THE AUSTERITY PROGRAM’S JUSTIN FOLEY ON THE FORMAT WARS – WHERE SONY, LARS ULRICH AND THE RIAA DO BATTLE AGAINST THE FACELESS INTERNET AND REALLY, REALLY LOSE.

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 5:00pm by Justin Foley

I was in sunny Los Angeles a few weeks ago. There, nestled among the palm-lined streets, gleeful roller-skating commuters and destroyed real estate market, is a dank little office building where a personal injury lawyer shares space with a bunch of bearded fellows in their 20s. This is our record label (the beards, not the lawyers). So let’s say you were to go inside this cave of workplace: past the boxes and boxes of a particular 10-inch that someone had waaay over estimated the demand for; past the energetic bull terrier sniffing crotches of employees, owners, visitors and interns alike without discrimination; past even my 3 year old son, patiently watching Wonder Pets on a portable DVD player beneath the looming poster of impending rape happily portrayed in The Evil Dead. There, on a water-stained fourth-hand couch, you would have found me sitting as I talked one of the chaps who runs the whole affair. Let’s listen.

Me: “So. We’re going to put this EP out next year.”

Label: “Yes. How come the CD you gave me of the final mixdown doesn’t include the song titles on it? That only takes about 8 seconds to do.”

Me: “Oh. Sorry about that.”

Label (sighing): “Whatever. We’re used to it by now.”

Me: (and I’m paraphrasing here) “You know, it’s been about 3 years since we last put out a full release with you guys –“

Label: “What you have given us here today is not a full release; it’s four songs, Justin.”

Me: “AND – excuse you for interrupting – and the world seems to have changed since then. Should we plan on putting this out on vinyl? Does a full CD treatment even rate any more? I’m guessing there will be some sort of digital download or something, right? What should we plan to release this as?”

Label: “Ah yes. The format question.”

Ah yes. The format question.

As noted in Eyal’s post a few months back, the CD – just five years ago the industry standard for how music must be released – is perhaps little more than a loss-leader these days. Small independent bands like ours should maybe just see it as something to get people to buy hoodies at a show. The assumption is (and I recall seeing a poll or two on some site that supported this) (how’s that for Internet info sourcing for you?) that once a release becomes available in digital format, most of the people who want it will get it without paying for it – downloading it via bit torrent, mediafire or some blog link. Sure, this caused a fair amount of hand wringing and lawsuits a few years back, but information wants to be free, right? The world as it is. What are you gonna do about it?

Still, I do think there’s value in a band not just freely giving away the digital files on a website. That’s the question I’d like to pose:

As a music fan, what do you want out of a music release?

By way of example: The other day, I was in a store and bought the new Baroness CD. It included a plastic slipcover (which I don’t care about), a booklet that included the artwork (pretty great) and lyrics (which I don’t really care about) and liner notes (which I always read four or five times), a bonus live CD (which I don’t really care about) and the music CD (which has a pretty great drum sound, in case no one has mentioned it). Relapse/the band is trying to sweeten the deal by giving me more than I could have downloaded for free. In doing so, they’ve provided me with some stuff I like and other stuff that’s wasted effort. (But I appreciate the effort, Relapse/the band.)

Off the bat: let’s agree to put ethics aside for this discussion. I absolutely don’t care if anyone thinks it’s right or wrong to download music for free, create planetary waste through psysical packaging or even polluting the world in general by releasing music that’s better left unmade. I’m just curious about your greedy desires and expectations, be they right or wrong.

I’ve been mulling this over as I think about what we’re going to have available for our next record. I’ve got three somewhat contradictory things about getting music that are important to me:

I want to be able to hear whatever song I want whenever I want. Having a digital file on a portable music player comes close to accomplish this. MySpace will often quickly deliver four or five songs of a band I’m curious about. YouTube usually provides a quick version of any song that’s reasonably popular (for when I want to hear the breakdown on Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better” – something I would NEVER buy.)
I want a high quality recording that I will be able to listen to forever. This is where vinyl is preferred. It allows the artist to stretch out by showcasing the quality of the recording and providing a broader visual/physical pallette for artwork and information. I am absolutely confident that I will be able to happily listen to my vinyl copy of The IVth Crusade when I am 85; the music I have stored on my hard drive… well, probably not.
I want to ensure that the musicians (and others) are rewarded for their effort. Still keeping the ethics of it off the table – I know that a band (and recording studio and label and manufacturer and distributor and store that is rewarded ($$$) for delivering me something that I value will be incentivized to continue to do so in the future. If someone takes the effort and money to create more than a ‘recorded in a bedroom on a laptop with the microphone embedded in their Logitec webcam’ version of some songs they wrote and it’s worth it, I want them to keep doing that.

