First Rant
After downloading and subsequently buying some awesome tunes by For Against from their label’s site, Words-On-Music, I got to thinking about the future of music distribution. By now everyone is familiar with the RIAA, Napster and the general mess that the music industry has created by not being proactive and addressing on-line music distribution. The sensible people I know agree that the artists need to get paid. Better yet, they wish more money went to them rather than the ancient distribution system that the fat cats are trying to keep alive by artificially hoisting CD prices. Strangely I think we’re only inches away in some respects. Look at it like this:
Today I heard a band on my favorite streaming radio station KEXP. Their on-line playlist listed the band name so I did a Google search and came up with their label’s site. Cool, click through and get their bio and review. Strangely enough this progressive label has two CD-quality clips on the site. I listen, I love, I want to buy. Even cooler there’s an Order button on the screen, I click, I hit Add To Cart and bam, I get a shopping cart with the choice of using PayPal. I’m in absolute love! Not only do I get to easily buy this great artist direct from the label using my favorite payment system PayPal (more anonymity than a credit card), I only paid $10.00. I’m assuming the price is low because it’s straight from the label hence the RIAA and their cronies aren’t taking a chunk. Maybe I’m being naive and the band is locked in the basement I’m going to go out on a limb and think otherwise.
Of course this situation could have been even better if they, in their purchase confirmation e-mail also sent a secure link and password where I could download the MP3s. They’ve already got my cash, I’m going to have the CD in 3 days at which time I’m going to rip it to my archive, put it on my iPod and let the CD collect dust in the basement, so why not the MP3s? Better yet, why don’t more small labels start doing this (maybe they are, I haven’t looked just yet)? Does this very cool new search tool link directly to the labels site where one can listen to and buy the music? Sure, Amazon, but why not directly to the label? I’d rather give them $15 and let the extra $5 go the artists so they can eat rather the RIAA so they can lobby congress for more DRM solutions.
My first rant. Excellent.