free music???

[Alex28]

I've used iTMS tonight and got to say it's pretty good. Dead easy to use, pretty quick downloads, decent music quality. Apparently you will be able to buy iTunes pre-paid vouchers through Coles Myer stores very soon so you dont need a Credit Card to use the store. They have it all figured out...

 

[choc_soldier]

I've learnt that the ninemsn / HMV site is not a good site if you want to get something that is not generally mainstream.

Bigpond is slightly better, though.

 

[Misanthrope]

If you're particularly desperate, go to Alan Fletcher's website and download his new single 'Perfectly Comfortable'

Absolute gold...

 

[HevyDevy]

Yeah i agree with sampling or downloading songs to see what they are like, downloading whole albums is not something i agree with.

Like I said, you need to hear an entire album to make an assessment, not just one or two songs.

 

[JoeD]

Which is why music sales have suffered so badly.

There are many theories on why music sales are down. One is that there was such a boom when CD's came out and everyone replaced their old collections. That was never sustainable. Same thing will happen with DVDs. Everyone goes out and buys up all their old favourites. Music is also expensive. Why albums that are 30 years old still have such a high price is beyond me.
For the music I have downloaded I would guess about 80% I have actually bought some time in the past and either the media is out of date (tapes, records) or lost or damaged (scratched Cd's mainly). On the scratched CD, DVD thing I've always thought you should be able to mail in your damaged copy and for a nominal fee get a replacement.

 

[Paullyboy]

There has been some tremendous points raised in this thread. Fish Eel I agree with you in principal but you are sitting on your high horse too much here mate.

I agree with you that a lot of people download and never buy, and thats bad, but I am one who always downloads before I buy unless Ive heard a mate's version or something or if the J's decide to make it their feature album - but its rare that they choose someone I like.

I think what JoeD just said was one of the more informed things Ive read on this forum in a while too and is something that is often neglected when people look at record sales and compare them with previous years.

 

[Sun_Down]

I would say all the albums I buy these days are inspired from me sampling downloads. Although I agree its stealing, I personally buy more music now that I have access to downloads.

I will also start to use Itunes MS. I feel pretty bad when I download a lot.

 

[Blade]

I've been using Limewire for some time now.

No bandwith, spyware or any other PC congestion problems whatsoever.

Used iTunes for a short while but didn't like the ergonomics or navigation . . . . but excellent selction.

 

[nöyd]

No bandwith, spyware or any other PC congestion problems whatsoever.

No police banging down your door.

Yet.

According to some, Limewire has been shut down in favour of a new Limewire that only allows you to download licensed content that you (of course) have to pay for.

 

[Alex28]

Like I said, you need to hear an entire album to make an assessment, not just one or two songs.

Before the days of downloading how did you listen to a whole album before buying it? Lots and lots of time in music stores?

 

[HevyDevy]

A lot of the albums I bought years ago were based on the recommendation of friends or in most cases I'd hear the album at their place.

Occasionally I took a chance - when I heard Jane's Addiction's Been Caught Stealin' on Rage I bought the album. As it turns out it's a f**king classic album and that's actually the worst song on there.

And there's always the bands that you know you're going to buy everything they release - Van Halen, Opeth, Devin Townsend, Alice in Chains etc.

When it comes to metal, the fraternity is generally quite knowledgeable and you can figure out what albums are good based on the general consensus quite quickly provided you know what metal genres you like.

But of course being able to download first these days makes the decision a lot easier.

 

[UndertakerMike]

Yeah they're disgracefully priced in this country.

If I buy in bulk, it's actually significantly cheaper for me to order in the US and have them shipped here.

Correct.

I buy in bulk when I go overseas.