Are Music Labels Finally Seeing the Light?

[admin]

I'm not sure where it began, except to say that iTunes is the likely ignition source for labels embracing online downloads and legal file sharing. Lately, it seems that the record studios are finally negotiating on a massive scale to allow social networking sites and other commercial enterprises to distribute music in a myriad of ways that will guarantee some revenues from the transfer and consumption of digital music. In addition, 3 out of the four labels have now allowed Amazon.com to sell their music DRM-free. There's change in the air.


Discuss "Are Music Labels Finally Seeing the Light?" here. Read the article.

[stratman]

Though I'm a physical media dinosaur and I will never change, I must say: IT'S ABOUT TIME, DRM FREE MUSIC!

[en sabur nur]

Though I'm a physical media dinosaur and I will never change, I must say: IT'S ABOUT TIME, DRM FREE MUSIC!

I'll stop being a physical media dinasaur when they get the same sound quality up to a cd. I can hear a difference with most of the music on my setup, and cds sound better to me. Unfortunately, we'll still have people steal the music, no matter how cheap or drm-free it gets, since you can't beat the price of free.

[MDS]

I'll stop being a physical media dinosaur when all music in existence is available in a downloadable digital format. I have a lot of music that is way out of print and will never ever be re-released in any other format. As long as I have a physical copy in good shape I can turn it into any digital format I want.

[allargon]

I'll stop being a physical media dinasaur when they get the same sound quality up to a cd. I can hear a difference with most of the music on my setup, and cds sound better to me. Unfortunately, we'll still have people steal the music, no matter how cheap or drm-free it gets, since you can't beat the price of free.

There are a few stores that offer CD (not near CD) quality music downloads on WMA, FLAC and other formats. The problem is that the hardware support is lacking for portable players and devices.

Check out MusicGiants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...e_music_stores

[cfrizz]

BINGO!!!

I don't want to be limited to just what THEY think is worth downloading!

I'll stop being a physical media dinosaur when all music in existence is available in a downloadable digital format. I have a lot of music that is way out of print and will never ever be re-released in any other format. As long as I have a physical copy in good shape I can turn it into any digital format I want.

[stratman]

I'll stop being a physical media dinosaur when all music in existence is available in a downloadable digital format. I have a lot of music that is way out of print and will never ever be re-released in any other format. As long as I have a physical copy in good shape I can turn it into any digital format I want.

This is the best reason to be a physical media dinosaur, do with your music as you please. Also, you're not at the mercy of some music "programmer" who thinks Cal Tjader CDs aren't worth having or how about Starbuck. Yeah leave me with my old fashioned CDs, I have precious out-of-print music which I have never found again casually checking downloading sites. I keep my original CDs as masters, out of reach and harm, I burn copies for my car and home stereo. I've seen some of my out-of-print CDs on Ebay for over $100.00 dollars, some at $150.00. My collection spans back to the birth of CDs, none of my CDs are scratched, they're all in their original jewel boxes and I can't see selling my collection for the perceived convenience of storage and less "clutter." Long live physical media!

[MDS]

Yes Stratman, you and I definitely think alike and do the same things with our collection. I created a database to track my collection and I save the uncompressed WAVs to an external hard drive and then transcode to MP3 saved on a different machine. I consider the actual CDs to be my 'archive' - there if I ever need them again for whatever reason.

I've seen crazy prices for some of the out of print CDs I was looking for. Just to name one that comes to mind - Tommy Shaw - Girls with Guns. I've seen it for over $300! I got a copy off EBay for $60 and it was still sealed in the plastic. It is the 1990 re-release on a different label than the original 1984 A&M label release but as far as I know there is no difference other than the label. Either way it gets more impossible to find as time goes on and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the music industry re-releasing it.

[en sabur nur]

MDS, how much space does your uncompressed WAV files take up. I am putting together a computer based system and I hear that lossless files sound the same as uncompressed files while taking up less space. Have you listened to the difference? Do uncompressed WAV files sound better to you?

[stratman]

MDS, how much space does your uncompressed WAV files take up. I am putting together a computer based system and I hear that lossless files sound the same as uncompressed files while taking up less space. Have you listened to the difference? Do uncompressed WAV files sound better to you?

I'm in the process of ripping 400+ CDs right now, all in WAV. You're looking at about 10 (roughly) MB per minute of audio, I've got so far 849 files taking up 40.1 GB, 67:52:16 hours of music. And still have about another 3000/4000 files to rip.