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I was initially resistant to downloads, more because Apple applied DRM to the tracks and they were relatively low bit rate, plus it did weird things like sometimes the metadata would revert back to how it was when it was downloaded. However, now I can buy from a number of online stores, almost always in lossless or pretty high bitrate MP3 (7 Digital or HD Tracks for soundtracks and Presto or Chandos for classical), I've pretty much got over my aversion to downloads. I can download in FLAC, convert to Apple Lossless so iTunes likes it (I know, I know...) and amend the metadata as needed once it's imported. I have my hard drive backed up a couple of times, hard drives are super cheap these days and there's plenty of decent backup software available for not much money (I don't much like Time Machine, but if you have a Mac, it's included).
The only downside is that most soundtracks don't come with and kind of liner notes. However, the classical labels produce high quality ones in PDF that you can just save to your computer. It's a bit frustrating that lossless options are often massively more expensive than MP3. On 7 Digital, it's usually around a 20/25% markup. For Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the MP3 is £14 and the FLAC is £22 which strikes me as pretty unjustifiable (and one reason why I'm reluctant to buy it). The markup for FLAC on Presto classical is similar, but from a lower base; most albums, even new ones, come in at £6/7 for MP3 and £8/9 for FLAC.
I'd happily buy lossless downloads of all the expanded/re-releases from LLL, Intrada, Quartet with a decent PDF of the booklet, especially if it meant they were around for longer. A bit of a shame that the contractual shenanigans required seem to preclude this unfortunately. I'm lucky that where I am, there's no import duty or other tax which many suffer, but downloads get round this side of things... not to mention the savings on a postage. From the US to anywhere outside the country seems to incur a cost of at least the price of another album or two in shipping. I know I'd rather spend that on another album than a box, much bubble wrap and a flight!
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I'm a "no CD no sale" guy, but I don't slam the board with it in every thread.
In the streaming age, I think my view has evolved a bit (though not my position). I don't stream music, but I do stream video. And since I don't want to miss out on watching something that's reasonably priced, and I'm already paying for, I'm okay paying $15/month for access to a wide range of content that rotates and adds new material all the time.
Music is a different story. Because streaming film music either doesn't exist (don't know) or just isn't a prominent scenario like Netflix, digital music defaults to an ownership situation rather than access. And if I'm going to own an album, it needs to be a hard copy. With a hard copy, I can buy it new or used many years later without concern about the license expiring; I can lose the CD and find it again later; I can create my own digital files and re-rip the disc if needed; I'm guaranteed a booklet, tray card and artwork; I can have the ritual experience of "putting on an album;" and I can get it all for less than 0.99 per track. Often far less. With digital, the opposite is true in every respect.
The music is king, but it's not the only consideration. Especially when it means giving up a tremendous value I've enjoyed for decades. If digital music comes down to about a nickel per track, I can forgive all the value and do downloads. I'd feel like I was paying for drive-thru fast food, but at least it would be an appropriate investment.
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Never say never but at present I have more.than enough cds to last me the rest of my life. So missing out on one or two downloads isn't going to kill me. Anyway, most 'no CD' applies to new stuff, which is mostly shit. The quality lies in the.older.stuff which usually gets a little shinny.
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No CD = No sale. It's simple. Score release = CD release. If not, I don't buy. Spotify and YT are for free. Don't feed labels for streaming ! Pay them for physical media only!
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Yeah, fuck vinyls too.
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If I want a score but it's download only, I'll buy it and burn it to CDR. I will never have music files stored on a PC only, that's utterly boring.
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Probably-
I have only 1 double-album I bought on purpose as a digital download because the CDs are very rare and very expensive if a copy was even available. I would still buy the CDs for a reasonable price.
I also have a couple of digital albums given out as downloads as a special promotional thing.
But I will otherwise likely pass on something that is digital download only.
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I won't be buying those expensive new score vinyls either, like YOUNG GUNS and TRUE ROMANCE, two albums I would have bought on CD.
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Once again, a tiny subculture expects the world to bend to its whims.
Leave my whims alone,
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