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Why are music companies shooting themselves in the foot?

As soon as it has been released, I went to my local CD reseller to buy Sleeping with ghosts, Placebo's latest album. I was ready to enjoy this great music, but...

When I put the CD in my PC, I quickly realized that I would not be able to play it! My PC, and all PCs I tried the CD with, do not recognize this CD as an audio CD.
Oh, I must confess that I am a bit too negative. The CD would actually play in PCs equiped with a soundcard as there is a custom software player included on the CD.
But, you know what, I was at work, and the PC I use there has no soundcard, so I wasn't able to properly play the CD. Had I have a soundcard, the sound would not have been great as the included player does not play the music directly from the CD but using the soundcard, and a with a lower quality.

What is this kind of shit?
I have a CD that I can only play with my home CD player, and from which I cannot make MP3 files (to listen to while in the bus, while taking a walk, or on my PC), and from which I cannot make a copy the way I should be able to as I am entitled to by copyright laws (for backup or to listen in my car).

If you still happen to buy CDs, you may have already noticed this, as those copy protection systems are currently spreading like a plague. A lot of recent releases from great artists already include it.

And you know what? That kind of CDs are not real CDs! The copy protection system corrupts the CD format so that it cannot be recognized correctly by PC or Mac CD players.
Beware of the crappy CDs, luckily most of them still have a sticker on them warning you.
If you want to know more about this problem, you can check the UK Campaign for Digital Rights web site.

At the same time, music companies are releasing music albums long after they are announced, and long after MP3s become available. What kind of strategy is that?

 

So, why are music companies shooting themselves in the foot?
Maybe they finally decided that they have stollen enough money from the artists...

I am angry and sad for the artists that will sell less CDs, but at the same time I am happy to see that the music companies are deciding to run out of the business by themselves. So help the music companies in this direction, and don't buy that kind of CD or bring them back.

2 Comments

  • for people like myself, this kind of CD is a non-issue. I do not own a CD player other than the ones in my computers so I do not buy "protected" CDs. When I occassionally do accidentally buy such crippled media, I immediately return it.


    I do not own a vehicle, I do not own a CD player for my stereo. My PC runs my entire entertainment system throughout the house and I don't plan on ever moving away from that set-up.


    As more people realize the advantages of this, record companies will have less and less customers for disks like the one you bought.

  • I found this with the latest massive attack LP(?)





    I listen to music that i purchase on many formats. This was the fiorst for me that i could not rip to mp3, for my own use - but the record companies do not believe this.





    This experience left me so anoyed that I downloaded kazzalite.





    The really sad thing is that i bought the last Placebo cd but will not buy this one with these restrictions.





    I know that the music industry is loosing sales/money but to me this is a reflection of the quality & not the net/illegal copying. When I was a little younger I used to tape (cassette) the top 40 and when I had enough money, but the vinyl. Now I'll buy a cd on the back of a track i hear on the radio (there is soooo little good/original music). But if the music industry goes the way it seams to be then to my thinking it will die.





    2 pence worth :)





    Snoop

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