A few weeks ago, I had the itch to go to the record store. That hadn't really happened in a while, because going to the record store requires having money to spend, something I really can't justify doing with bills and a child to take care of. But on that day, I just felt like going. So I grabbed a few old CDs to trade in and headed down to Grimey's.
I brought seven CDs with me but they would only accept three of them for trade in, which netted me a cool $9.50 in store credit. I used the money to buy Balance and Composure's CD, Separation. I ended up only paying like, a buck sixty out of my pocket for a brand new CD. This was the second new CD I have bought in at least 13 months. I just don't buy (new) CDs anymore. That's why I brought in some old discs to trade in, because I have so many CDs laying around, and a computer to hold all the songs on in iTunes, I don't need the physical copy of N.E.R.D's album Fly or Die anymore. Might as well turn it into something I actually want, if they're willing to take it, right?
Anyway, what brought me here to Bloggerated today was not to tell you the story of selling off my CD collection, but to talk about a lie I spewed to the nice people working at Grimey's. I remember the last time I went to Grimey's. I went there with my brother when he visited us back in May. When I walked in, I talked to Josh, a guy who works there, and I was happy to see he remembered me. Anyway, I had little baby Evie with me, and of course, he asked about her. I said to him, "yeah, I haven't been in for so long because of this little one."
Not true.
I hadn't been into Grimey's for 8 months because of Spotify. I hadn't bought much music from anywhere because of Spotify. Now I know that I've written at length before about the plight of the music industry and my desire to single-handedly keep it afloat as the way we know it. Album sales create revenue for artists and bands to create more great albums and sustain a living. It is no fault of these artists that people have decided to devalue their work by stealing it off of the internet, which drove album sales to the floor. Sometimes I get frustrated when a musician is fatalistic about album sales, saying it doesn't matter because they don't make money off sales, they make money from touring and merchandise sales. If no one buys your music, what's the point? You need proper albums out so people can come to your show. Without it, no one knows who you are or what you're singing about. Make a great record, and people will be there at the shows. So when it comes to not caring if people buy your music, no one is gonna hear it if you don't make it. If no one buys it, no one will want to make it.
Anyway, I told Josh at Grimey's that I hadn't been in because I had a kid, which wasn't true. All the great albums that came out last year were conveniently streaming on Spotify, that's really why I hadn't been in. I didn't need to drop ten bucks on a CD at their store anymore. It makes me feel guilty because these guys at Grimey's have one of the best places in the world right there, and they stay afloat when people go in and buy stuff. If no one buys records, they go away. Thankfully, people in the area have realized this without my help, because they were on the news a few weeks ago saying that 2011 was a banner year for them. Okay, good. Phew. Don't need to worry about that then.
I'm conflicted about Spotify. It's the only way I can listen to a lot of music I otherwise would just wonder if it was any good or not. Now I know. There are so many good albums, and they're all right here for my listening pleasure. But when I think about owning some of it, I just think, "why bother anymore?" I don't need the physical copy taking up space in my life. But there is that collector in my bones that tells me that I need to own it. I need to feel it and look at the real artwork on the cover. I need to support these bands, financially, and I really can't go to the shows anymore, not with a kid at home. Sure, Spotify pays artists on a per play basis, but from what I know, it's like, pennies. Okay, so Spotify is better than stealing, but it's also damn near stealing.
Do I wish I could own every single one of these great albums in my Spotify bookmarks? You bet. How many have I actually went out and bought, whether physical or digital? Three. Only three. And total actual dollars spent on them totals less than $10. (One was a 3 song EP, one was the CD I mentioned above, and one was on sale or dirt cheap from AmazonMP3)
So I lied. I hadn't not been into Grimey's because of the kid, I hadn't been in because of Spotify. And part of me says that's okay, you spend money on more important things like food and clothes. The other part of me misses the process of going in and buying stuff. Spotify is great because it has allowed me to fall in love with some great music. I hate Spotify because it has taken that great experience away from me. I control my own actions here, but I can't say no to listening to something for free. I'd rather listen to it and feel a little guilty afterwards. In 2012, I'm going to try to find a balance. If I truly love something, musically, I'm going to go buy it at Grimey's. Because I enjoy it.
