The last sentence in this piece is key.

I often wonder how many of the records in my Top 20 will get played in years to come. I know there are some of you that feel the same way about this >>> BillyG ??


THE BIG TAKEOVER
by Greg Bartalos
17 January 2006

“Internet downloading and MP3 players are creating a generation of people who do not seriously appreciate songs or musical performances, British researchers said.”

The quotes below, also from the article, are attributed to music psychologist ADRIAN NORTH, who led the team of researchers from the University of Leicester.

“The accessibility of music has meant that it is taken for granted and does not require a deep emotional commitment once associated with music appreciation.”

“Because so much music of different styles and genres is now so widely available via portable MP3 players and the Internet, it is arguable that people now actively use music in everyday listening contexts to a much greater extent than ever before.”

“The degree of accessibility and choice has arguably led to a rather passive attitude towards music heard in everyday life.”

“In short, our relationship to music in everyday life may well be complex and sophisticated, but it is not necessarily characterised by deep emotional investment.”


I have listened to some of my all-time favorite songs, like “Old Man” and “The Red Telephone” by LOVE, on my home stereo, on my iPod, and by my barbecue, and I always feel that same magic. Increased access to these songs has not reduced my appreciation of them, which is why I think there may be a bit more to this study.

Every purchase inherently contains economic sacrifice. This is one reason why I think people who pay for CDs will, on balance, be more inclined than those who do not pay for them to give what seems to be a subpar disc several spins before giving up on it. With free music you have invested nothing, so you don’t feel the same self-imposed pressure to ‘justify’ acquiring it.

To buy a new CD you have to pay $13.99 or so. By getting to the point where you are ready to fork over your hard-earned money, chances are pretty good that you’ll enjoy your purchase.

However, if you can get a disc for free, you’ll be more inclined to take a chance on an artist. And why not? What is the downside? Maybe you’ll find one great band for every 20 that don’t move you.

And that may partially explain the increased apathy phenomenon. At the same time that we are enlarging our music collections and hearing more new artists we may paradoxically be diluting the overall quality of what we hear.

I couldn't agree more. Which is why i deleted slsk from my drive a couple of years ago and am not on colinswood, etc.

i thought the title said "easy access" and "making out". now that's my kind of thread.

i completely agree with what's said in the article. i find myself listening to so much music that i don't have favorites anymore. i remember when an album really meant something to me... it was like a special treat to buy a cd. now, with downloading singles and even entire albums, it seems like music's just glorified background noise that i take for granted.

I don't download much anymore.
This week I have, because I had to have HoF's Tantilla, and I wanted to hear a few other things. A lot of it didn't download though.

This is the main reason why I don't do any of the file-sharing programs. I rarely download any music. 99% of my music listening these days is from CDs that I buy and rip to my MP3 player.

I've always only cared about the songs. That hasn't changed, only my access to a greater volume of them.

Does that mean I have grown to dislike a lot more music? Well of course. That only makes sense...

i download all day every day.
but i mostly listen to music i pay full price for.

my top 10 records of this year were 80% albums i bought new on CD.

Completely disagree.

I still like what I like, but my increased access over the past couple of years has completely reinvigorated me as a music fan. Sure, I could have died happy with my CD collection and the prospect of picking up a handful of records every year, but I truly enjoy being "in the loop" of having a ton of shit thrown at me. It doesnt all stick to the wall, but its interesting to hear nonetheless.

i have shit on my computer i d/l over a year ago that i still haven't listened to. not a big deal to me. i'll get to it when i get to it.
everything i've downloaded that i truly enjoy, i've gone on (or am in the process of) to buy it on cd.
the best part is i'm not trading anything in anymore because everything i buy on cd, i already know that i love it.

i think having access to everything and seeing what sticks to the wall is the modern equivelant of having a really quality radio station.

case in point: i'm glad as hell that i d/l the new beth orton album because now i won't blow $13.99 on the piece of crap when it comes out like i would have had i not heard it first.

So its no wonder that terrestrial radio is going the way of the dodo, right?

I guess that I agree in general. I also think a lot of the apathy is due to the industry putting out an enormous amount of "product" whose main goal is to have one big-selling single. We all know it's always been this way, but not to the extent that it seems to be lately. Quality is job 49, quantity is no. 1. It makes sense from their point of view - thousands of minor hits can make more money than one giant hit, but, of course, one giant hit on top of all those minor hits is preferrable. And it's also the use of songs in commercials - I know that it sometimes helps expose artists that can't otherwise get airplay on the "music" networks who are obsessed with imbecilic "reality" shows, but it does make the music a little less special feeling when you keep hearing it paired with the latest ugly GM offering.

Like others have said, without the ability to download stuff, I'd have missed out on a LOT of great music - and often artists that have gone on to become favorites of mine.

But I do have to limit it - I simply don't have enough time to enjoy everything, as much as I might want to. The more music I get, the more I keep finding myself returning to well-established favorites. My biggest problem is not that I can't find good music, because that's easy - it that I like too much stuff, but there's a much smaller percentage that I love. I'm trying to focus on what I love, which seems obvious to most, but the tendency to want to experiment and explore new things is much more tempting when it's all out there, easy to get. I just don't have the time to devote to all this new stuff anymore, unfortunately.

they were shooting themselves in the foot long before the iPod, but yeah . . . this is the final straw.

but when i throw on shuffle, that's what it feels like.
half of what comes up on iTunes i've listened to once, tops.

it's kinda fun.

Mp3s and the internet are partly to blame, I guess, but oversaturation is a side effect of being a hardcore music fan/collector anyway. I download stuff and acquire a lot of things from friends, but I still mostly just listen to the things that I buy. Even still, I have music playing at nearly every opportunity, and a lot of times it is reduced to mere background noise.

I think the re-contextualization of how people hear music over the past 50 or 60 years goes well beyond the recent phenomena of downloading and mp3 players. Music has gradually been becoming more accessible and more portable since people started recording it. It's also become more of a passive experience ever since people have been able to obtain recordings of it instead of having to go out and hear it being played or play it themselves. It's been heading more and more this way for a long time.

Or vinyl.

I'm a music geek, i download a shitload and since using soulseek have been exposed to so much new music, good or bad, i would never of heard otherwise. This to me is a blessing.

I always give albums at least 3 spins now after disregarding a couple of albums which i eventually ended up loving. Hell i even gave the new Strokes and Belle & sebastian 3 spins each before i deleted the fuckers.

i download an average two albums a day
i probably really enjoy one out of thirty
and if i really enjoy i buy the vinyl
i think having easy access to it
just made me pickier

didnt think new strokes was that bad
not that id buy it or support the band
i really do want to hate them

fucked up my quote
sorry first try

why?

because they're awesome or because you're too cool for school?

don't think they worked hard enough

live performances on television that ive seen couldn't show more apathy

One of the bands i downloaded and loved and rushed out to buy.

I'm not gonna make this a pissing contest on the Strokes but they are good enough musicians to feign apathy and still be tighter than 95% of these schlubs in the indie rock game.

And I know that pisses off people, but its true.....

i agree that they are a good band
i just WANT to hate them anyways

if they weren't so into an image
i'd probably be 100 percent behind them
instead
im only into the music part of it
is what im trying to say poorly

so if im going to spend money on music
im gonna support up and coming acts
not the sexy super stars

i've seen the strokes live twice and they destroyed.
they looke laid back, but they play tight as hell and with tons of emotion.

sometimes "cool" and "style" comes natural, and i think with them it does.