Tuesday, November 14, 2006
I Gotcher Repository for Stolen Music Right Here, Pal
Doug Morris, you ignorant slut.
That is to say, Mr. Morris, that you are wrong. Take me for example: I buy CDs, I buy from iTunes, and I have my monthly downloading fest from eMusic. Anything on my Shuffle, my Nano, or my SLVR that wasn’t purchased is about 90% likely to be a live track from a bootleg--and, no, I’m not feeling so guilty about that.
I pay for music and the people that I know pay for music. Stop insulting the people who pay your bloated salary, Mr. Morris, and stop blaming recent industry setbacks on consumers instead of bad product management on your part. The music industry is still changing to fit the varied needs of people who are buying fewer and fewer CDs because they can fill their musical needs through online services. There are still people like me who believe that CDs sound better than the downloads and people who believe that records sound warmer and more pure than CDs, but the movement is toward digital distribution that is always on, ultimately should have a wider selection than any store imaginable, is cost effective, and doesn’t always require the purchase of an entire CD for the one song the listener actually wants to hear.
It’s no wonder that convenience is winning the war, but a smart media companies can make greater profits serving the widest possible market from large catalogs and low overhead in digital distribution. When the market changes and old companies fail to keep up with those changes, it is hardly the consumers’ fault when revenue drops.
I find it shocking that Microsoft will be paying about $1 per Zune sold to Universal Music Group--a company that stands to profit from another venue for legal purchases through Zune’s own music site. What, precisely, did UMG contribute to the little electronic device?
Anyway, thanks to Jerry for pointing me to the original post about Doug Morris’ poorly chosen words.
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Comments & Trackbacks
Yeah, I thought that one might make you a little angry. I was pretty upset, too. For me, that is the final straw with Universal. I don’t think that I listen to many bands on that label, but I am boycotting any that I may come across that I would otherwise purchase. I’m also boycotting the Zune. Admittedly, I wasn’t planning on purchasing one anyway, but it is now officially off of the list of products that I would consider purchasing.
What pisses me off the most about this is that I was very outspoken in support of the record industry’s attempts (in principle if not its tactics) to protect the artist’s right to control their own creation. Crap like this proves that the old guard just doesn’t get it. Companies like Universal need sweeping change at the top.
Truth to power, man, truth to power.
Or something like that. You would think that at some point the leadership in the music industry would realize that the old way isn’t cutting it, lawsuits don’t fix the problem, and that trying to find out what the consumer actually wants might be a good way to keep the industry healthy.
Anyway, I agree. From a consumer standpoint, though, I hope the Zune is actually a good device and that it spurs innovation on the Apple side of the fence. I won’t lie: I hope the iPod stays on the top of the heap, but competition is a good thing. Not that I’ll be buying one--I’m way too happy with my iPod to change over just so I join ad hoc social networks at the local Starbucks.
I don’t intend to get a Zune, either. Then again, one of these days, I must make an effort to find my iPod Shuffle again.
Janis Ian seems to be satisfied with the effects of offering her music for free downloads, and the Baen Free Library has shown the effects (more information in the first Janis Ian link) of allowing books to be downloaded on royalties, as has National Academies Press.
Dude, i am also doing same as you. I like to listen music from iPod. I have iPod Nano and using for last 1 year. Its really cool for me. Thanks for your nice information.