Buy or download?




Posted by WackoHater2

Do you buy music, or download it? Arc is always getting on my back because I download music, and he has over 100 albums that he has purchased. So I was wondering what everyone else does.

Actually, today a good opprotunity came up for me to get three CDs I wanted without paying or downloading. My cousin bought Fall Out Boy's "From Under the Cork Tree" and "Take This to Your Grave" and HIM's "Greatest Lovesongs, Vol. 666" and let me copy them. I think that's a much better deal then buying the albums for close to, if not more than $30 myself.. don't you?




Posted by Richaod

I prefer to purchase the albums and have a physical copy, rather than through legal/illegal downloads.

...obviously, I don't have an unlimited supply of money, though.




Posted by G-Sides

it depends. i might download one or two songs and buy the album, go ahead and buy the album if i know it'll be good, or if it's something i can't get from a local store, i'll download it.




Posted by WackoHater2

The only albums I will buy are Eminem's albums.. just because he has and always will be my favorite rapper, and he deserves to be payed for his work.




Posted by Hyper

If I happen to find a CD worth money in stores, I'll buy it in a heartbeat; Otherwise, I have no choice but to download it or order it online. Usually I'll download it and if it's good enough I'll buy it. If it's trash, I'll delete it. If it isn't trash but isn't that great either, I'll keep it until I can find it in a store for a reasonable price, then if I have the money I'll buy it.




Posted by Stalolin

My answer has the potential to get me in trouble with the RIAA.

I own less than 5 CDs.

YOU DECIDE




Posted by Gollum

Downloading music is legal in Canada, so I download. I can't remember the last CD I bought.

Not to mention that CDs are expensive.




Posted by WackoHater2

CDs aren't too bad here. I mean the new Evanescence CD came out for $10 not too long ago. But, I don't have $10.. so why not download it?




Posted by Klarth

Both. I have a 60+ CD collection, but I've got a pretty hefty amount of downloaded material.




Posted by rivercitytecmo

i download everything and if i like it, i'll buy the vinyl if it exists. personally, i don't see the need for cds because they're not very sturdy and there's load of cheap mp3 players out there.




Posted by Crazy K

I usually download. I never really purchased a cd until I got David Gilmour's on an Island cause it was worth it. Anyways I own only a few cd's and the rest are burned cd's.




Posted by Arcadios

I buy more CD's then I download music.




Posted by Fate

I'll download a couple songs to see if the band I'm checking out has a good sound. If I like the songs, I'll buy the CD in one form or another, be it at a store or the internet, etc.




Posted by Sapphire Rose


Quoting Hyper: If I happen to find a CD worth money in stores, I'll buy it in a heartbeat; Otherwise, I have no choice but to download it or order it online. Usually I'll download it and if it's good enough I'll buy it. If it's trash, I'll delete it. If it isn't trash but isn't that great either, I'll keep it until I can find it in a store for a reasonable price, then if I have the money I'll buy it.

What you said, as I'm to lazy to retype it in my own words.



Posted by Raptor

Paying for digital music files (aka buying mp3s) is absurd when one can get the same thing for free. When I buy a CD, it's usually because something appeals to me about the packaging, I can't find a decent copy anywhere online after weeks of searching, or I enjoy the album so much I want a copy of optimal-grade quality.


Quoting Panic: CDs aren't too bad here. I mean the new Evanescence CD came out for $10 not too long ago. But, I don't have $10.. so why not download it?


Because it's horrible?



Posted by mis0

I usually download because for two reasons - a lot of the music I enjoy is hard to find stateside, and imports can be truely rediculous ($30+ per CD). Secondly, I rarely like more than three tracks per CD, so buying it is sorta a waste.

Not to mention that when you use iTunes, you get faggoty protected media files, which *can* be modified but I don't really wanna mess with it if I can avoid it. I do have a bunch of CDs though (probably 40ish) so for someone who hates to buy, that says something I guess.

Besides, you can almost always find a free track with a decent bitrate if you look around. Thank the Lord for audiophiles.




Posted by Shin-Ra

I have a pretty large cd and vinyl collection, and my stash of cassettes has been growingly lately because I've finally found a few sites that are good on pressing obscure stuff which is usually in this format even if it's not a demo. Still, I have well over 120 GB on this computer because I'm always searching for new stuff and quite a bit of the material I want simply is not available unless you want to pay over $200 for thirty minute tape from France that's probably a bootleg anyway.

I think downloading's great. I view it as the great equalizer between popular artists and the more abscure ones. People can go and download random crap on soulseek, DC++, or grab massive packs with BitTorrent; so they no longer have to just settle for what's at the cd store. That in combination with online stores is a blessing for new artists, especially those more concerned with making a mark for themselves in influence and name rather than money.


Quoting rivercitytecmo: if i like it, i'll buy the vinyl if it exists. personally, i don't see the need for cds because they're not very sturdy and there's load of cheap mp3 players out there.

Agreed on all points.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

I don't have the patience to search online for a CD from some band that barely anyone has heard of just so I can own a physical copy, so I generally download the vast majority of my music. It's easier, cheaper, and less time consuming.

But, if I feel I really need to own it, for whatever reason, I will. Also, I'll usually buy it if I can easily find it in a store or online and I really enjoyed that particular release, or feel that I need to support the band.