How about you? Do you ever download something and then go buy it? Do you get a thrill out of the whole package of a piece of music? Do you have an erotic love for that plastic security strip over the tops of CDs that leaves behind a gummy residue on the jewel case no matter how many goddam times you try to avoid it? If so, or not, why? What format would you want your favorite record to be in?

As for us, we’ve settled on fpur different formats for the release. Three are easy and the other is pretty esoteric. If you can guess all four in the comments, I’ll send you a copy of the last 7 inch we did and a t-shirt.

-JF

Participate in the format wars by visiting The Austerity Program on MySpace.

Tags: baroness, justin foley, The Austerity Program,

jateeg

Vinyl, CD, Digital, and Cassette? That’s my guess.

BTK666

My first guess also, but for the sake of originality and hopefully the prize I’m gonna say CD, Vinyl, Download and USB stick.

iceman

vinyl, cd, digital, and well, im with jateeg. i think its a cassette

JustGrimace

I download leaked new releases, and buy them if I like the album. When Endgame, The Incident, and Retribution all came out on the same day, I bought all 3 on the release date despite having all 3 for over 2 weeks. I also download to listen to bands I’ve only recently heard of, and if I like them I’ll keep an eye and buy new releases.

Geekbeater

Same here sir. I buy my favorite bands no matter what. But if a bands new I will download first then buy the second record if they are worth it.

Lis

+1. But I’m old and like looking at my CD’s all lined up on the shelves.

Dimebag6sic6

i completely agree. i always demo out an album and if i really like it, i’ll go out and buy it

jateeg

Basically downloading is a screening process for bands I’ve never heard.

skepticsteve

exactly…

Levon

I either Buy cd’s from bands I know and love on the day their released, or if I absolutely love a record that I downloaded, I will usually go buy it.
Blyan

I buy cds because I do have an attachment to the physical product. If I really love the cd I will buy it on vinyl too (or if the vinyl has bonus artwork or tracks).
For example I recently bought Kylesa’s crazy Static Tensions boxset because it’s a fantastic album which I own on cd, and the vinyl package they put together is spectacular.
If I download music or someone burns me/I rip a cd it doesn’t feel the same and it’s harder for me to get into. If I do get into it I will buy it on cd.
Facebook User

Trying for the answers: Digital(itunes, zune), Vinyl, CD, free downloads?

Also, I love CDs and will almost always buy one. I will only download songs when they are legally free. I also have a few vinyls which i love. I do not like downloading though. Nice article, digged it.

Beereded

Digged, or dug?

Beereded

Well, I am pretty much a broke-ass college student. So, once I can afford them, I’ll end up buying all the albums I downloaded for free on a proper (CD) format. That’s what I’ve been doing for years. Oh, and I’ll guess vinyl, CD, digital, and 8-track.

http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Crawford/768948209 C.J. Crawford

I agree on the 8 Track.
On another forum someone had an open posting asking for blank 8 Tracks!
Might be them!!

Not really, but maybe.

Ben

I download pretty much everything, but Ive grown to liking collecting CD’s so I have started to buy alot of CD’s that I really really like.
shreddy_lee

Digital Download and Vinyl

i like having all my music i can throw on my iPod. and vinyl collections are cool. If i go see a band, and really like them, almost 100% of the time (if they have vinyl available) ill buy it.

http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/ Alkahest

I agree. I recently bought two Dillinger Escape Plan vinyls (Ire Works and Irony…) to go with my BTBAM Alaska clear vinyl and I plan on buying the limited edition All Shall Perish vinyl soon. I’m looking to get a good collection going on.

And buying up limited vinyl and keeping them till they’re out of print and sold out and upping them on ebay seems like a good way to make money.

hikizume

First off I wanna comment on how good it was to read this article, altough there’s nothing mentioned that I didn’t know about. It’s funny and interesting.

I just wanted to say that there are a lot of other avenues that the bands are exploring, just look at what nin, beastie boys and u2 have been doing.

me? I used to buy 2 or 3 records per month just a couple of years ago, then I got my ipod and that was that. Whenever I think of it, it makes me a little sad, and then I get over it rather quickly. And this comes from a person who is in the middle of figuring out how to pay for the release of two of his own records.
SxPxDxCx

Vinyl, digital, CD, wax cylinder

I download music all the time that I want to hear. If I hear something that I really love I will usually buy it.
Especially from a band that is touring through town. I will also download stuff that I have owned in the past on some other dead format.

