Music Technology

THE DIGITAL AGE

The physical copy ruled the world...now the digital copy does.

There was once a time digital downloads weren’t the determiners of popularity. There was once a time when there were no iPods and if you liked a song and wanted it, you’d have to buy the single or album. There was even a time when artists would set a release date for their album – stick to it – and fans would have no way to listen to it before this date.

The days of rushing home to listen to a new album? Long gone.

Times have changed.

It saddens me that the generations coming up rarely have interest in purchasing the physical copy of an album. What is important to them is the ease of downloading and I don’t blame them - but they miss out on that feeling of excitement whilst flicking through the album notes and listening to the album right through. Unfortunately, the significance of the album has been reduced due to downloaders being able to download any track, at any time, anywhere in the world. Steve Jobs...I’m blaming you.

Wait – I am not saying the digital age is all bad.

The iPod allows any song from any point in music history to be revisited and also made commercially successful. That doesn’t necessarily happen with cds. Without iTunes and iPods, I am sure people would forget or wouldn’t be aware of the music of Little Richard or The Beatles for example. With iTunes and the iPods, people are aware of music by Tori Kelly (even if it is just because ‘Dear No-One’ was the free single of the week).

As this generation is very singles-driven, the iPod helps diverse sounds, genres and performers find new audiences; potentially enhancing an artists’ fanbase. It is the easiest pathway to finding new music; even if it is just new for that consumer and was actually released decades ago. The iPod is even able to compress and carry each owner’s lifetime soundtrack in an object minute enough to fit in a pocket...of course it is going to be a success.

Look, the digital age is great, there is no denying that but I just simply miss the days when the physical copies ruled the world.