4 ms·

I'm of two minds. On the one hand, as a consumer, I love being able to buy single songs, or, better yet, pay for unlimited play (I recently switched from rdio t

I'm of two minds. On the one hand, as a consumer, I love being able to buy single songs, or, better yet, pay for unlimited play (I recently switched from rdio to Google Play Music, both of which have offline modes). On the other hand, as a creative artist (I'm semi-professional actor: I do get paid, sometimes well, but it's not enough to live - in other words, I get rewarded for a rewarding, mind-and-soul-expanding hobby), I know that sometimes that "one gem" (to quote another comment) is the result of the entire creative process that went into the complete album. $0.99 per person for the one smash song just doesn't seem like enough, unless it is a PSY-level smash. On the third hand, there may be enough people producing music, et al, for most of us to get adequate entertainment and there may be just enough being making it big or having a patron at a high enough level to move things forward and get us high-quality work, so perhaps the economics are well in hand.

toomuchtodo 12y ago
The problem is simply that music has dropped in value. Now, I'm not saying that it isn't expensive to make, or your time isn't worth anything. I'm saying I'm awash in content. You won't sell me your single? No prob! I'm off to Spotify, or Rdio, or Pandora, or any number of other services. As the amount of music available increases, the cost/value of all music diminishes.
- happyscrappy 12y ago
  If you can hear it on Pandora then you can have a copy of it if you want, people only pay for the convenience.
ThomPete 12y ago
If one really feel like that one can simply turn 10 singles into one song.
mhurron 12y ago
> I know that sometimes that "one gem" (to quote another comment) is the result of the entire creative process that went into the complete album. That doesn't mean the rest of the album is worth anything, or that the artist is entitled to getting money for the tracks people don't want.
- freehunter 12y ago
  Yeah that argument falls really flat. He doesn't play entire albums at his concerts, nor does he force radio stations to play his entire album (and he record separate versions for the radio as opposed to what is on the album, generally cutting out the last verse). But no, you can't buy it the way he himself performs it or allows it to be replayed.
  - Raphael 12y ago
    I'm sure any artist would be happy to sell you recordings of their concerts.
- PeterWhittaker 12y ago
  But that's the point: The one song everyone wants would not have existed without the others. The value of the one song isn't $0.99, it's the value of the package that allowed the one hit to be created. We value this stuff wrong. Without wanting to get all grumpy old man, the longer we stay on this $0.99 for this one, nothing for the rest path, the worse the "product" will get.

toomuchtodo 12y ago

The problem is simply that music has dropped in value. Now, I'm not saying that it isn't expensive to make, or your time isn't worth anything. I'm saying I'm awash in content. You won't sell me your single? No prob! I'm off to Spotify, or Rdio, or Pandora, or any number of other services. As the amount of music available increases, the cost/value of all music diminishes.

happyscrappy 12y ago
If you can hear it on Pandora then you can have a copy of it if you want, people only pay for the convenience.

ThomPete 12y ago

If one really feel like that one can simply turn 10 singles into one song.

mhurron 12y ago

> I know that sometimes that "one gem" (to quote another comment) is the result of the entire creative process that went into the complete album. That doesn't mean the rest of the album is worth anything, or that the artist is entitled to getting money for the tracks people don't want.

freehunter 12y ago
Yeah that argument falls really flat. He doesn't play entire albums at his concerts, nor does he force radio stations to play his entire album (and he record separate versions for the radio as opposed to what is on the album, generally cutting out the last verse). But no, you can't buy it the way he himself performs it or allows it to be replayed.
- Raphael 12y ago
  I'm sure any artist would be happy to sell you recordings of their concerts.
PeterWhittaker 12y ago
But that's the point: The one song everyone wants would not have existed without the others. The value of the one song isn't $0.99, it's the value of the package that allowed the one hit to be created. We value this stuff wrong. Without wanting to get all grumpy old man, the longer we stay on this $0.99 for this one, nothing for the rest path, the worse the "product" will get.