In an iTunes age, do we need the record store?

When we, as people, want something, there are usually simple means by which we can find it and get it delivered to our doors. The internet is a wonderful thing, is it not?

Perhaps not, though, for certain businesses and stores.

Our society, our world, has become hardwired with every type of technology imaginable. Devices that allow us to find our way to a location while driving; portable phones that can surf the web, take and send pictures, and play games; the list could go on and on. One of the many pioneers of technology in the world is Apple, Inc., creators of the iPod and other related music listening devices. And, their online store-- iTunes.

Marc Hogan writes on how CD sales nation-wide are plummeting- especially for local record stores that only have a single location, or maybe two. But certain shops are working to bring it back, and have the record shop go from an endangered species in the music world to become what it once was-- thriving, prolific, and a hub for music lovers to obtain their guilty pleasures. But iTunes isn't the only competitor for the physical stores. Websites like Google Music, Spotify, and Amazon's MP3 downloads get all the deals on releases and reduced prices from the popular artists dominating the radio waves and the music charts, but real-life stores don't stand a chance.

If we hear a song on the radio, it's much easier to find it and download it on iTunes in the span of about five minutes for $0.99 to $1.29 than to go to a store to buy the physical album for $9 to $20 dollars, import the CD to your music library, and then put it on your music player (which, let's face it, is probably an iPod) to listen to it at your leisure. Oh, boo, that's so much work. As you could probably tell, I have zero sympathy, and I'd much rather go out and buy the physical album, which gives more profit to the artist themselves, and have the CD for my own that just a JPEG image of the album booklet. There's something much different about struggling with the wrapper, sitting in my car in a parking lot, and trying to get the CD in to my stereo. To me, there's just something much more personal about having my copy of the CD, and building my collection (which personally has reached over 30 in the last year alone). I wouldn't give it up for the world, besides the fact that I'd just waste all of my money if my debit card was linked to my iTunes account (let's be serious, if it isn't cash, I'm terrible with money).

In an iTunes age, do we need the record store?

Sunday, November 20th, 2011 - Term Two, Week One, Post Two