I refuse to pay $1 or more per song for downloads though. That is a total rip off for something that is an infinite good. Itunes isn’t ever going to run out of product. Plus electronics / hard drives just fail.
This is a fact of life. People’s whole music collections are disappearing everyday. Back in the day unless someone robbed your house there was no way that would happen.

I would gladly pay a subscription fee to a service that allowed people to upload and download what ever they wanted if there was a way that actually musicians would really get paid.
Matthew Grant Anson

I’ll download an album, and if it’s really good (Blue Record) I’ll then purchase the CD. I’m a big believer in the CD experience; listening to albums all the way through habitually.

The only time I can think of where I would not download the music then purchase the album is for Tool. Their next album I will buy sight unseen (unlistened?) and I’ll try avoiding any reviews.
Double D

I will NEVER purchase a cd again. With that being said, I buy vinyl and occasionally digital. Mostly, if I’m getting digital, I will steal that shit off the internet of the bittorrent or some such other thing. I love getting vinyl, it makes me happy to open the package and put that big, old (possibly colored) piece of wax on my record player and drop the needle on it. I enjoy albums like Dead Kennedys’ “Bedtime For Democracy”, where the cover is a maze of interesting drawings and it comes with an interesting insert that I can look at.
orbital

I download simply because so much music is out there and I don’t have the money to put towards buying it all. Priorities like family, mortgage, groceries, etc come way ahead of music. Though one can’t live without music.

Glenn

That doesn’t really make sense. Sorry, the ethics of this are fundamental to this whole discussion. You’re no more entitled to experiencing entertainment even though you “don’t have the money” than you are to free groceries. Saying groceries are a priority doesn’t suddenly make downloading ethically acceptable.

orbital

I’m sorry, did you miss the part of the blog that said “ethics aside”? Besides, I’ve invested far more of my own money than I care to admit into my own bands and projects. I’ve willingly emailing songs to people who ask. Thats how it goes.

Lybrium

Yea, same here. I write, record, produce, package and sell my original music, but when somebody online asks if there is somewhere they can here it, I link them to a lossless download of it on mediafire. I love giving art away, but appreciate any support. I don’t care If I almost go broke releasing music, and being generous with it(because it has happened), that’s what life is all about, sharing the love maaaaan!

Glenn, let me tell you something, I volunteer at the food hamper because YES, people who “dont have the money”, are entitled to free food, just like people who “dont have the money” ARE entitled to experiencing entertainment. You are insinuating that most bands (the entertainers) think that broke people are not entitled to their entertainment?

People tend to forget that bands/music is not, and has never been based on releases, they are just a part of our technological evolution, merely allowing people who otherwise, wouldn’t be able to hear and see the band (you know…LIVE!), to experience it.

Sam

Kudos to you Lybrium!
http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/46e389eb8b79606050d3d447431ff6ac?s=80 Nate

Can I get a link to you music? If I dig it, i’ll definitely hit you up for a physical copy (with monetary compensation, of course).

Facebook User

great article.I download music from bands I don’t know to test them out and then depending on if I like them or not I will go buy it.I buy ton’s of CD’s and Vinyl.I really dig buying pre orders when they have a cool package deal like a t-shirt and poster stickers etc.I like having a physical copy of the music.I also almost always by CD’s at shows from bands that sell them while they are on tour.I also try and buy a shirt…
Vinyl, CD, Digital, and Cassette would be my guess.
Shep

Downloads, unless it’s a band where i’ve really liked their past stuff but never bought anything in which case i might buy the cd. Even then I just rip it straight to my HD and maybe flick through the booklet once or twice – it’s more a way of paying the band something than any desire to own a cd. What would be good is just being able to send a band £10 or so if you stole the music but liked it. I tend to buy stuff like band T-shirts, posters and gig tickets whenever possible – both to support the bands and because they’re actually things I want to own/go to.

Everything I’ve downloaded is backed up on my ipod and some friends hard drives, so it’s unlikely I’d ever lose it and the quality is good enough.
drunkwithpower

vinyl, cd, digital, singing telegram

Nobody buys cds anymore, vinyl is getting too expensive because the bubble hasn’t burst yet. Digital releases are the future, the only question is how to get someone to actually pay for it. I pay for digital things but I don’t buy THAT many new albums so it’s not a huge chunk of my budget and even at $9.99 it’s still reasonable.
Geetarz

“I want a high quality recording that I will be able to listen to forever. This is where vinyl is preferred.” I think not. Vinyl degrades over time. If you play that same album 500 times, it wont sound anything like what it did the first 5 times. You have a needle that runs over a piece of vinyl, which scratches it. That to me isn’t forever. Also they take up too much space, and a good needle for your player isn’t cheap.

http://music.msn.com/superfans/heavy-metal/blog pdf

100% What He Said. Vinyl sucks. Every time you play it it sounds a little bit worse. I do 95 percent of my music listening on either my laptop (through headphones, not laptop speakers) or my iPod. The rest is on CD. But even in the late 80s when I was in high school, I hated vinyl. What people younger than me, who actually came of age during the CD era, see in it I will never understand.

