Being able to just get whatever you want within minutes with the click of a button. Do you think it's a good thing?
I think it kind of bites dick.
It has completely ruined the excitement of getting a new album. Also means a lot of potentially good albums get overlooked. It was cool back in the day where you had to pick and choose which cd's you would buy. And then it's like I spent good money on this, plus it's the only new shit I have, I'm gonna keep on listening to it even though it doesn't sound that great. A lot of albums would grow on you and even hold a special place in your musical upbringing.
Now it's like if an album's not very good then fuck it, why bother? I'll check out some other ones. You might end up missing out on what could have been a great album if you'd been patient.
For me I pretty much don't check out any new albums in any genre, so supporting artists and shit isn't really a factor for me. I have probably averaged about 2 new releases per year in the last few years, and I still buy the cd's, and it's exciting when they arrive. But sure as shit not as exciting as it used to be when it was the only way I could get music.
Then there was the whole thing of your friends or your brother's friends copping a new album. And it was like 'so and so has this album'. And they'd share it around. Then you'd share your shit too. Likewise when you'd hear of an album, and then it's like 'so and so' has this album. I remember when a friend at high school moved in down the street when I was 12. He had an older sister who worked in a music shop. She had this big shoebox full of classic hip hop albums. This was in '95 I think. Maybe '96. That's where I first heard Cuban Linx, Redman and Keith Murray's early albums, so much classic shit. I'd borrow a handful at a time. It was like I'd hit the fucking jackpot.
Then I'll read these autobios of musicians from the 60's and shit. And they'll talk about when they were kids and someone would cop an LP. How people would travel to listen to an LP they heard somebody copped. Just listen. Of course they couldn't copy it. That shit is fucking awesome. Every song would count.
It's just modern society. We've ruined absolutely everything with over-convenience, comfort and indulgence. Straight up fuck the world.
At the same time it's great like at the moment I'm reading a book about the history of the blues, and I can read about these recordings from the 30's and shit and just go online and have them on my ipod within an hour and shit. Yeah, that's pretty great. But at the same time I miss out on the romance of the chase. Hunting down these obscure recordings. Makes it so much more rewarding when you hear it.
Anyway, your thoughts?
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