iTunes No 2 Music Reseller, Industry Down 10%
I was thinking about this over the weekend, some firm expert in the subject announced that Apple’s iTunes just became the number two reseller of music (in the US?) but the industry still wend down ten percent.
I was listening to Adam from the MacCast explaining how the economy factors into this decline as well as piracy. I have a different taste in my mouth, how about thinking that there are not as many good singers out there as there were before.
If you think about it, ten years ago I would walk into a music store and say to myself, I need C+C, Snap, MC, this one, the other one. Today is very different, I buy music as I discover it. I’m not buying albums anymore, the last physical CD that I bought was 3 Doors Down: Seventeen Days.
Today my spending is growing but at a single level, I can say that I spent like little over $100 in music last year. This year is different, two months into 2008, and I have spent almost $50 bucks in music already. Things are different, with the ability of buying only what you like, artists need to become a little more intelligent about selling their music.
When was the last time you needed two or more songs because they complimented each other? Long time for me, there is no need for me today to buy a whole album of any artists because songs are becoming singles on an album. Did you get that? Every single song inside one album can be played without the need of having the whole album, there is no urge to buy any album.
A word on piracy, the last time I downloaded a song that I didn’t pay for it was around 2004. Except for Radio Head’s latest album, which I downloaded but didn’t contributed, as I didn’t liked any of the songs. Is not that they are so bad, but just that they are not my style.
I seriously doubt that piracy is winning over convenience, I know there are kids that actively download pirated content, but I see this same kids turning legit more than ever before. Think about it, if you can get whatever you want for $0.99, there is no need to steal anymore.
I industry is not doomed, is just changing. This people need to adapt to survive, I really think artists need to take a more active role on their music distribution scheme, before it’s too late.
