[DavidMahler]

It is my opinion that since downloadable music, the art of the album almost no longer exists. Any others feel this way?

 

[analogbox]

I'm kinda not following the downloadable music trend. It's just so much better in many aspects in having a real copy on hand. You get the best possible quality and you don't have to deal with any DRM craps. Plus, I love looking at my CD collections. Downloadable musics will never give me that pleasure, period.

 

[Mher6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analogbox /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm kinda not following the downloadable music trend. It's just so much better in many aspects in having a real copy on hand. You get the best possible quality and you don't have to deal with any DRM craps. Plus, I love looking at my CD collections. Downloadable musics will never give me that pleasure, period.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Even if itunes or any other distributor starts releasing flac downloads, I will still go out and buy the tangible copy myself.

 

[Masonjar]

it only ruins it if you let it. some days I'm a song guy and some days I'm an album guy. albums still exist for those that want them.

 

[NeObliviscaris]

the way i see it is that the introduction of mp3 has led to a greater recognisation of bands since they are able to release music online.

however, the rise of illegal downloading isn't directly causing a loss in music sales, since there are many people who still buy the cd. personally, if i hear an album and i really love it and i like the artist i will purchase their album.

in addition, since finding my audiophile roots and looking for quality in my music, i am starting to buy music instead of download, simply because i can rip the album at a high quality and enjoi the high quality.

the difference to me: if i download an album i may never listen to it, but if i purchase an album, i will make time to sit and listen to it, flick thru the booklet and what not.

i agree with the above 2 posters: downloadable music is ok, but you will never experience it as the real thing!

also: im an album person, i do not download individual songs from p2p or whatever. i do however, purchase songs from iTunes as single songs.

 

[lan]

I'm a bit confused at what we're talking about here. Are you saying that since people use their computer to listen to random songs that bands and producers are not making whole albums anymore? The way I see it, the art of the album is a band and production thing. Technology like computer based listening or your personal preference how you listen are other things.

 

[ueyteuor]

i download albums from demonoid (torrents).. never once bought a cd, since downloading saved me soo much money... i know the quality on cd's is a lot better, but with my amp and headphones, the mp3's sound better..

 

[analogbox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ueyteuor /img/forum/go_quote.gif i download albums from demonoid (torrents).. never once bought a cd, since downloading saved me soo much money... i know the quality on cd's is a lot better, but with my amp and headphones, the mp3's sound better..

Downloading mp3s should only be used as a reference, not stealing.

 

[NeObliviscaris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analogbox /img/forum/go_quote.gif Downloading mp3s should only be used as a reference, not stealing.

i agree, that's how i work, as i said if i enjoy the album, i will purchase it, but i also hav some downloaded albums that i love, but cant afford (buddha bar) and also cant find anywhere!

 

[Stephen_Ri]

There was an interesting article about this in Sound and Vision about a year ago. Some interesting points were that, since today artists are expected to fill up the better part of an 80-minute CD (basically double the length of an LP), there's too much filler. The advent of downloading allows bands to release songs when they feel they're ready, not to wait to make everything work in an album. We've all heard songs which are good but simply do not fit on a particular album; this need not happen anymore. Personally, I still listen to whole albums, since most albums I have are not the type with two or three good songs and dross for the rest. When done right, albums have a thematic feel which (obviously) cannot be captured by diffuse single releases.

 

[Leti1285]

With how the people are getting with the iPods, and the cell phones it's hard to tell. Some people don't even bother buying cd's anymore. I know I am guilty of downloading songs (not a whole album), I still go out there buy cd's. I know even if I had an iPod, I would still buy cds. I think my family and I, compined have over 1,000 cds and don't care too much for downloading. I will hate the day when people just start releasing their albums on mp3s souly and not on cd's.

 

[ozz]

the one thing i see hurt album sales more than anything is price
a new cd costs us around 14.00 and a new dvd 16.00 its 45 min
of music vs 2hr movie with a sound track which do you think
the masses are going to spend their money on and also now
1.00 to get the one song they really like for me personally i
like having the cd for sound quality and as someone mentioned
also to look at my collection.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen_Ri /img/forum/go_quote.gif There was an interesting article about this in Sound and Vision about a year ago. Some interesting points were that, since today artists are expected to fill up the better part of an 80-minute CD (basically double the length of an LP), there's too much filler.

There are very few albums that I can think of that are 80 minutes of killer without any filler (The Cure's DISINTEGRATION would be one that I could think of). Bands are better advised to put together a 40 to 50 minute TIGHT-ASS album than an 80 minute "album" that wears you out just listening to it.

-jar

 

[LonerGenius]

I have alwys hated buying an album and getting only a few songs I really enjoy. It is because of this that I really enjoy being able to purchase song by song what I truly want. Some groups put out an entire album I enjoy, but it is rare.

This was all true for me before the downloadable MP3s existed...so the MP3 option just fits my music lifestyle.

 

[NacMacFeegle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analogbox /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm kinda not following the downloadable music trend. It's just so much better in many aspects in having a real copy on hand. You get the best possible quality and you don't have to deal with any DRM craps. Plus, I love looking at my CD collections. Downloadable musics will never give me that pleasure, period.

X2 indeed!