Genial Gentile

Warm, rich guitar tones…I think CD’s and downloadable releases are inferior in that respect.

Flava Flav

There really isn’t a difference unless you’re comparing a vinyl album with a shitty early digital transfer CD or a shit quality mp3. People say vinyl sounds “warmer,” but it’s usually the analog saturation they’re responding to. That goes right out the window if you’re comparing the vinyl and CD versions of any album released post-1994 or so.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Simon-Threadgate/1049955838 Simon Threadgate

I love the physical aspect of it, the large oversize artwork and inserts and booklets, as much as I enjoy the warmth of the sound you get. Dunno, it’s like most things, if you dig it then you don’t need an explanation. If you don’t dig it, no explanation will do.

Trux

I also agree that vinyl pretty much sucks…

Dysenteric

Vinyl and CDs. I just love the concept of a full album – the artwork, lyrics book, the wax, and everything else. Having a vinyl record blast from my system beats the fucking steaming crap out of the sound only coming out of an iPod and iTunes.

Nearly everything I downloaded off iTunes that I want to keep I now have hard copies of. Just having the files on my hard drive didn’t appeal to me at all. I’m a bit old fashioned like that.
mwdf

CD, vinyl, digital download, 8 track.

I still buy CDs at shows, especially if the band is good and has terrible tshirts.
http://www.flamingtusk.com Zosimus

I feel like the only reasonable thing to do anymore is to offer a pay-what-you-will download (preferably with a $0 minimum) for people who like their music file-based, and then attempt to make any physical incarnation of the recording something special via artwork or interesting packaging or bundles with other merch. There will (I hope) always be a place for physical product for people who like that kind of thing, but it’s absolutely necessary to acknowledge and roll with the fact that the vast majority of your listening audience will be doing that listening via file-based tracks they’ve most likely gotten for free one way or another. Ideally there will be a large enough percentage of that audience which finds value in what your band does and chooses to help cover your costs by either paying-what-they-will, or buying nonmusical merch, or buying a ticket to a show, or all of the above.
Boob

Digital, CD, vinyl and…… USB stick?
Just a guess.
Bicro

I buy from bands I already know, or have gotten favorable reviews within a certain circle.

If someone says free download, I’ll gladly take em up on it.
Crucificados

CD, vinyl, digital download, and water (the ultimate analog format).

MetalMatt

Gives this guys T’s shirts fors his superiors knowlegdges.
dot

damnit i posted a water comment before getting to read this.

Bill

I download almost everything from torrents or soulseek. If I really like an album I’ll but it only if it’s available on vinyl (because I like the large format artwork and I do enjoy the ritual and sound of playing records). I also buy lots of tshirts at gigs. I wish all new releases were vinyl only with a coupon for a high quality digital download (plus the record sleeve should have tons of cool art, photos, lyrics, and notes). A rotating cast of framed record sleeves adorn the walls of my mancave.

On rare occasion I’ll buy a cd but only if it is all an artist has and I really want to support them. But once I rip a cd to my ipod it pretty much becomes useless.
yetzer hara

i used to spend $100-$200 per week on music. this all stopped in 2005 when i stopped working a real job. i was against downloading music for a long time, and definitely thought that buying records was the way to support artists. over the last year or so, i’ve gotten into downloading music as a way to preview bands. if i really like it, i’ll buy the cd (or preferably the record). even then, i try to buy merch directly from bands when i see them play live. this being said, something that i’ve seen a few bands do that i really like is include a link and code to a a high quality download of their album when you buy the vinyl. i think that’s a great way to appease both the practical and artistic aspects of listening to albums and supporting the bands who make them.

i’m someone who probably has somewhere around 8,000 albums on cd, and i can’t seem to load them into my external hard drive quickly enough. it’s a pain in the ass to move them or to keep track of them, let alone listen to any reasonable amount of them. having the accessibility of mp3′s and mp3 players is great, and i can’t believe how much of a pain in the ass i was or how hard-headed i was because i thought that i’d always want the artwork and liner notes and little piece of plastic to put into my stereo.

oh, and your four formats: compact disc, vinyl, cassette tape, and digital audio file.

