iTunes and the Digital iSlump post on Gearwire

[dolivas]

http://www.gearwire.com/islump-part-duex.html

very interesting piece. Just to opine myself a lot of what should be contributing to the slump of digital download services is that it's one hella impersonal act. The act of buying music or storing it in your own computer and consciousness. At first it's stupendous to have such access to music within your grasp with a credit card and be able to purchase what you want (just one track from a album, avoid using the car to go buy it at a store) but then you notice you miss the physical aspect of music.

What iTunes lack is that feel of opening up a LP cover or cd case and seeing artwork, lyrics, swag, shout outs etc. Little pieces of art you can come back to. But with iTunes having a compressed song with only the front cover of the song makes the song or music more disposable than it already is. You make wiser and more informed decisions I would say if you had a bit more of attachment to what you are buying. Part of the attachment should be how extra things come with the music you bought. I believe Apple or any other source should find a way to work to instill some otherness to digital music that could be like in the older days nifty album inserts, pull out art, you know stuff that draws people more into the music.

Having a slumping artistic music drought at the moment in music doesn't help either as well. Labels gotta start signing more out-there push the envelope kind of music as well.