Just speaking as a music lover here
Posted by TFG on March 26th, 2008
Amazon takes on Apple with copy-protection-free music - Yahoo! News
Amazon’s (AMZN) MP3 store - which sells only songs without copy protection - has quietly become No. 2 in digital sales since opening nearly six months ago. That’s even though Apple (AAPL) dominates digital music with its iTunes Store (the second-largest music retailer in the world, after Wal-Mart) (WMT) and its hugely popular iPod.
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Apple, which claims an 80% share of digital music sales, said consumers would be ecstatic about the EMI deal and that digital sales would greatly increase. CEO Steve Jobs predicted his iTunes catalog would be 50% DRM-free by the end of 2007. But that never happened.
I won’t spend a nickel at Bro. Jobs’ Musical Emporium. If I can’t order it from Amazon, I’ll buy it directly from the artist. Therefore, my music is my music. I get to do what I want with it. I know not everybody is as smart as me, but it still is amazing how much product that jackass moves.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I have no iPod, no MP3 player, and tend to get my music directly from the artist. I’m so backwards, I’m forward, y’know? Seriously though, I’d much rather know that 100% of the money I spend on music goes to the artist. They’re the ones who do the work, not Amazon or Apple.
By the way, I was just told that the lack of an iPod/MP3 player is considered child neglect bordering on abuse from the peanut gallery. The argument didn’t hold water back when I banned video games, so I doubt it’ll hold up in court this time either.
March 27th, 2008 at 6:57 am
No MP3 player? Look, those things are cheap as dirt these days — I think they give you one when you buy a dozen donuts. They do lead to a lot of downloads, but I spend less on music these days than I used to when I hunted it down in seedy used CD stores.
And they make life so nice, shutting out all the ambient BS. You’re going through the doctor/hospital thing. How can you stand that damn teevee they always have blaring soap operas or chirpy infomercials in the waiting rooms?
March 27th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Personally, I would love to see more artists following the example of Trent Reznor, of all people. Give away a couple tracks for free, charge for the whole album, and charge mega bucks for limited edition, content rich versions. The artist makes the bucks, and cuts the rest of the hangers-on out of the equation.
March 31st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Money’s tighter than you can imagine, my friend. As much as I have wanted to get an MP3 player, when it comes right down to it, bread and milk come first. Last time I was in the hospital, I took the laptop and some headphones and found solace there. I also did some really strange blogging. What do you expect from a demerol-addled patient? This time, I’m going to ask if I can borrow something from someone. I’m addicted to my computer and all, but the next surgery is going to be a doozy and hauling a lot of gear ain’t gonna work.