Matthew Grant Anson

You may be critical of yourself, but I definitely give you props.
treble67

Yeah props to you and your kind. This so-called format war has the effect of making people like yourself who support the industry look like fools with your walls lined with CDs. Remember, when CDs came out people snickered at those of us still clinging to our bookshelves full of vinyl.

I’ve more or less stopped purchasing music now that I’m in my 40′s. Money is tight, I barely have room for more vinyl, and I’m loathe to buy a dead format. Don’t own an ipod. A vinyl or CD purchase is a special treat, and I’m more likely to get something old like one of the awesome UFO reissues.

I download and don’t pay, but since I don’t have an ipod it’s inconvienient. Therefore out of the house I’m still listening to my CDs. Also, most of the shit I download is very obscure. I think if I downloaded something by a new artist and loved it and they seem like they need the support (and are cool to boot) I’d pony up for the genuine article – CD or vinyl. BTW I’m a musician too and wasted $$ on making a CD digipak last year.

yetzer hara

i don’t think it’s so much that the industry has made me look foolish through this whole format war thing, but my own stubbornness to accept anything less than a tangible product. a couple other readers mentioned having their walls lined with cd’s that they purchased purely on hype. i’m guilty of the same thing. i’ve definitely bought albums from bands i’d never heard of (pre-internet saturation age) based solely on the reputation of the label that put it out, word of mouth, magazine/zine interview/review, or a ten word summation in the back of a mail order catalog. (remember getting stoked whenever the relapse or earache catalog would come in the mail?) all of that is thrown to the wayside when anyone can have the music at their fingertips with a simple google search weeks and sometimes months before the album is released. at the same time, when an individual is permitted to be their own music critic, mistakes and disappointing buys are far less likely to occur.

so now, i’ll buy an album or so every month if i can find someplace to order it from. sometimes i’ll come across something obscure or out of print where there’s no way for me to purchase it, in which case i’m thankful for all of the blogs and sites that host these downloads. i’ve definitely come across some gems that i would’ve otherwise never found. as with anything else, there’s a lot of bullshit to be sifted through in order to find something enjoyable. at this point, i’m just glad that the bullshit doesn’t cost me twelve to fifteen bucks a pop when i make a poor or misinformed decision.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Devon-Czekaj/550092101 Devon Czekaj

I buy CD’s. I like my turntable, but transferring files to my MP3 player is a pain in the ass if I want to listen to an album when I don’t have access to the turntable.
johnnywhoopass

ive never downloaded a single record, ill go to a bands myspace and check out the new stuff on that record and make my choice, i want the actual copy of the cd cause like he said in the article if you have the hard copy of something it cant go missing, i dont trust computers enough to do that, i also want the art and whatever extras that come with said disk, even if it is just a bonus cd of acupple live tracks, downloading is wrong your just ripping off the artist and making it impossible for them to continue making records. cds are too freaking expensive and thats why so many people download instead, its as simple as that
Anwar Fugaloo

I always buy a record that I enjoy after download. I use downloads strictly as a means of checking out something completely new that I might or might not be interested in. I’m not big on ethics or philosophy, but I like to give money to bands (or more likely, the labels that put out the record) in return for enjoying their product. Downloading is awesome, because I can’t even tell you how much of my hard-earned money I’ve saved by downloading an album I thought I might like (hello, Coffins) rather than purchasing it. If, however, I like the music, I almost always purchase the album, because that makes me feel better about my thievery and the band(s) will (hopefully) be able to continue releasing music for me to consume.

As for the formats, let’s say vinyl, CD, digital download, and player piano roll.
Nick

Vinyl, CD, Digital, and music box (including a spinning miniature ballerina)
Ziltoid

Out of a music release, I want:

1) Something physical

2) Something that is convenient

3) Something that will last for a long time

4) Something “more.”

Of course, this means CDs. If I’m going to pay for music, I refuse to buy intangible, digital downloads. I also want something that is convenient. CDs are VERY convenient. They can be taken and used anywhere. And if you don’t want to carry them with you, you can use them to make digital files that you can take with you. Also, the convenience of CD, in my opinion, outweighs the better audio quality and aesthetics from vinyl. As for long lasting, CDs will last a damn long time, and with their size, are less likely to be damaged than the large, chunky vinyl. Also, a hard drive can be wiped easily, so the MP3s are impermanent.

