It's in it's infancy at the moment, but I'm sure Spotify will soon be worldwide, and available at a computer near you. With this streaming music site, you may be able to sample 70-80% of soundtracks, both old and new, before deciding if you want to purchase it (or just be content to play it again and again via your PC). Which makes me wonder about the future of CD reviews. We already have 30 second + samples available on a lot of sites. Reviewing CD's may become a thing of the past. Does anyone still buy a CD from a review, or are they novelty things anyway?
I always assume there are actually people in the world who know more than I do about music and art -- especially with regards to music. Not to tell me what to think -- but to educate me, inform me, and to help guide my purchases and/or enrich my experience of a purchased item. So CDs review by people I trust and hold in esteem will never become outmoded. There is always a place for well-informed criticism and opinion in cultural discourse.
I've never really read reviews anyway, but I've fallen in love with Spotify (which has been around up here for quite a long time already). Here's an thread I did on it last month:
When I buy a classical CD, I do tend to follow the Gramophone book - generally, I've never been disappointed with anything I've bought on their recommendation, and I have been disappointed with things I've bought blind. It does require a bit of editing of some of their wilder choices, though.
This is a question I have thought about since discovering imeem in the last couple of years. Imeem is similar to spotify. Its like on demand radio. Personally, I think reviews will continue to be relevant. In fact, I think reviews and sharing of opinions will increase because now everyone can listen to a large number of scores as opposed to just a select few reviewers. I have enjoyed beginning my own score blog on imeem at www.imeem.com/filmscores.
On a side note, if my experience is like others, film score purchasing will actually rise. Since finding imeem I have purchased far more scores than in prior years.
This is a question I have thought about since discovering imeem in the last couple of years. Imeem is similar to spotify. Its like on demand radio.
Just FYI, imeem is nothing like Spotify, really. I would say imeem is more like last.fm or myspace.
Spotify is more like your iTunes player in terms of interface. You type in an artist or album and play them basically like you do in iTunes, not through some "radio player".