Posted by Omni

I don't like to pay for something that I can get cheaper and easier, or free. Plus, I usually don't like to listen to entire albums, because of filler material...




Posted by Dreadnought

I almost exclusively download music, unless I really, really want to 'show support' for a band. Plus, its alot easier to find the kind of music I want online than in shops.

The one downside is that it quite often puts me at the mercy of a certain file's popularity, or lack thereof.

Also, Vamp is an excellent music source.




Posted by Zapper

I usually download my music, unless I really like the artist and want to support them with a couple cents (and give the record company the rest). Or if I can't find a download for an album I really want.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: Or if I can't find a download for an album I really want.


You don't look hard enough. If I can find the music I enjoy, then you can easily find the music you enjoy.



Posted by Klarth

What if he listens to apocalyptic industrial Romanian circus folk? That's INCREDIBLY hard to come by.




Posted by Dreadnought

Actually, that stuff is surprisingly popular in northern California. Its a fact, look it up.




Posted by Klarth

You suck at fact lookup prompt insertion.




Posted by mis0


Quoting Klarth: You suck at fact lookup prompt insertion.

You just suck.

[quote=Shin-Ra]quite a bit of the material I want simply is not available unless you want to pay over $200 for thirty minute tape from France that's probably a bootleg anyway.
What's the most you've ever paid for a tape/vinyl?



Posted by Dreadnought

[quote=Misoxeny]You just suck.



fukken ZING.




Posted by Philsdad


Quoting Klarth: What if he listens to apocalyptic industrial Romanian circus folk? That's INCREDIBLY hard to come by.


Haha, that totally sounds like something I'd listen to.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire


Quoted post: What if he listens to apocalyptic industrial Romanian circus folk? That's INCREDIBLY hard to come by.


But he doesn't. Unless by that you mean stuff you can find on ever torrent site, or in every mall.



Posted by Shin-Ra


Quoting Misoxeny:
What's the most you've ever paid for a tape/vinyl?

Tape - No more than $6.00. If I can find a copy of a few LLN bands that come to mind, I'd probably pay more even though I'd make fun of myself later.
Vinyl - $250 for an extremely limited wooden boxset for one of my all-time favorite albums. I could sell it for much more than that if I ever felt the need, but I never will.



Posted by Klarth

You sure about that?

...:(




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

Yeah, I'll take it off your hands. Surely that's a distraction too, right? I'll be helping.




Posted by Hammered On

Download.. I'M POOR.

But I have at least 110 albums I purchased.




Posted by Shade

I like to buy the albums if I can, but hey, 'Get File' is there for a reason. :)




Posted by sniper

I don't buy music unless I absolutely have to.




Posted by Fei-on Castor

I use downloading as a tool to determine which bands are worth my money. Like, I'll hear a cool song on the radio, go home and get a few other songs by that band/artist, and if they're also good, I'll pitch in my dough to support them.




Posted by Raptor

...people still listen to the radio?




Posted by Fei-on Castor

Yes. Yes they do.




Posted by WackoHater2

I listen to the radio in my mom's truck sometimes. She doesn't have a CD player in it. We don't really listen to CDs in the car anymore. Either the radio or I listen to my iRiver.




Posted by Fei-on Castor

"Meh, CD's are too predictable. I'll listen to them every now and then, but when I'm in my car, I just put on the local modern rock station."

Well, that's what I would've said a week ago if you asked me. But now, suddenly, the local rock station that has been on the air for like 15 years suddenly is not there any more. 98.3 KZGL is now called Power 98. Yeah, Power 98 plays the illest hip-hop jams




Posted by Hyper

KZGL was 95.9 and 101.7 and I don't miss it at all.




Posted by Fei-on Castor

Actually, Mr. Hyper, KZGL was 95.9/101.7 until about a month before it went off the air, and it switched frequencies with the station currently on 95.9, a classic rock statoin.

KZGL was 98.3 for about a month, until one day it suddenly was all rap, without warning.

I didn't like every song that came on KZGL (they even played Outkast, back when "Hey Ya" was big), but I liked a lot of them and learned about some cool bands that I really like now, like Thrice and Tantric.




Posted by Ch

I buy more than I download. I only download unless I can't find some rare song.




Posted by Hyper


Quoting Fei-on Castor: Actually, Mr. Hyper, KZGL was 95.9/101.7 until about a month before it went off the air, and it switched frequencies with the station currently on 95.9, a classic rock statoin.

KZGL was 98.3 for about a month, until one day it suddenly was all rap, without warning.

I didn't like every song that came on KZGL (they even played Outkast, back when "Hey Ya" was big), but I liked a lot of them and learned about some cool bands that I really like now, like Thrice and Tantric.

orly. that explains why when I put on 95.9 the other day it wasn't rap or hard rock, then. as you can tell, I haven't listened to the radio for a long time :(



Posted by PunkRock Sonic

Tower records is going out of buisness cuz of downloading, I heard




Posted by Fei-on Castor


Quoting PunkRock Sonic: Tower records is going out of buisness cuz of downloading, I heard

If Tower Records is going out of business, it's not as a direct result of downloading. If it were because of downloading musical illegally, all the music retailers would be hurting.