I am trying my best to be a good, honest music consumer. This weekend, I have engaged in just about every legal means of acquiring music that exist: I have bought a couple CDs from Tower, I have downloaded some free mp3s from mp3.com, and I have paid for a few mp3s from a subscription site. Here is why RIAA needs to employ people like me and not grouchy middle aged men.
Buying CDs at Tower went fine. This is the game the RIAA wants us to play. The way things used to be, when the only way to steal a song was by shoving a CD in your backpack. It works okay, especially when you get to preview an artist in a listening station. I walked out with two bomb CDs I actually really dig. Still, I ended up buying an EP that isn't exactly what I wanted. So I guess I'm 67% satisfied with this method. It would actually have been lower, but I had a gift certificate and it made the cash bite a little less painful.
Everybody, go to mp3.com right now and get some free mp3s. There are some great ones in the alternative/punk section. You can get Starting Line songs for free, including "Best of Me." !!! Besides, what's cooler than discovering the next big thing? I also like Spitalfield and Count the Stars. Plus, it's free, and you can do whatever you want with the mp3s. What do I mean by this? Well...
It turns out that legally acquired mp3s have weird restrictions. I bought Addicted by Simple Plan at www.buymusic.com, for $0.99. What sucks is that I can't transfer the mp3 to my mp3 player or burn it to a CD. The site tells you that it's allowed, but unless your software is compatible you're screwed. I also tried out www.emusic.com, which has an unlimited download plan for $9.95 a month, but unless you're into Academy St. Maarten in the Fields or Creedence Clearwater Revival, you won't find it to be a good deal. I couldn't find a single mp3 I really cared about. The worst is that each site has its own proprietary file management program, so my beautiful new hard drive is getting filled up with junk.
If the RIAA was smart they would make downloading mp3s much easier and more streamlined. They would be cheaper (At $0.99 a song, a full CD still costs $15) and there would be no restrictions on use. Right now, it is so much faster and easier for people to hop on Kazaa and get what they need, and the mp3s are 100% versatile. I like the fact that the mp3 you get from a subscription service has guaranteed fidelity and is legal, but in the end, it's still too big of an ass-pain to bother. I have to wonder if they have done any market research at all, because you'd think they would know just how inferior the current options are.
Oh yeah, I forgot one last method of getting music: the AIM direct connect. As long as your buddy has what you want, you're all set. And the RIAA can't come after you :)
Buying CDs at Tower went fine. This is the game the RIAA wants us to play. The way things used to be, when the only way to steal a song was by shoving a CD in your backpack. It works okay, especially when you get to preview an artist in a listening station. I walked out with two bomb CDs I actually really dig. Still, I ended up buying an EP that isn't exactly what I wanted. So I guess I'm 67% satisfied with this method. It would actually have been lower, but I had a gift certificate and it made the cash bite a little less painful.
Everybody, go to mp3.com right now and get some free mp3s. There are some great ones in the alternative/punk section. You can get Starting Line songs for free, including "Best of Me." !!! Besides, what's cooler than discovering the next big thing? I also like Spitalfield and Count the Stars. Plus, it's free, and you can do whatever you want with the mp3s. What do I mean by this? Well...
It turns out that legally acquired mp3s have weird restrictions. I bought Addicted by Simple Plan at www.buymusic.com, for $0.99. What sucks is that I can't transfer the mp3 to my mp3 player or burn it to a CD. The site tells you that it's allowed, but unless your software is compatible you're screwed. I also tried out www.emusic.com, which has an unlimited download plan for $9.95 a month, but unless you're into Academy St. Maarten in the Fields or Creedence Clearwater Revival, you won't find it to be a good deal. I couldn't find a single mp3 I really cared about. The worst is that each site has its own proprietary file management program, so my beautiful new hard drive is getting filled up with junk.
If the RIAA was smart they would make downloading mp3s much easier and more streamlined. They would be cheaper (At $0.99 a song, a full CD still costs $15) and there would be no restrictions on use. Right now, it is so much faster and easier for people to hop on Kazaa and get what they need, and the mp3s are 100% versatile. I like the fact that the mp3 you get from a subscription service has guaranteed fidelity and is legal, but in the end, it's still too big of an ass-pain to bother. I have to wonder if they have done any market research at all, because you'd think they would know just how inferior the current options are.
Oh yeah, I forgot one last method of getting music: the AIM direct connect. As long as your buddy has what you want, you're all set. And the RIAA can't come after you :)
posted by Alli @ 9:08 PM
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