Nov
24
2005

If I Had A Million Dollars...

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 10:04:52 am
(Posted Under: Music Music)
I would not buy the Barenaked Ladies latest album on a USB stick.

Not that I have a problem with their funky distribution method. However, the embrasing of MP3 (read: lossy) to sell audio is quite disturbing. Not something that is new per se, but with the recent launch of iTunes, the swing to lossy audio as the norm is quite disturbing.

Sure, Joe Public isn't going to care either way. That's a battle that can never be won. However, the music industry (including artists, labels and merchants, who should know better) deeming MP3 an acceptable format is a very scary thing. Years ago, it was more of a rarity. I remember when the Gas Giants album was released, it was released initally as a MP3 download for a month, after which it was released in 16bit 44kHz stereo, on CD. While I didn't per se agree with it (again, like the BNL album, hypewise it was kinda cool), it was a hype thing, vs. manditory MP3, and the proper lossless audio was available for purchase after a month. However, we're rapidly approaching (if not already there) a world where lossless audio is not an option. And more importantly, we're paying for an inferior product.

Sure, I have a great deal of my CD's ripped as MP3 for convinence. But MP3 is only acceptable because I have the original pristine audio on my bookcase, that I can go to whenever I like, as I see fit. Only having MP3 copied of these albums just wouldn't cut it.

What's worse, is that lossless digital formats exist (FLAC, SHN), and if the music industry (and consumers) must be cool, hip and techy, and purchase music via download, these formats should be used in preference to the lossy and inferier MP3 format. How much moneey is spent by studios (and hence artists and labels) for state of the art recording equipment - only to have the quality compromised by MP3 compression. The music industry as a whole should be ashamed of themselves. Firstly on principle, to forgo quality (which they should be upholding), and secondly for marketing an inferior product to the unknowing public.

At the end of the day, if Joe Clueless wants to fork out his hard earned for MP3 quality audio, that his problem. My concern is, for how much longer can I walk into a music store and buy a liquid polycarbonate injected silver disc with pristine 44kHz 16bit audio etched into the surface? Not for a whole lot longer I fear.

Ths music industry needs to be sat down and told that no matter how much illegal downloading of MP3 music that happens, MP3 is not an acceptable way to distribute and sell music.

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