never buy a thing. This contributes to the sales decline. Many of the high volume purchasers have done the same.
It is OK to not care enough about music to spend time on music discovery or new bands. But saying there is no good music today is just false. If people walked around saying that there are no good TV shows being made today and the best TV shows were made when they were in High School, people would think they were crazy. Especially if they only watched network TV. So please stop saying it about music. It doesn't make you look cool or look like you have better taste by saying it. It makes you look lazy. And disclaimer, I am 37.
EDIT: The post previous to mine is exactly what I am referring to.
It is OK to not care enough about music to spend time on music discovery or new bands. But saying there is no good music today is just false. If people walked around saying that there are no good TV shows being made today and the best TV shows were made when they were in High School, people would think they were crazy. Especially if they only watched network TV. So please stop saying it about music. It doesn't make you look cool or look like you have better taste by saying it. It makes you look lazy. And disclaimer, I am 37.
EDIT: The post previous to mine is exactly what I am referring to.
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True, Clearvision is so out of touch it's not even funny. I love how they own like 90% of stations nationwide, and radio sounds exactly the same wherever you travel in this country. They even sync all stations add times so that you wherever you turn the knob, you get commercials.
And I completely agree about your statements about artists, it's like the industry itself does not want to create new 'icons', and why would they? If you think about it, most old-schoolers now are getting their money via touring, which returns little -if any- revenue to labels.
I remember reading an article saying how critics are saying Madonna is losing her touch as her recent two or three albums did not sell anywhere close to her former glory day albums, but then again, Madonna is no longer interested in selling you a CD for $15, she's interested in selling you a $300 concert ticket for her show. Her most recent tour grossed close to $300 million dollars.
Even if the next Madonna is around, Why would any label want to create a new Madonna?
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Spotify doesn't have everything available. So while digital sales may be moderating a bit I do think they will stick around. Most people are in a cellular connected area all of the time. When you are not it's a bit expensive on the data plan. You pay twice...once with the carriers and once in the form of ads or monthly subscription. Notice Beyonce sold 1.3 million copies in only 2weeks and 3days...and it's not even available physically through Amazon or Target.
I've given up on buying music from iTunes; because I spent far more money than I'd care to admit in 2012, so for 2013 I switched to Rdio; and spent less money even with their desktop/mobile plan.
On the other hand, I did buy quite a few vinyl releases; for the few albums this year I thought were actually worth owning.
On the other hand, I did buy quite a few vinyl releases; for the few albums this year I thought were actually worth owning.
The last half was pretty terrible in my opinion. I think 1998 was the worst year for music.
I've been enjoying sky.fm for a few years. $40 a year gets me premium 256mbps quality streamed with no commercials, and a channel of my favorite genre -- Uptempo Jazz (plus a hundred others). Love it.
This is funny I saw this because I'm listening to this record on vinyl right now. Touché Amoré is an incredible band.
I bought zero digital songs this year, one CD, and probably 50-60 records. When almost every record I buy costs 10-12$ and comes with a free digital download, it only makes sense. Then again, most sales that are tracked and that execs care about are top 40. Only mainstream record I listened to/enjoyed was Lady Gaga's Artpop.
My guess is that this is a two part answer...
First part is lower pent up demand. Many people have already purchased a lot of the stuff that they were going to buy on line.
The second part is millennial meh. Millennials simply don't see the reason to purchase music as much as the olders that have released the pent up demand. They don't have a culture and history of buying music, and they aren't getting anything when they do (like an actual CD), so they can't show off what they got. My son, who is a millennial, has most of my collection in his phone. Which satisfies a ton of his need, and he finds new stuff from his friends, and if he does want to keep it he often strips it from YouTUBE. Not that I approve or condone, but that is what he does. (Quality is nowhere near as good as buying from iTunes or ripping from a CD).
That said, I don't think it is a trend towards zero, just a trend to actual regular demand. In a couple years it will be what it is, and may even trend back upwards the more that people are aware.
I buy a few albums a year. Some new, like the Straight No Chaser, the eminem Survivor, the new WOTE EP, and even what does the fox say. I don't see that really changing that much over time. I find stuff that I want to purchase and I do.
The fact that it is declining is just sign of maturation and normalization. It will be fine going forward.
First part is lower pent up demand. Many people have already purchased a lot of the stuff that they were going to buy on line.
The second part is millennial meh. Millennials simply don't see the reason to purchase music as much as the olders that have released the pent up demand. They don't have a culture and history of buying music, and they aren't getting anything when they do (like an actual CD), so they can't show off what they got. My son, who is a millennial, has most of my collection in his phone. Which satisfies a ton of his need, and he finds new stuff from his friends, and if he does want to keep it he often strips it from YouTUBE. Not that I approve or condone, but that is what he does. (Quality is nowhere near as good as buying from iTunes or ripping from a CD).
That said, I don't think it is a trend towards zero, just a trend to actual regular demand. In a couple years it will be what it is, and may even trend back upwards the more that people are aware.
I buy a few albums a year. Some new, like the Straight No Chaser, the eminem Survivor, the new WOTE EP, and even what does the fox say. I don't see that really changing that much over time. I find stuff that I want to purchase and I do.
The fact that it is declining is just sign of maturation and normalization. It will be fine going forward.
I think there has always been a 'way' to get music, think about it; in the 80s people used to wait for their favorite song on radio and record it on a cassette (remember those?), in the 90s CDrs started making way and people would create exact replica of their friends' CDs (worse yet, some would buy a CD from a store, duplicate it, and then take it back), followed in the late 90s/early 2000s with Napster and MP3s, which now evolved to torrents/ youtube ripping
Maybe it's easier now, but since as far as I remember, there has always been a way to get music, yet sales were better back in the day.
iTunes should start releasing music in 24-bit 192khz format. I'm not sure if it'll help increase sales but I fell in love with vinyl recently and my iTunes music purchases have gone down dramatically. They are only saved by movies for my kids and my Walking Dead season pass.
You may be right. On the other hand, there may be 10 good and 200 rubbish songs created in 2013 that you heard, and 10 good songs from say 1996 that you remember and 200 rubbish ones that you have forgotten, so it is very very hard to make a fair comparison. Add to that the fact that you are not the target audience anymore.
What _is_ definitely worse is the radio, at least in the UK. Tried one station on the way to work, playing a nice selection of music. Then the next week, I started recognising some of the songs repeating. The next week, it was all the same. They must have two double CD's "70's Greatest Hits" and "80's Greatest Hits" and play them all day. And the other stations are just the same.