But the most important thing I look for is something “more.” With a lot of the music-consuming demographic being comprised of youths (i.e., adolescents who don’t have much income, ;et aone disposable income), CDs just won”t sell at these prices ($14-15) when there are so many easy ways to get music for free on the internet with very little compromise (all the downloader is losing is a physical package, and the permanence of a physical product). This is why CDs need to:

1) have their prices lowered. If prices were about $7 each instead of $14 each, people might buy more. I know I’d buy three CDs at $7 at any given time, but I’d only buy one at $14. The lower price provides an incentive to buy more. Also, relative to free downloading (i.e., $0 per CD), the difference between $0 and $7 isn’t as drastic as the difference between $0 and $14. Thus, the physical package might motivate more people would buy because this smaller difference.

2) be packaged with something “more,” just like Justin mentioned. This has to be something that can’t be downloaded. $7 CDs won’t make anyone a profit. But if they’re packaged with something valuable to the consumer that has a large profit margin for the producers. One example would be a t-shirt. I love it when artists and labels sell albums with shirts. The shirts give a good profit margin, and they provide more incentive to buy a CD/shirt package for $20 or so. The only problem with this is how to bring this great sale technique to the record stores. Stores can’t stock large amounts of shirts and CDs–its not feasible. So CDs need to be packaged with something else–something small. Artwork is good (Cynic’s Traced in Air has an incredible booklet), extended booklets are good, DVDs are ok (although they can be easily downloaded for free). But if the music industry can find something small and feasible sold in record stores with CDs, valuable, but not able to be distributed for free, then people would probably buy more CDs.

Wow, I typed out more than I originally planned.

Also, as much as I support CDs here, I do totally respect vinyls. They’re quite great.

loganarchy

I completely agree with # 1 and 2. Actually, I thought of those a while back haha.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Winnett/504952291 Daniel Winnett

my process towards purchasing a CD goes like this:

1) Hear about the band. This can be via a friend, because they were opening for another band I like on tour, because their song was in the “related videos” bit on youtube of a song by a band I like, via sites like this one…
2) Download an album, generally I go on the metal archives and see which one people seem to think is the best or I’ll just go for the most recent release.
3) Give it a couple of listens. If after 3 or 4 listens I really enjoy it then I’ll take steps towards buying it.

I currently own over 160 CDs. I always try to buy deluxe/special/limited/expanded editions of albums for any bonus tracks, making-of DVDs, expanded artwork… I always try to get more bang for my buck.
I love digipacks because there’s more artwork and I love artwork.

However I spoke to James and Nick from Arsis at a show a couple of months back and James told me that if I bought an album (which generally costs around 20€/30$ here) they might get something like 2-10cents from that. He also said that basically album sales only serve to help them stay on the label (in their case Nuclear Blast).

Flava Flav

4) Take awkward photo of self, shirtless, and post on Facebook.

aud10ph1le44

As much as it pains me to say so, my humble opinion is that the album artwork and liner notes and packaging and nonsense has lost what little meaning it used to have. What I want is the music. Nothing else matters. That is why to me, MP3s make sense. I download it, I get the music, and I listen to it. No packaging cluttering up my house, no CD’s to become scratched and unlistenable after six months of nonstop play, and no waiting around in a store searching for what I want only to find that particular store doesn’t carry what I like because of some rediculous grudge it has with pottymouth musicians (I’m looking at you, Wal-Mart).

Granted, my approach is slightly different than some others who support the MP3 format. Others pirate; I purchase. Unlike some who felt they couldn’t give a crap whether Ms. Spears or Ms. Gaga saw another red cent from them for the rest of their lives, when I get into an artist, that deep emotional connection I have for their music runs clear through to my pocketbook. It happens that way because when an artist makes music that makes you giddy or makes you nerd out or takes or breath away or (insert awe-inspired cliche here), you realize that what they have made took certain sacrifices, not the least of which being financial.

Go to some music store and check out the gear. And after you’ve done that, go ahead and add up how much money these guys are spending on the instruments and amplification and effects alone. And then go ahead and remember that some of these guys are self-produced, meaning that they spend their hard-earned money on even more production gear. Then consider that some of them print the CDs themselves, make the merch themselves, book themselves, and promote themselves. It is for these types of musicians who I feel the greatest amount of debt to, especially if they happen to make halfway decent music. I want them to make more music. So I give. I listen to the full album on MOG first if it’s available, and then if I decide I really like it, I buy it.

