Does anyone download anymore?

Often during the last year when I wanted to check out interesting bands, I just went to Youtube or Myspace to listen to their music. There is no files to download and no music to own. This is very convenient, very legal and has major effects on the idea of selling-buying-owning music. When all music is available for free at servers that the artist controls, there is unlimited access to the ultimate music collection, that we all share. This is very nice for a listener, but maybe not as good for the musicians.

As the musical inflation accelerates, there is so much so available music that no one really cares. As we dont even have to do the small effort of downloading, this could lead to an economic disaster for musicians who feels they have to giva away more and more for free by just releasing it all on their sites.

I like this movement in many ways, but are there any solution for musicians who wants to make some money? My own ideas are live gigs and attractive digital solutions. Gigs can be magical and will always be worth a lot to an audience. And who gets to shag in front of a computer screen anyway? Good digital solutions, like our Web Album, with interactivity, contact between the artists and fans, and such attempts will be attempted, I hope some of them will prevail.

Not to forget the people who really likes the idea of ownership. I read that vinyl records is a new trend, as they are attractive, sound great and has this physical beauty of large artwork, great smell and magic touch… Myself, I dont own a grammophone at the moment, but its a high priority when the money comes rolling (some day).

So for the future, I bet there is a physical trend with great products, and a non-ownership-listeners culture, directly on the web. Maybe the biggest loser in the future will be file downloading.

Here is a swedish article on the subject: http://www.svd.se/kulturnoje/nyheter/artikel_1565053.svd

Youtube as marketing tool

Nick Cave did four lovely, silly marketing videos for his new album and put them on Youtube a while before the release of his latest album “Dig Lazarus, Dig!!!”. It was a greatcampaign. A bit humourus, a bit strange and also with a spice that hinted something about the feel of the new music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mAh8nF-cko

Portishead is releasing their new album in the end of April, and they have found a problem with Youtube, since many of their coming songs are available there as some kind of raw videos with simple graphics. Since mashups are used by the listeners, they are also found elswhere, like on Portisheads Last FM-site. The videos are being blocked, but republished in this competition between record company and listeners. Here are some of them:
Magic doors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqITyRdNTws
Hunter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6h_-JAlLnI
The Rip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPDMLq4TtrI
On Last FM: http://www.last.fm/music/Portishead

So there are different angles of the use of Youtube. I read a while ago about different departments in one and the same company, where the economy department demanded a quick removal of some videos from Youtube, while the marketing department called a few days later and asked where the material had gone…

Myself, I love Youtube. As a child of the cassette generation, I have no problem with the crappy sound quality and small screen. Its lovely to find all these rarities and culture treasures, as well as Portisheads coming album. Im not even illegal in any sense, since I dont download it. It has become a kind of radio for me and a source to find new music. And I will buy the Portishead album. On CD. For anyone wondering.