mymorningjacket.com/evilurges.html Update

[Nikkogino]

I don't think Apple really makes but a penny or so a track. They are getting revenue from sales of iPods... I agree they have a lower quality kbps but they do offer (depending on label constraints) DRM free higher quality tracks for the same 99 cents (edit: you mentioned that). I'm not a fanboy but you gotta give Apple a little respect for what they've done with digital music.

PS, you're still supporting the label if you buy from a bands website vs itunes, the label decides what a band gets and I'm sure it's the same for itunes as it is  from a the band's site (aside from really indie bands, etc.)

iTunes sold 30 million songs in it's first ten days.  that was 3 years ago.  apple's doin' all right, even if at a penny a song. ;)

do you guys know about zunior.com?  i like them a lot.  they give full res version options (i think it's a little more expensive)

labels don't necessarily "decide" what a band gets.  there's probably a 69 page contract for digital music between the band and the label, and band and label would have agreed on percentages and things that are really interesting like that.  the thing about digi distribution that's really great for indie bands is that there's no overhead once it's up on a site.  (aside from general advertising and marketing)  

at this point, i think the absolute BEST way to support a band that you love is to go to their shows, and buy their things (cds, tshirts, etc.).  you can buy iTunes gift cards as merch now, can't you?  

if they're not coming to your town anytime soon, you're still supporting a band by purchasing their music, even through iTunes.  everything contributes to everything else.  8-)

agreed.......but:

the whole "buy one song instead of the album" thing is going to kill the album soon.  90% of people who used to buy cds (and now rejoice in itunes) would only buy cds for one or two songs.  Most people don't care about songs unless they have been deemed "single-worthy."  I-tunes allows people to buy the songs they want and nothing else.  So while bands like MMJ toil away at making songs that are cohesive with each other and spend tedious hours trying to make the perfect tracklist, the truth is that society wants THE SINGLE.  The whole concept of the album is lost on most people and the future is going to be bands releasing a few songs at a time....are we going to revert back to the days of the single?

[EC]

i absolutely agree with you nikkogino.  songs are the chapters in the book that is the album.  but you know, it's always been that way where some people just like certain songs, and other people like the thing as a whole.  i don't really know if iTunes is destroying the concept of albums.  

i'll be honest, part of me doesn't give a shit, either.  i will always like albums, and so will other people, and i really don't care too much what happens in the world of commercial music.  i probably should, but i hardly pay attention to it.  people have to figure out for themselves what they're gonna like or not like - information (and misinformation) is abundant - especially with the interwebs.  part of me is really cheering for human beings that this onslaught of uncensored information exists and it is (hopefully) forcing people to think for themselves and find out as much information as they can to learn the facts and slice away the bullshit.

but i'm also naive and don't intend on changing that about myself, either.  i prefer to think that people got it in them to do good rather than evil.  or maybe evil is too dramatic.  maybe i mean that i hope people choose to be intelligent and not dumbasses...

does that make sense?  what do you think? :)

[sweatboard]

I'm with you Meg, I just don't give a shit.  I don't live in a world where "singles" even really exist.  I'm sure they have their significance (I noticed a Ravonetts single playing on the Sirius Radio that I really liked, it might inspire me to check out their record), but people interested in albums are going to look for albums, and people interested in singles are going to stick with that.  ITunes really doesn't mean shit to me.  The internet is just a tool, it doesn't really hold anymore influence than anything else.  As for cd's they are about obsolete at this point, which is fine with me.  People consumed CD's for singles anyway, you can just "skip" through and play the singles.  Go Vinyl!!!!    It's actually really makeing a comeback.  After CD's die it will be one of the only tangible ways to own music.

[CTdeadhead]

I'm with you Meg, I just don't give a shit.  I don't live in a world where "singles" even really exist.  I'm sure they have their significance (I noticed a Ravonetts single playing on the Sirius Radio that I really liked, it might inspire me to check out their record), but people interested in albums are going to look for albums, and people interested in singles are going to stick with that.  ITunes really doesn't mean shit to me.  The internet is just a tool, it doesn't really hold anymore influence than anything else.  As for cd's they are about obsolete at this point, which is fine with me.  People consumed CD's for singles anyway, you can just "skip" through and play the singles.  Go Vinyl!!!!    It's actually really makeing a comeback.  After CD's die it will be one of the only tangible ways to own music.

