Katrina, I was going off your mention of the cheap emusic prices - those can't help but affect your (and everyone else's here) perception of value. Anchoring is a cognitive bias, not a willful or conscious effect. I just used your statement as an introductory example to the phenomenon, not to single you out. I think everyone's feelings on this issue are significantly affected by this effect, it's human nature.
@brittleblood i might have been EXACTLY behind you in the record store
I count the hours I spent at the Warehouse in Southern Cal to be time well spent; flipping through the record bins for stuff to frighten the parents. All of it was pretty tame by today's standards, though.
I will echo several of the comments that I have discovered way more music since joining eMusic and Last.FM that ever before. As for Guvera, I wish someone had taken into the jazz section and pointed out all this great music when I was 16! (although my Dad had a few Brubeck records I borrowed / stole)
I count the hours I spent at the Warehouse in Southern Cal to be time well spent; flipping through the record bins for stuff to frighten the parents. All of it was pretty tame by today's standards, though.
I've been worried that the cheapness of music has cheapened it. That we are getting so overwhelmed with a constant barrage of free and close-to-free downloads that there is no chance to regain that connection to the individual album that we once had. But you know what? For 4 or 5 years I had an annual plan with eMusic that gave me 90 d/ls a month at about 17 cents per track. And over that time I developed an intimate relationship with a lot of music. Sure, some things slipped through the cracks and there are plenty of albums from those times that would barely jostle my memory at this time, but that's no different from when I was buying CDs.
The problem right now is that with all of the changes a foot with various online stores - the disappearance of some and the raising of prices at others - a fear has developed that our steady stream of inexpensive new tunes could run out at any minute. And so we gorge ourselves whenever the chance arises. Just like the sales at Lala and 7digital filled my collection with a bunch of albums that haven't been played much, so too will most of these freebies from Guvera sit idly on my hard drive for some time.
But you know what? That hasn't stopped me from falling in love with numerous releases this year. It hasn't lessened my appreciation of them. It's simply given me more opportunities to find other things to listen to. And If I get 10x as many albums this year as I used to on CD but only find a handful more than I love, it's still worth it.
I can relate to plong42s observation about appreciating music less when you overload. I try to listen to the albums I buy at least 3 times. Even 3 times isn't enough to fully appreciate it like in the nostalgic vinyl days, but it's the best I can do sometimes with the volume of music I've been getting lately. The benefit of the volume is exposure to more music and the chance to find some personal gems. Id agree with Thom that Im still falling in love with some albums amongst the volume but feel that it is more of a short term relationship these days compared to the long term relationship of the past. After listening to something off and on for a month, its off to next months batch of releases.
Im kind of glad that Amie is dead now. The 90/20 emu plan seemed to be the just right amount of music I could appreciate per month. Amie put it out of balance. I avoided Amie for awhile because I knew it would be a distraction to always be checking it for new free/cheap releases. It's was like when I bought CDs on ebay. The constant checking of new titles and keep track of bids was a time sink. The obsessive part of me can say it was fun, but it will be nice to dial back on the amount of music I get and appreciate it more.
Lastly, add me to the Wherehouse club. San Diego for me. Though the Wherehouse wasn't my favorite record store. Just convenient. Seemed like every strip mall had a Wherehouse.
As the means for distributing music get looser and more attainable for the musicians, I think pricing will become both more variable and more accurately reflect their market value. Newish Amie St. type bands will charge far less, more as they improve and/or become more well known and fan favorites. Established talented musicians will command a premium. Older releases which have already reached a fan saturation point will be sold for less to appeal to non-fans.
Of course, for people like us, who are voracious listeners, buyers, and collectors, who participate on one or more music forums, who possess fond memories where music is integral to its retelling, for whom music and life are inseparable, we'll likely be the last to be satisfied with the pricing infrastructure. Our valuation hierarchy is too elastic, too inconsistently weighted between heart and head and budget, too ephemeral to actually break it down to a spreadsheet. We'll never be satisfied except on an album by album, track by track basis.
Well, at least you guys will. Me, my next book is gonna make me a kajillion dollars. I'm not gonna have to worry about money anymore. I'll buy whatever music I want without a second thought.
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I count the hours I spent at the Warehouse in Southern Cal to be time well spent; flipping through the record bins for stuff to frighten the parents. All of it was pretty tame by today's standards, though.
I will echo several of the comments that I have discovered way more music since joining eMusic and Last.FM that ever before. As for Guvera, I wish someone had taken into the jazz section and pointed out all this great music when I was 16! (although my Dad had a few Brubeck records I borrowed / stole)
totally. i do miss the one-to-one connection with a single album, but it's a new era. some things worse; other things better.
The problem right now is that with all of the changes a foot with various online stores - the disappearance of some and the raising of prices at others - a fear has developed that our steady stream of inexpensive new tunes could run out at any minute. And so we gorge ourselves whenever the chance arises. Just like the sales at Lala and 7digital filled my collection with a bunch of albums that haven't been played much, so too will most of these freebies from Guvera sit idly on my hard drive for some time.
But you know what? That hasn't stopped me from falling in love with numerous releases this year. It hasn't lessened my appreciation of them. It's simply given me more opportunities to find other things to listen to. And If I get 10x as many albums this year as I used to on CD but only find a handful more than I love, it's still worth it.
Im kind of glad that Amie is dead now. The 90/20 emu plan seemed to be the just right amount of music I could appreciate per month. Amie put it out of balance. I avoided Amie for awhile because I knew it would be a distraction to always be checking it for new free/cheap releases. It's was like when I bought CDs on ebay. The constant checking of new titles and keep track of bids was a time sink. The obsessive part of me can say it was fun, but it will be nice to dial back on the amount of music I get and appreciate it more.
Lastly, add me to the Wherehouse club. San Diego for me. Though the Wherehouse wasn't my favorite record store. Just convenient. Seemed like every strip mall had a Wherehouse.
I've said it before: If eMusic tries to take on Amazon, Amazon will clean their clock. As amclark2 said, their best bet is to play a different game.
As far as album pricing goes, back when Magnatune was doing user-sets-the-price, people tended to pay around $12 for an album iirc.
Of course, for people like us, who are voracious listeners, buyers, and collectors, who participate on one or more music forums, who possess fond memories where music is integral to its retelling, for whom music and life are inseparable, we'll likely be the last to be satisfied with the pricing infrastructure. Our valuation hierarchy is too elastic, too inconsistently weighted between heart and head and budget, too ephemeral to actually break it down to a spreadsheet. We'll never be satisfied except on an album by album, track by track basis.
Well, at least you guys will. Me, my next book is gonna make me a kajillion dollars. I'm not gonna have to worry about money anymore. I'll buy whatever music I want without a second thought.