Sage Francis
Self Fighteous
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 21361
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| End-of-Year lists & the future of music |
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TWO THINGS.
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1) We released "Film the Police" last week. We're above 80,000 views right now and we're hoping to reach 100K by Christmas. I think that will definitely happen, but beyond that it would be greatly appreciates if the people who enjoy the song, tribute, movement & message could remember to include this in the end-of-year lists they post online.
http://youtu.be/hyT1buoyTnY
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2) Even though I'm a hater of lists, I have an idea for a "Best of 2011" list that can hopefully be educational for us all:
WHAT ARE THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2011 THAT YOU PURCHASED IN A PHYSICAL STORE? Please don't include Fifth Element as that is basically a label that doubles as a store (and for reasons I've stated below, it's getting to the point where indie artists/labels are becoming responsible for ALL facets of business.)
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2010 was the first year that digital sales outnumbered physical sales in the music industry. It is clear that the physical medium is being phased out and it's quite possible that CDs will ONLY be found online, at thrift stores, and select gas stations in about 5 years.
In the past few years, musicians and labels alike have been feeling the pinch from physical distributors to forfeit the digital rights of every physical item they distribute. Bear in mind, "distributing" digital music entails a few minutes of work (almost none), yet these companies want to take a cut of each sale to the tune of 15%. That cut is on top of the percentage iTunes (or any other digital store) takes per sale.
Thanks to companies like Tunecore & CDbaby, every artist is able to get their music on all the major digital stores with just a few clicks and a small fee. Unlike physical distribution, we don't NEED help distributing our music digitally. What we need is for a company who has access to physical stores to ship our product to them along with handling returns and everything else involved with...you know...physical distribution.
We (artists and labels) don't want to sit on thousands of CDs/vinyl, which is essentially what would happen if we lose physical distribution. Most CD/vinyl distributors are now saying that they don't want to carry a project if they don't also get the digital rights to it. Their reasoning? People are buying less physical product these days. Wel...no shit. This is the same reason why the artists and labels have been cutting every unnecessary expenditure while working overtime to subsidize their art and careers.
To me, what it boils down to, is even though digital distribution takes virtually no work on their part, and even though they do not invest time or money into the creation (nor promotion) of the projects, they expect 15% of the digital sales just because physical sales are dying out. Personally, I want to continue pressing physical product, and I intend on doing just that, but at what cost? The sad truth of modern music is that most artists would actually see more profit if they didn't invest in the pressing of CDs or vinyl. It almost feels like we're being bullied into giving up a portion of our digital sales just so we can have our physical product in stores.
I am working on an article regarding this subject matter, so expect more details to follow, but for now I'd like to ask you once again: What are your favorite albums of 2011 that you purchased in a physical store? |
Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:49 pm |
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MCGF
Joined: 22 Feb 2010
Posts: 368
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Black Up by Shabazz Palaces (also known as Butterfly from Digable Planets). It's a trip! I copped the CD at Newbury Comics.
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Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:05 pm |
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tommi teardrop
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 2181
Location: Las Vegas |
Didn't buy any new releases on vinyl this year and I haven't bought a CD in about 4 years.
Same goes for DVDs/Blu-Rays.
Unless it's a cool 10/7 inch or a rare CD from a merch booth that I can't live without, I'm strictly digital. |
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Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:44 pm |
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Z-0
Joined: 28 Sep 2004
Posts: 700
Location: Sydney |
my pick of the physical albums i bought in store...
SSRB - Hello Cruel World
Kasabian - VELOCIRAPTOR!
Buck 65 - 20 Odd Years
Boom Bip - Zig Zaj
Blue Sky Black Death - Noir
there's probably a couple more. all were bought from one aussie chain: JB Hi-Fi. Hello Cruel World and Noir were not stocked items and had to be ordered in via CD Universe. under normal conditions i would have ordered each directly from Fake Four, but this was a year of upheaval and financial uncertainty for me so for those items i wanted a physical copy of passing the risk onto the store seemed a better option.
i spent a lot in total this year on digital releases from SFR, Doomtree (the majority of my online purchases went here, for both new and older material), and Fake Four.
i did buy that new shadow record on cd too, the less i say the better. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:24 am |
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Jesse Custer
Joined: 01 Dec 2006
Posts: 1253
Location: London |
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Wow.. til I read your OP, Sage, I wasn't consciously aware of this, but whilst I have bought a lot of music in record stores this year, I'm not sure that any of it was actually made this year.
I think all the music I have bought that actually got made this year was bought online (though still a mix of physical and digital formats).
Tell you something I've noticed that is purely anecdotal experience from my habits of buying music - I used to love buying a new album or two anytime I went into town, because I'd get the cd and then on the bus/train home I could stick the disc in my discman, and read the inlay.
Now if I buy something I can't listen to it til I get home anyway, so a lot of that immediate incentive is gone. So I might see something in store and just think "I'll check how much it is online", and then maybe not end up picking it up at all...
Maybe that speaks more to my impulsive shopping habits though.. hah. But still, I'd love it if you could buy physical copies instore and have the digital version zapped straight to your mp3. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:20 am |
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metacognition
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 94
Location: A place called Earth. |
| Welcome to the digital divide & the physical provide |
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Firstly, "Film the Police" is a great endeavor and the people involved deserve immense credit for their contribution to the cause. Props to Sage, B. Dolan, Toki Wright, Jasiri X, and Buddy Peace for their efforts and hard work. 100k views is definitely doable, and I hope to see that surpass that mark by the x-mas time, if not sooner.