I don't like singles per se either but I think they are a reflection of the state of the music business.  In the 50-60s rock was new, and bands toured in packages and played short sets.  In those days, singles were a product of the 78 rpm technology and the limitations of vinyl. Soon afterward, the 33 rpm LP came along and the album was born.    Bands eventually began to treat albums as whole products in the 70-90s.  Today, we again have a new, limited technology and it favors singles.  As does the fact that people are not limited to hearing music broadcast to them on a few radio stations and MTV.  There is no radio.  Satellite radio has never caught on, so being able to hear songs by choice helps the bands get heard.  I consider iTunes and the internet the new radio.  The quality issues will work themselves out eventually as technology progresses.  Remember just yesterday a 2 megapixel digital camera was cutting edge?  

[dragonboy]

Q magazine has a 5 page feature every month telling you which songs you need to download that particular month (they'll scaled it down to 3 now I think) + at the end of every album review they tell you which tracks you should download.

[mjkoehler]

I'm weird, I don't buys singles. I want the full album. I've discovered more songs off of the albums that I liked much better then the single/hit(s).

I almost exclusivly buy digital anymore. I've gotten rid of all of my CD's and converted everything to digital. I have no room in my house for a wall of CD's anymore, plus they were just sitting there gathering dust. I have everything saved on a portable hard drive. In an emergancy, I can grab the HD and save my entire music collections. Call me weird.  :-/ I do wish Itunes offered a higher bitrate though.

[Coltrane]

I'm weird, I don't buys singles. I want the full album. I've discovered more songs off of the albums that I liked much better then the single/hit(s).

I almost exclusivly buy digital anymore. I've gotten rid of all of my CD's and converted everything to digital. I have no room in my house for a wall of CD's anymore, plus they were just sitting there gathering dust. I have everything saved on a portable hard drive. In an emergancy, I can grab the HD and save my entire music collections. Call me weird.  :-/ I do wish Itunes offered a higher bitrate though.

it's not weird....it seems like something I should do too......the cd's just sit there and take up space. and if i get lazy and don't put them back right away, they end up lost for months on end until i do a complete reorganization.

But there's also something romantic about buying a house and having a "music room" or library......something my (future) kids could go into and just look around and find their musical way. and i could go into and reminisce about days gone by.



whew! i just teared up a bit there.......

[DaFunkyPrecedent]

[/quote]

agreed.......but:

the whole "buy one song instead of the album" thing is going to kill the album soon.  90% of people who used to buy cds (and now rejoice in itunes) would only buy cds for one or two songs.  Most people don't care about songs unless they have been deemed "single-worthy."  I-tunes allows people to buy the songs they want and nothing else.  So while bands like MMJ toil away at making songs that are cohesive with each other and spend tedious hours trying to make the perfect tracklist, the truth is that society wants THE SINGLE.  The whole concept of the album is lost on most people and the future is going to be bands releasing a few songs at a time....are we going to revert back to the days of the single?[/quote]



no people will always make albums. Even though there is a large population of people who just want the single, there is also a large populaiton of people who also want to buy albums - and more importantly, there are musical artists who will want to make whole albums.  There will always be both, like it's always been.  

[Coltrane]

agreed.......but:

the whole "buy one song instead of the album" thing is going to kill the album soon.  90% of people who used to buy cds (and now rejoice in itunes) would only buy cds for one or two songs.  Most people don't care about songs unless they have been deemed "single-worthy."  I-tunes allows people to buy the songs they want and nothing else.  So while bands like MMJ toil away at making songs that are cohesive with each other and spend tedious hours trying to make the perfect tracklist, the truth is that society wants THE SINGLE.  The whole concept of the album is lost on most people and the future is going to be bands releasing a few songs at a time....are we going to revert back to the days of the single?[/quote]



no people will always make albums. Even though there is a large population of people who just want the single, there is also a large populaiton of people who also want to buy albums - and more importantly, there are musical artists who will want to make whole albums.  There will always be both, like it's always been.  
[/quote]


I agree with this...i think.

I've NEVER even considered singles as a "thing" (except for completist reasons...you know, when a band actually uses b-sides, etc)...ever. And all of my friends are like that too. And it seems like there's a healthy scene out there for album oriented rock, etc.

And if you're downloading for free, why not download the whole album!!







just kidding.






Baba-Booey!!!!!!!!

[mjkoehler]

But there's also something romantic about buying a house and having a "music room" or library......something my (future) kids could go into and just look around and find their musical way. and i could go into and reminisce about days gone by.



whew! i just teared up a bit there.......

That does sound pretty sweet. Both my rugrats have their own computers (no internet for them) and both are loaded with tons of tunage. Plus we do actually have a room we considered the music room as that is where the piano is and where I had my guitars until I was told to take them out cuz the amp was too load. Now it's the basement. Now I just need a cruddy old couch, fozball table.