Also, #firstworldproblems
I brought seven CDs with me but they would only accept three of them for trade in, which netted me a cool $9.50 in store credit. I used the money to buy Balance and Composure's CD, Separation. I ended up only paying like, a buck sixty out of my pocket for a brand new CD. This was the second new CD I have bought in at least 13 months. I just don't buy (new) CDs anymore. That's why I brought in some old discs to trade in, because I have so many CDs laying around, and a computer to hold all the songs on in iTunes, I don't need the physical copy of N.E.R.D's album Fly or Die anymore. Might as well turn it into something I actually want, if they're willing to take it, right?
Anyway, what brought me here to Bloggerated today was not to tell you the story of selling off my CD collection, but to talk about a lie I spewed to the nice people working at Grimey's. I remember the last time I went to Grimey's. I went there with my brother when he visited us back in May. When I walked in, I talked to Josh, a guy who works there, and I was happy to see he remembered me. Anyway, I had little baby Evie with me, and of course, he asked about her. I said to him, "yeah, I haven't been in for so long because of this little one."
Not true.
I hadn't been into Grimey's for 8 months because of Spotify. I hadn't bought much music from anywhere because of Spotify. Now I know that I've written at length before about the plight of the music industry and my desire to single-handedly keep it afloat as the way we know it. Album sales create revenue for artists and bands to create more great albums and sustain a living. It is no fault of these artists that people have decided to devalue their work by stealing it off of the internet, which drove album sales to the floor. Sometimes I get frustrated when a musician is fatalistic about album sales, saying it doesn't matter because they don't make money off sales, they make money from touring and merchandise sales. If no one buys your music, what's the point? You need proper albums out so people can come to your show. Without it, no one knows who you are or what you're singing about. Make a great record, and people will be there at the shows. So when it comes to not caring if people buy your music, no one is gonna hear it if you don't make it. If no one buys it, no one will want to make it.
Anyway, I told Josh at Grimey's that I hadn't been in because I had a kid, which wasn't true. All the great albums that came out last year were conveniently streaming on Spotify, that's really why I hadn't been in. I didn't need to drop ten bucks on a CD at their store anymore. It makes me feel guilty because these guys at Grimey's have one of the best places in the world right there, and they stay afloat when people go in and buy stuff. If no one buys records, they go away. Thankfully, people in the area have realized this without my help, because they were on the news a few weeks ago saying that 2011 was a banner year for them. Okay, good. Phew. Don't need to worry about that then.
I'm conflicted about Spotify. It's the only way I can listen to a lot of music I otherwise would just wonder if it was any good or not. Now I know. There are so many good albums, and they're all right here for my listening pleasure. But when I think about owning some of it, I just think, "why bother anymore?" I don't need the physical copy taking up space in my life. But there is that collector in my bones that tells me that I need to own it. I need to feel it and look at the real artwork on the cover. I need to support these bands, financially, and I really can't go to the shows anymore, not with a kid at home. Sure, Spotify pays artists on a per play basis, but from what I know, it's like, pennies. Okay, so Spotify is better than stealing, but it's also damn near stealing.
Do I wish I could own every single one of these great albums in my Spotify bookmarks? You bet. How many have I actually went out and bought, whether physical or digital? Three. Only three. And total actual dollars spent on them totals less than $10. (One was a 3 song EP, one was the CD I mentioned above, and one was on sale or dirt cheap from AmazonMP3)
So I lied. I hadn't not been into Grimey's because of the kid, I hadn't been in because of Spotify. And part of me says that's okay, you spend money on more important things like food and clothes. The other part of me misses the process of going in and buying stuff. Spotify is great because it has allowed me to fall in love with some great music. I hate Spotify because it has taken that great experience away from me. I control my own actions here, but I can't say no to listening to something for free. I'd rather listen to it and feel a little guilty afterwards. In 2012, I'm going to try to find a balance. If I truly love something, musically, I'm going to go buy it at Grimey's. Because I enjoy it.
Also, #firstworldproblems
Who chooses whether an artist ends up on Spotify? The band, or the label? I know there's a lot of labels that refuse to put the music of the bands signed up them up there.
ReplyDelete