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A conversation on the state of music

I mentioned earlier my cool lunch conversation with Jonathan Yarmis, at Defrag on Tuesday. We got to talking about Music and movies, and how the RIAA has (as we all know) completely missed the boat.

Jonathan pointed out that he subscribes to Rhapsody, spending about $200 a month year on music, he doesn’t get to own, and when he wants to own it he buys it outright. above and beyond his Rhapsody spend. I admitted that I hadn’t pirated a single song since getting my first iPod. Spending hundreds, probably over a thousand, on music, and devices to play it on. I calculate I’ve spent more on music in the last 3-4 years than in the previous 27 of my life.

Yet as far as the RIAA is concerned, we’re the enemy. We can’t use the music we pay for how we’d like, we can’t have it on too many devices, can’t put it on CDs, we can use it in only the prescribed way, or else face prosecution.

We likened it to the RIAA being more concerned with the $1 they could get today over the $2 they could get tomorrow. By restricting use, suing customers, in general treating us like crap, the industry forces us to find alternatives; indie musicians, streaming services (while they exist), outright piracy of music, etc.

Ford once said people had their choice of colors of Model T, black, black or black. That worked really well when there was only one choice, not just of color, but of car. You either wanted a black Model T, or you walked or rode a horse. Unfortunately, the music industry doesn’t realize, that they’re Model T ISN’T the only choice, it hasn’t been for a long time.

Just look at the music sales figures on the iTunes store, the proof is in the pudding, people are buying music, so why make it a painful process for us?

Tags: Defrag, Music