Generation gap between Sony and MGMT
MGMT's Congratulations album
When a hot band releases an album, they want to let people download it for free. Recording labels hate free downloads. They see it as losing money.
The reality is free downloads are promotional. It gets the music in play on computers and iPods and build awareness, one of the three “A’s” of marketing (awareness, acceptance and adoption). When radio was king, Sony would be falling all over themselves giving out promotional singles and albums to radio stations and music critics.
Sorry, the band lost. You can’t download the whole CD. But you can stream it.
Downloading is only for old folks anyway. Everybody streams music. With the labels shutting down PirateBay and other download sites, most people just stream music to their hard drives. YouTube is supposed to be the hot source for streamed music.
The technology is way ahead of the record label’s attempts to lock music and videos down. Anything you see on the screen or hear from your computer speakers can be streamed to your computer hard drive with ease.
Past the minor controversy, I’m not sure if MGMT’s CD is worth the bother. I was streaming…ah listening to it and someone went by my office door.
“Still sick?” they asked. I’ve had the flu for days.
“No, I’m feeling better,” I replied “Why?”
“You’re listening to funeral music.”
Check it out for yourself.
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