The World of Music, its Listeners, and in Between

From the first album I purchased, the Beatles White album, I have been listening to music ever since, and I believe I have an ear for good music; for me. To quantify “good” I don’t mean that all music is good for listening. Good music for listening moves the soul, something about good music that reaches inward and moves the soul to reflect. As far back as I can remember I was drawn to music just because of its effect of my emotion. I tried to learn to play musical instruments, guitar and piano, but never could develop a satisfactory ability.

Even though I started listening to rock ‘n roll I have been yearning and searching for different genre of music for the pleasure of listening. Not to replace rock ‘n roll, but to expand my musical listening horizons. From the Beatles, late 1968-9, I followed rock ‘n roll to a new genre of rock called New Wave when it began in the late 1970s then migrated into the early 1980s. For those who don’t know what new wave bands were it presented itself as an evolving, or morphing, of rock ‘n roll. I then discovered new age in the 1990s.

The first album I found was “The Waiting” by Peter Buffett. He recorded his music on the disk label Narada. Narada produced compilation albums that were really never heard decades before. If the idea of compilation albums were utilized when I first started listening to music there would have been single tracks from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Neil Young, and Spirit all on one album.

What my argument here is trying to accomplish is, at least here in America, the exposure to music of all kinds does not have the avenue for individuals like myself to explore. I base this argument on the fact that I can go to any music store and find only a tiny fraction of the music I have discovered through the Internet, and the tracks were free of charge. Albeit I had to pay for the subscription to the Internet via cable company, but nevertheless it is striking that the wide variety of music is not channeled to potential customers correctly here in America.

The reason for what is happening in the American music industry in the past and today is that individuals who are in charge of controlling the music proliferation my analysis came down to the argument that they are reaping profits at the expense of variety. Instead of buying a compilation album at a cheaper price for experimenting in the music genres, customers are forced, through tight controls of proliferation, to buy full albums for more money, in return getting less in value.

The music industry of America is the culprit for the black market CD piracy. The reason for any black market to be in existence is because of the demand. When those who want another avenue for music to proliferate, and the music industry does not follow this demand, there will be those that migrate to the black market to get it. It is sad to say I have satisfied my music collection only by searching the Usenet News Groups, which I have found to be larger than the music industry. They are loosing out of profits by ignoring the demand.