brookeburkesluvr

Well, I feel much more compelled to post my opinion about something such as Rhapsody now that I've actually tried it for myself and found it to actually be something worth recommending. Which makes it even more irritating when people don't listen or assume they wouldn't like it even though they haven't tried it yet themselves!

Well, don't forget I'm not talking about free file sharing. I don't believe in it for more than just the ethical reasons. If you use a free-file sharing service, you run the risk of getting a virus, a bad file, or a lawsuit. Plus, downloading all those files to listen to them is cumbersome. Not all subscription-based services are convenient either. iTunes only lets you preview 30 seconds of a track, then you have to buy it for 99 cents to hear the whole thing. At the office where I work we use Rhapsody (http://www.bestbuy.com/rhapsody), which is much easier (and cheap at $10 a month ~ we share it, so it's split up between six people). It's great because we get unlimited listening to just about anything we can think of all day. We like to take turns playing "DJ". I agree that there's no substitute for getting the commercial CD from an artist whose music you know you're going to really like. But if you just want music playing all day and you're usually around a computer, you can't beat something like Rhapsody. Plus, if you listen to CDs in the car a lot you know the value of having compilations handy. I have a 10-disc changer under the backseat and I make compilation CDs with Rhapsody so I don't have to change out discs as often. (they charge 79 cents per track burn) Another thing I can think of that has 'converted' me to this type of online music buying is that it's so immediate. In the past, if I thought of something I hadn't heard in a long time and wanted a copy of, I would have to wait until I made a trip to the store to look for it. Then, assuming I remembered what it was that I wanted to get once I was actually at the store, I would have to hope that they had it in stock. Now, when I suddenly think of a CD I want to hear, I can immediately look it up on Rhapsody and start playing it. Last, but not least, the artist gets paid when we burn tracks and that's important to me. Sure, they don't get paid as much as they should, but they don't get as much as they should from sales off a commercial CD either. The label gets the biggest cut of that too. Funny thing is, people complain about supporting the artist, but nobody has ever complained about buying used CDs from used music stores and the only people who see a red cent from a used CD sale is the store. Neither the artist nor the label gets anything.

I used to buy like at least 10 CDs a month. These days I get just about everything online (ahhh… the miracle of technology). My store-bought CD collection looks like something out of a museum. Do you still like to buy the CDs from the store, or do you get your music online? If online, what service do you use?

No, I think you're missing the point. There are very few people who want to get rid of CDs. Nobody is "never" going to purchase a CD. If CDs were cheaper, more in line with their cost, people would buy them. You can't take an assymetrical hypothetical like never buying CDs, extrapolate it and call it a viable argument. yes i did overexagerate my point but i still don't think that the best way for the consumer to prove that cd prices are too high is by downloading them off the internet. i'm not opposed to people who download their music, i am just upset with the people that think it is ok to not pay any money and only download their favourite songs. i actually have no problem if somebody downloads 50 cents latest album, but i do have a problem with somebody who downloads interpol's album. The only way Cds will be extinct is if a better format comes along. Is everybody crying about the fact that you can't go to the typical music store and buy a vinyl record anymore? No. It was fun while it lasted, but imagine having a damn vinyl record-changer in the trunk of your car. Not happenin'. As for 'supporting' the artist, well too many artists have "filler" on their CDs. I think it's perfectly fair to pay my hard-earned dosh just for those tracks which appeal to me. It's not like ordering a meal at a restaurant where you HAVE to pay for the whole meal, even if you only really liked the chicken. If every track moves me, then I'll pay for every track. If not, then don't rip me off. Nobody's throwing money at me for every creative idea that pops into my head, so why should I have to support the "help us get rich & famous fund" for every wanna be star who puts out a decent tune? Hell, I play guitar and write songs too. Maybe that's why I have no sympathy.

1. easier to preview tracks online rather than drive to the store and wait for an open listening station 2. running out of storage space for all the CDs I bought just for 1 or 2 tracks each 3. I never know what the store has in stock and what they don't and it's a pain to try and find specific CDs in some of these places where their alphabetical tabs have all been moved around out of order 4. expensive ~ I pay less $ for each track online, and don't have to pay for the tracks I don't want. I'm tired of spending over $20 bucks for a 10-12 song disc with maybe 2 or 3 tracks that I actually like. 5. It just saves time and it's so much easier. Plain and simple. 6. Car listening. Whether you're using a 1 disc player or a 10-disc CD changer in the car, you know what I mean when I say that it's far better to have compilation discs loaded in with songs you like on them. Having a car filled with CDs that you have to change over frequently is a hassle (and sometimes a hazard) So, I’ve finally come to the point of concluding that I’d rather do my music shopping online than to physically go to the store. I'm curious to know how many other people are following this trend now, and what service has been the best for you. I don't have any interest in the file-sharing services, primarily because they're illegal and artists get cheated out of their rightful share. Just subscription-based ones like the following; BEST BUY's Digital Music Service ~ http://www.bestbuy.com/rhapsody Press Play ~ http://www.pressplay.com/ i-Tunes ~ http://www.apple.com/itunes/ Buymusic.com ~ http://www.buymusic.com/