The music industry is changing rapidly. The industry itself is becoming less and less relevant as artists find that selling their craft online takes the label, distributor and record store out of the equation. And I, for one, see this as progress. The greed of the industry has been filtering artists and their ideas for decades, leaving stones unturned, good artists unsigned and shitty artists the industry thought we’d like on top of the fucking world. This is a step towards leveling the playing field. Sure, every once in a while a few dumb teenagers on the trendy train to hell slip through and make a bunch of dumb music for everyone who isn’t a depressed 14 year old girl to hate, but it allows a lot of other great music the chance to get to the people who like it. It allows an outpouring of artists to be heard, which devalues the music, which makes the prices a bit more reasonable for everybody (I remember just as MP3s were on the rise paying $20 for a CD, and who does that anymore?).

It’s a format that going to get a lot of flack for changing the name of the game, but down the road, I think this is going to be the format that at least started to bring down an inflated, self-important industry, brought the music straight to the masses and taught us what really mattered, which is the music itself.

loganarchy

But why would you pay for mp3s when you can get a CD for maybe a buck or two more? Don’t use the ‘clutter up my house’ option. I don’t know how big your house is, but it’s difficult to imagine that CDs take up that much precious space.

aud10ph1le44

“…no CD’s to become scratched and unlistenable after six months of nonstop play…”

Oh, and if you’re buying two or three CD’s a week, that’s anywhere between 104 -156 CD’s/year. That’s a lots of booklets and plastic over time.

Which means that I’d be saving anywhere between $104 – $312/year. And a lot of clutter.

I own a townhouse. It’s less than a thousand square feet.

Ben

If I had the money to, I’d buy every album I even slightly want on CD. I don’t have the patience for collecting vinyl but I do prefer to have a tangible product with high quality audio(we’ll ignore the vinyl vs. CD quality debate). The ONLY reason I download is because I’m a broke ass motherfucker who enjoys a lot of music waaaay too much to miss out on it. So, I ignore the ethical factor, suck it up, and download the things I want to hear. It’s as simple as that. My favorite bands, I still buy their CDs if at all possible.

So, to sum it up, all I want out of a release is a tangible product with high quality audio. Everything else, from album art to video dvds, to whatever, is just extra.

Glenn

You’re not “ignoring” the ethical factor, you’re just acting out of a sense of entitlement that’s ethically problematic.

treble67

And you my friend are acting out of a sense of self-righteousness. As soon as you accept that we’ll be on the same page!

Aaron R A

So, the police who arrest a thief… are they self-righteous as well?

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jorge-R-Valverth/521246222 Jorge R. Valverth

Vinyl, Digital, CD and a dvd with a “visualization” that is completly sinchronized with the audio… thats my guess.
Seb

If the music is good, I’ll buy it in any format (CD, vinyl, digital). I’m grad school right now, so I have very little money to spend, let alone on music, so the last thing I bought was BTBAM’s the Great Misdirect. But in general, if I can afford it, I buy it and I download when I can’t. I’ll even browse through the Metal section and if something catches my eye and looks interesting, I’ll pick it up. Also, HMV (in Toronto at least) allows you to listen to any CD before you buy it, and I’ve done that quite a few times if I’m unsure about a purchase.

I do care about stuff like plastic sleeves, having the lyrics, any live footage etc. that is included. I love everything about buying physical music. I had Decapitated’s Winds of Creation in digital format for a long time, then they rereleased it with a full concert bonus DVD, and I picked it up. Opening up the cellophane wrapping for the first time, cracking open the case, the black glossiness of new vinyl. What I like too is that some labels include digital copies with the purchase of vinyl. If that’s the case I don’t have to worry about the records getting worn out, and just keep them on by shelves for my collection. When I listen to music, it’s 90% of the time on my computer or iPod. I rip all my CDs onto iTunes and have my entire collection with me at all times.
edSW

Digital, CD, Vinyl and Memory Stick?
Insomnivore

So is Minidisc due a retro-revival then, or maybe you’re releasing one of those t-shirt albums? I didn’t make t-shirt albums up by the way, you get full cover art and a download code on the label. As for tastes in buying, I go for the seemingly classic option of downloading for nada then buying a real copy if/when I fall in love with it to feel guilty that I fucked the artist over. Seems fair to me and my shelves are no longer groaning with the weight of shit I’ve listened to once, taunting me for buying on hype.

Jugglemonkey

Not heard of it before, but I could really buy into that t-shirt album thing. Most of my music is digital anyways, I buy shirts and hoodies to support the artist, that’s a perfect combination right there.

jxk

vinyl 7″, CD, MP3, and minidisc.
(though i like the balleriina music box idea)

i rarely ever buy music anymore, unless i REALLY love the band. i’ve just gotten too used to digital downloads. in fact it’s faster for me to download an album i have than to dig it out of a box somewhere to listen to. i

buy way too many band t-shirts and other merchandise, though. and if i love a band i’ll catch em live when they come around.
Facebook User

I know I’m supposed to go to MySpace or whatever, but I don’t have an account.

