Why buy music when you can download it free?
Posted on 04 August 2007
There has been a significant shift in the reason we still purchase music these days. Ten years ago, the reason we bought a music album was because of one of the following:
- Enjoyed a song from the artist on the radio
- Found the artist attractive
- Friend’s recommendation
- Saw a memorable live performance
In other words, we bought albums for the right reasons. These days, it’s much different. Here are the three primary reasons why we buy CDs:
- Don’t know how to download the music for free
- So indie or niche that the music is not available for download (you searched)
- You are buying simply to support the artist (you may already own the downloaded digital files)
Let’s focus on #3. This is very interesting. People are buying CDs simply to SUPPORT the artist, so he/she can get the royalties. It’s the same reason you would drop a few bucks in the street musician’s guitar case… Never would this have been a chief reason a person bought a CD ten years ago.
Again, I find this very interesting. Ethics is not much part of the equation I think.
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August 4th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Yep, this realization is the only reason I went into business instead of the rap industry… the only reason ;-)
August 4th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Good observation, I have a draw full of cds still in their plastic wrap solely because I wanted to support to artist after downloading their music and really enjoying it.
August 5th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Interesting observation, Tony.
And yeah, I’m doing well. =) How fares all avec toi? Are you still in Taiwan or have you returned to the Bay?
August 5th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Nii, it’s up to you to turn the industry around =)
pc, maybe one day those mint condition, unopened CDs will be worth some $ like sports trading cards these days…
Angela, I’m in Taiwan right now. Things are good here!
August 6th, 2007 at 2:35 am
Musicians just have to make money the old fashion way. Touring.
How are things with you, rockstar?
August 6th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Why buy a cd? Heck, why even buy it on I-tunes. I just asked a friend if there is anything special about buying music from I-tunes; he gave me a bemused look, flipped me off, and said “I have never bought any music in my life; you should know me better.”
For the majority of people, it doesn’t make sense to buy music. Ethics can easily be overlooked when it comes to saving money.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Inderjit, it is very true that ethics = overlooked when it comes to saving $, great point. iTunes got a bit smart and started offering digital CD booklets with certain album purchases. For a lot of people, the booklet is pretty much the reason why they buy the album. You know who else got smart? Providers of digital downloads… they are also offering the digital booklet in ZIP files…
Eric, simple but well made point. It is very true, artists need to improve their touring/commercial/endorsements tactics in order to make a living.
August 7th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Interesting; I didn’t know that. Still not enough to revive sales for sure.
Bonus dvd features, videos, making of the music, and other personalized material to connect to the ‘true’ music fans might help, but I’m not too sure.
August 14th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Well………this title; “Why buy music when you can get it for free” says it all & i mean ALL.
It’s all not the record companys’ or the easter bunnys fault. It’s THE CONSUMERS FAULT.
The consumer are all a bunch of juvenile thieves who blame, lie & complain. It IS an ethics MORALS problem.
It started with rappers stealing/sampling music. They felt, being black, that “the man” i.e; “whitey”, owed them. This pervasive philosophy if not theology spread like wildfire espescially with the youth who are always looking for a way to rebel. So stealing became rebellious. It was “hip” being “a dude”.
If the internet did not exist would people be robbing music stores etc.? Well. It came close to it as there had to be created encoded tags on product to stop theft. But the internet MAKES STEALING EASY. “Because they can” & “because they can” they scream when they think that they might have to or will have to pay for music & then get mad at & blame “big bad parents-daddy”-”the record companys-the riaa” etc. How chikenshit.
Everybody wants something for free. Well. They can get music for free. They are getting it for free & quess what? “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR”. The quality of music keeps going down. Why? It costs more & more to make great music & companys etc. are trying to make up for losses. THE RECORD COMPANYS & THE RIAA ARE NO MORE GREEDY THAN THAN THE CONSUMER.
Aw hell. I dont even want to taolk about this anymore. Its sickening.