If you are selling CDs now, I think you have to accept you are selling packaging, pure and simple. You have to accept that people can find mp3s of your music for free, and you have to give them a product that is cool enough that they will want to buy it despite having the mp3s. Of course some people will buy CDs from you to support your music, but in general you are selling packaging.
With vinyl it is a little different. I'm sure there are plenty of vinyl freaks like me out there, who just really want to own things on vinyl, regardless of the availability of mp3s. In fact, because of mp3s I have moved to buying vinyl exclusively. I use mp3s to shop around and find tracks I want, if I see a track I really like in the store I will then buy it if it's on vinyl. In my case, I would spend the same amount of money on music, as much as I can spare basically. However mp3's let me make a much more informed decision. <dave> -----Original Message----- From: Jason Hogans [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 3:20 PM To: 313 list Subject: Re: (313) record industry (technology) [was: Moby (cheddar)] > imho the role of big record companies is played out! with new technologies > like cd-rw's and final-scratch the need for a physical copy of the original > album/cd will quickly decrease. Mmm Hmm. I've thought about ways to make a physical recording appealing enough to buy. Maybe even making the recording a secondary item bundled with something desirable enough to purchase? Limited edition Jason Hogans boxers and panties. Or some seriously cool packaging, like Radiohead's Amnesiac or Ghostly's Disco Nouveau. Humans don't have enough collective integrity (or loot) to buy music simply on principle. I'm guilty, and I'm an artist. Sad. I do my best to support others, even if it means listening to webcasts like BBC or Nuwave Radio to hear decent tunes until I can afford to play catch up with releases. Regardless of what anybody says, there's too much good music out there for most people with an average income to purchase everything that they want. Its crazy competitive right now, almost as many labels as there are artists! Hey, that's the future. No large (or even medium sized?) record labels, just musicians who know their business. A zillion little rhythmic CEOs...Heavy.>>> JPH.
