Do you still buy physical albums?

Arya Stark · 02-01-2010, 12:52 AM

I was talking to someone today who told me he didn't know why people still buy physical things when they can download them on the internet.
I was having a hard time explaining to him how important it is for me to be able to have an album I love in my hand.
An album that can't be accidently deleted, one that can't be erased or lost in a hard-drive.

Mojo · 02-01-2010, 01:45 AM

Lots of people think this way. People who claim that they love music but refuse to spend a penny on it. Im sorry but I just dont see the logic there.

Astronomer · 02-01-2010, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

I was talking to someone today who told me he didn't know why people still buy physical things when they can download them on the internet.
I was having a hard time explaining to him how important it is for me to be able to have an album I love in my hand.
An album that can't be accidently deleted, one that can't be erased or lost in a hard-drive.

I don't think this is really the point, as I am quite happy downloading music online but still paying for it and buying it. Hardcopies can be destroyed, damaged or scratched too. So for me I think downloading albums legitimately (i.e. paying for them) is one of the better ways to go. Like mojo, to some extent it irks me when 'music fans' don't spend a single cent on any of their music.

That being said, I do engage in a lot of, let's say, non-legitimate downloading that I don't necessarily pay for. However, I make myself feel better about this by the fact that I go to A LOT of concerts and see a lot of artists live. If I like an artist, no doubt I will make an effort to see them live when they come to my city. I also do spend a lot of money on buying music legitimately, whether it be in hard copy or in digital format.

Mojo · 02-01-2010, 02:03 AM

Oh well of course I download too and without this my taste in music would be a hell of alot narrower than it is. However I also enjoy buying music, going to gigs and buying t shirts. Its mainly music fans who arent prepared to buy at all that annoy me.

chroma IF · 02-01-2010, 02:35 AM

Some stuff is so hard to find that to download it from someone else is the only way to get it at all. I wanted a copy of Eostre by Zoviet France and they told me at Aquarius 'So do we, it's out of print, album AND the reissue CD, sorry dear'.

I downloaded most of the zoviet france songs I now have because that was the only way to get them. I buy the disks whenever I see them in the store, they have been my favorite music for a while now. I ended up sending them an impassioned email about how I hoped they didn't mind, but I had had to get most of their stuff on Napster, and how stylish it was to be out of print TWICE, and did they have a copy of Eostre around the house, I would pay its travel expenses.

Months later, I ran downstairs late for work and there was a parcel of unmistakeable shape with British postage sitting inside the gate.

I now own a copy of Eostre, on wax, with no covers. Thanks Ben.

So, yeah, I buy when I can get, but am not able to pay $155 US for a copy of Mohnomishe on Amazon and I don't think any of the band members are getting a percentage of that $155. The person selling it is also selling collectability- original art dah dah, limited dah dah, all their releases are like that. I just want the music, if it comes with a mounted slide of goat eyeball, I can read about that somewhere just fine.

I wouldn't need to download Spirit Caravan or Donovan though, I can buy that in a store.

Arya Stark · 02-01-2010, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

Lots of people think this way. People who claim that they love music but refuse to spend a penny on it. Im sorry but I just dont see the logic there.

Well even iTunes and stuff isn't my speed.
If I'm going to pay, I want the album in my hands, I don't want files that I can lose in a heartbeat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

I don't think this is really the point, as I am quite happy downloading music online but still paying for it and buying it. Hardcopies can be destroyed, damaged or scratched too. So for me I think downloading albums legitimately (i.e. paying for them) is one of the better ways to go. Like mojo, to some extent it irks me when 'music fans' don't spend a single cent on any of their music.

That being said, I do engage in a lot of, let's say, non-legitimate downloading that I don't necessarily pay for. However, I make myself feel better about this by the fact that I go to A LOT of concerts and see a lot of artists live. If I like an artist, no doubt I will make an effort to see them live when they come to my city. I also do spend a lot of money on buying music legitimately, whether it be in hard copy or in digital format.

The thing is I can stillt ransfer the music to my computer.
Alot of people use this example, about it getting scratched and everything, but it's not going to get scratched after I rip it to my computer.