Secondly, I am glum to admit that I haven't purchased much music at all this year, let alone in a physical store. That said, I did download Atmosphere's "The Family Sign" (among others) and subsequently purchased it in its physical material. I do my best to support artists I find to be of exceptional caliber and contribute to their cause. SFR fam included, of course. :) Metermaids!
Ultimately, what I think it comes down to is the physical aspect of it. Music can be heard physically (analogue) or digitally. As we progress and technology enables more of the masses to access music/art in freer ways, it's the tangible components that entice people to actually purchase the physical material. Artwork. Lyrics. Specialties. Uniqueness. Hell, even autographs. Coming up with creative and innovative ways to combat the digital dispense that is our current status.
"A broken record, most didn't get it. So, here's the ugly truth."
Looking forward to hearing more about this matter. Thanks for the post! |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:25 am |
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FranktheP
Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 1343
Location: East Coast, Fuck You! |
Metermaids- Rooftop Shake (bought from SFR)
Beastie Boys-Hot Sauce (bought at best Buy)
The Storm David CD I got in my Metermaids package
I know there is more but what I bought in store and online melts together. I spend about $50 a month on music with lately most of it bought off of emusic. If the cd player in my car didn't break it would be a whole lot more CD's than digital. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:55 am |
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Sage Francis
Self Fighteous
Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 21361
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We appreciate the heck out of you for the SFR purchases, but the question is: "What are your favorite albums of 2011 that you bought in a physical store?" |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:14 am |
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FranktheP
Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 1343
Location: East Coast, Fuck You! |
Sage Francis wrote:
We appreciate the heck out of you for the SFR purchases, but the question is: "What are your favorite albums of 2011 that you bought in a physical store?"
My fault---I read it as physical purchase in general. I got to stick with the Beasties. I go to a used CD store in my area twice a year to grab catalog (older) stuff. They put all their cd's on sale in March (march madness) and October (Rocktober) so I stock up then.
Cage The Elephant-Thank you Happy Birthday
That's about it for me for what I bought in a store. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:44 am |
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SteveJB
Joined: 08 Jul 2007
Posts: 429
Location: Salisbury UK |
I didn't buy any physical releases in a store this year. I don't think I have in at least 3 or 4 years.
There aren't many/any independant stores near to me and nowhere that stocks stuff I like at a reasonable price.
Still get physical stuff online, but slowly changing my mind about hating digital releases and opting to save money on postage and get those unless there's some special package/deal on. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:08 am |
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empti
Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 115
Location: everywhere you want to be |
Morning Teleportation- "Expanding Anyway" purchased at Amoeba in Berkeley, CA
Talkdemonic- "Ruins" purchased at Waterloo in Austin, TX
Radiohead- "The King Of Limbs" purchased at Madplatter/Rhino Records, Riverside, Ca (I'd pre-ordered the box set from them direct, but bought the CD for my little sister for her bday, that counts right?)
Scroobius Pip- "Distraction Peices" purchased used at Circles of Sound in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Oh and Circles of Sound shut down like 2 weeks after I bought that Pip album so I'm screwed living in this little podunk ass town with no notable record shops now, outside of whatever that store is at the mall and best buy, which is 20miles away.
Good thing there's tons of crack and prostitutes around to keep me busy. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:38 am |
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icarus502
kung-pwn master
Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 11277
Location: ann arbor |
I didn't buy any new records at a physical store. Zero. I bought some used stuff, for sure. But every physical new release I bought online but most new releases I purchased digitally. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:29 pm |
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Neuro
A champion of Kurtis SP
Joined: 19 Jul 2002
Posts: 7272
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where i live there are no music stores besides the mainstream electronic stores and whatnot which only carry a handful of the top 40,
there's no mom and pop trade-in stores either that i know of
i found that the best place to find cds that actually have some gems sprinkled in is our F.Y.E. i dont know about the others fyes but the 2 that are near me both are completely different than what they used to be, you can now trade-dvds, cds, whateva and they carry all CDS for about 9.99 each some are less if used ,and theres some that are about 15-16+ but not a lot, as i said most are 9.99 each
i go there every once in while to "dig the crates" im not looking for anything specific just looking to see whats there and what i can find, which is my favorite way of cd shopping and i will use this method as long as possible especially now that cds are becoming/became dinosaurs
so heres my list of the cds i recently bought using this method, now some of these cds ive already heard many times and have had in one form or another but i had to get them just because it would be wrong not to
DAS EFX - Dead Serious
Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol 1
Pete Rock & C.L Smooth - The Main Ingredient
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride 2
Redman - Whut Thee Album
Megadeth - Peace Sells But Who's Buying
Tribe Called Quest - Beats Rhymes and Life
De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate
also i actually found Mac Lethal's Love Potion 5 Deluxe Edition there for a whopping 17 bucks , but i had to get that c'mon now
CD'S 4 LYFE
P.S. i cant buy NEW releases i enjoy in stores because they dont carry them, i have to order online or buy digitally, but this has been something in effect long before the dying of cds
Last edited by Neuro on Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:44 pm |
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redball
Joined: 12 May 2006
Posts: 6850
Location: Northern New Jersey |
If a merch table counts then I bought Metermaids at your NYC show. I bought some ThoughtCriminals stuff and kHill sent me the disk after the fact, otherwise I buy to download.
Do you sometimes empathize with John Philip Sousa? |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:45 pm |
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Sarcastro
Joined: 27 Sep 2002
Posts: 3273
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Killer Mike - Pl3dge
Jay and Kanye - Watch the Throne
the few other stuff I bought I didn't care for. |
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Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:56 pm |
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