Music Downloading Creates Listener Apathy

[DGetz]

Re: Music Downloading Creates Listener Apathy

No matter what technology spits out, I'll take a Les Paul through an Marshall Tube amp any day.

Can I have one too?

[DGetz]

Re: Music Downloading Creates Listener Apathy

I'm sure the "jukebox" nature of MP3 players creates short attention spans and apathy, but doesn't the lack of great, complete albums also play just as much or more of an effect?

So many bands today have one or two catchy tunes on an album and the rest is filler. There are very few bands today, new or old, who can put out an album with 10 to 12 strong songs and no filler.

That's a bigger problem than MP3 players to me. As dieselboy said, downloading and an MP3 player have exposed me to wonderful genres of music that I didn't even know about five years ago, let alone listen to.

Take care,
PK

What kind of impact do you think this increased access to songs is having on what bands try to do? I can see it going either way with bands either trying to come up with one or two good songs knowing a lot of people will drop the 99 cents on them or with bands striving to make a good enough album that people will actually go out and buy the CD because that's the way the band will make money.

[Jistic]

Re: Music Downloading Creates Listener Apathy

What kind of impact do you think this increased access to songs is having on what bands try to do? I can see it going either way with bands either trying to come up with one or two good songs knowing a lot of people will drop the 99 cents on them or with bands striving to make a good enough album that people will actually go out and buy the CD because that's the way the band will make money.

I think from a creative standpoint bands don't try to just write one or two good songs. Most bands have no control over what songs are released as singles anyway.

That being said, when 'corporate' bands are formed, teams of writers submit songs that are handpicked by producers. So in that sense they may not pick a lot of songs that they feel will be hits and 'assign' them to the same act.

Then there are some bands that over time have even admitted that certain songs/albums they released were less than stellar to complete garbage. Yet still, sometimes hits come from these albums.

I read somewhere where the record company fought forever w/ Prince over "When Doves Cry", saying it had zero commercial appeal. Buuut in the end he won out, and as you can see....big hit.

I don't fault record companies for wanting to maximize their profits. It IS a business like it or not. It costs big money to push a band. What I do wish is like the movie industry of today is that they'd push some different types of acts. Just because one person doesn't like a particular type of 'commercial' music, so what. Other people do. But I would think with more options of commercial music they'd even make more money.

I'm constantly in search for new rock bands, but have the hardest time finding any that don't sound like the last one, down to the singer.

[pk500]

Re: Music Downloading Creates Listener Apathy

What kind of impact do you think this increased access to songs is having on what bands try to do? I can see it going either way with bands either trying to come up with one or two good songs knowing a lot of people will drop the 99 cents on them or with bands striving to make a good enough album that people will actually go out and buy the CD because that's the way the band will make money.

It's a moot point because bands make most of their money by touring, not by record sales.

Take care,
PK