Mojo · 02-01-2010, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

Well even iTunes and stuff isn't my speed.
If I'm going to pay, I want the album in my hands, I don't want files that I can lose in a heartbeat.

I feel this way too but it isnt even about potentially losing the files, it's about paying for something i can't hold or touch. This is why im split down the middle when it comes to whether or not i think paying for downloads is a good thing or not. I dont mind paying for music at all, but im not paying for a file.

NumberNineDream · 02-01-2010, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

I feel this way too but it isnt even about potentially losing the files, it's about paying for something i can't hold or touch. This is why im split downm the middle when it comes to whether or not i think paying for downloads is a good thing or not. I dont mind paying for music at all, but im not paying for a file.

Ditto.

Do we even get an "audio" file, or just a compressed mp3?

Arya Stark · 02-01-2010, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

I feel this way too but it isnt even about potentially losing the files, it's about paying for something i can't hold or touch. This is why im split down the middle when it comes to whether or not i think paying for downloads is a good thing or not. I dont mind paying for music at all, but im not paying for a file.

Exactly.
If I can't touch it and I'm paying for it, that's weird for me.
Like that new e-book thing, I don't see the point of it.
I want to be able to read the book.

Eh paying for downloads is a good idea. But I only download music I don't know.
If I know I want it, I'd rather wait to buy it.

Astronomer · 02-01-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

The thing is I can stillt ransfer the music to my computer.
Alot of people use this example, about it getting scratched and everything, but it's not going to get scratched after I rip it to my computer.

Yeah true, in which case buying the album online off iTunes isn't much different from buying the CD and then ripping it onto your computer. The only difference is that you get the physical copy of the CD as well with the cover art etc (which I admit I do enjoy having

) but the fact that the ripped files are more important to you than the hard copy kind-of renders the hard-copy useless. Although I do like having the hard copies of CDs and like flipping through the cover art etc, it just seems more efficient/economical/environmentally friendly to buy it online.

View Poll Results: How many of your albums are tangible?
None, I download everything.	22	13.75%
A few but mostly I just download	62	38.75%
Its about 50/50	26	16.25%
Most of them but I still download a few.	25	15.63%
I buy all of my albums in hardcopy.	25	15.63%
Voters: 160. You may not vote on this poll

02-01-2010, 01:45 AM	#42 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Lots of people think this way. People who claim that they love music but refuse to spend a penny on it. Im sorry but I just dont see the logic there. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

02-01-2010, 02:03 AM	#44 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Oh well of course I download too and without this my taste in music would be a hell of alot narrower than it is. However I also enjoy buying music, going to gigs and buying t shirts. Its mainly music fans who arent prepared to buy at all that annoy me. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

02-01-2010, 02:35 AM	#45 (permalink)
chroma IF Groupie Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: California Posts: 2	Some stuff is so hard to find that to download it from someone else is the only way to get it at all. I wanted a copy of Eostre by Zoviet France and they told me at Aquarius 'So do we, it's out of print, album AND the reissue CD, sorry dear'. I downloaded most of the zoviet france songs I now have because that was the only way to get them. I buy the disks whenever I see them in the store, they have been my favorite music for a while now. I ended up sending them an impassioned email about how I hoped they didn't mind, but I had had to get most of their stuff on Napster, and how stylish it was to be out of print TWICE, and did they have a copy of Eostre around the house, I would pay its travel expenses. Months later, I ran downstairs late for work and there was a parcel of unmistakeable shape with British postage sitting inside the gate. I now own a copy of Eostre, on wax, with no covers. Thanks Ben. So, yeah, I buy when I can get, but am not able to pay $155 US for a copy of Mohnomishe on Amazon and I don't think any of the band members are getting a percentage of that $155. The person selling it is also selling collectability- original art dah dah, limited dah dah, all their releases are like that. I just want the music, if it comes with a mounted slide of goat eyeball, I can read about that somewhere just fine. I wouldn't need to download Spirit Caravan or Donovan though, I can buy that in a store.