When I’m at the record store, the first place I go is the vinyl. Regardless of whether the album is good or not, I always look to see that there’s a free download of it or a cd included. I like to listen to vinyl at home, but when I’m out, I listen to the iPod.
Facebook User

It’s gonna be released on 10″ vinyl, digital download thru iTunes/Zune/band’s own website, special CD package that includes a regular version on a CD that looks like a vinyl record and a 5.1 DVD mix, and some sort of boxset or something (maybe the USB stick idea) that has the new material and Black Madonna (maybe Terra Nova too).

I usually illegally D/L stuff first to see whether I like it or not. I also decide on whether I like it enough to purchase it. As a musician I acknowledge the sacrifices that the artist(s) make when releasing new music, but I’m just not gonna sit there and pay full price for something I don’t like or may not like. You can call it “entitlement” or lack of ethics, I call it not being a dumb ass with the little money I have.

I try to purchase at least 3-4 albums per month on any format. I buy CDs, vinyls, and tapes because those formats are still commonly used in metal. I refuse to purchase digital downloads because you’re basically buying flawed product, the only exception I have being if an artist I really love releases digital only content.

Usually, I don’t care much about the extras because I tend to buy music used, but if I buy something new, any extras are welcome. I like what Relapse is doing with their re-issues of classic death metal albums, bundling them up with a T-shirt and making it pretty affordable. I also really like extra artwork and inserts that add to the imagery presented in the packaging. I tend to dislike extra CDs and DVDs because it always seems like the labels don’t put the absolute best material as bonuses, or it was done quickly just to add something extra and it’s poor quality.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Matt-Smith/664331947 Matt Smith

Vinyl, Digital, CD and some kind of singing doll/robot

Don’t buy much stuff these days. When I was younger I purchased many CDs, cassettes, records and have a large collection. These days with a family, mortgage, etc, I just don’t have the money or inclination to buy albums. Downloading is far too easy. I generally dislike iTunes as well, so don’t go releasing stuff there….

When I do buy I consider the following:

1. Is the packaging worth having? If no, then legal digital download where possible. More often than not I couldn’t care less about anything other than the music.
2. If the packaging is worth while, then I’ll purchase it in whatever format the package comes out in. Generally any CD in a standard jewel case falls in the “not worthwhile” category.
3. If I do want to buy the music physically, but don’t care about packaging, I’ll always look for vinyl first. CD’s will only be purchased if they’re the only option, or happen to be really cheap in the music store.
4. If I want to support the band, then I’ll see them live
Andy Paige

Just throw a friggin’ poster in. They’re paper, that shit’s cheap. It doesn’t even have to be humongous, just a decent sized poster of the albums cover, or whatever the band wants on it. I don’t think that’s asking too much. I’d probably pay at most, 7-10 dollars for that.

Shep

This.

Hell I’d love to see some kind of (maybe print on demand website) that does album art posters for £5 or so and sends a good chunk of the profits to the bands.

jaime

Hear hear on the earlier comments that vinyl is constantly degrading. Hate to break it to the vinyl lovers, but pretty much all analog medium degrades over time, often dramatically.

Though I heartily agree the CD needs to die a hard, painful death. It’s keeping the public from getting their music (recorded in this day and age) at a higher fidelity (once again assuming the release isn’t on vinyl, as most aren’t, even though it’s becoming common again).

CD’s are so far from the height of digital quality, and then mp3′s degrade that further. With hard drives as cheap as they are, people really should make it a point to look for HIGHER than cd quality digital releases.

Vinyl’s lack of portability will prevent it from making a huge, kill the cd comeback. Let’s look to higher bit and sample rates in our digital music as the future.
Corey S

I absolutely buy the stuff I download. I mean, for me (which may make my comment worthless), I download music I would have never given a chance to see if I want to eventually own it. For instance. I downloaded Mastodon’s Leviathan… I loved it. I got to hear more than just “Blood and Thunder” and got a feeling for the album as a whole. Needless to say, a week later (when I finally had the money), I went out and purchased it. There was exceptional cover and CD case design was remarkable… the kind of stuff I”m not used to from a CD release. Ultimately I want something that distinguishes itself from the faceless download. I want a CD that comes across as having some artistic value in and of itself. Mastodon’s CD’s (all the way through) are always exemplary works of art. I want something that justifies the $17 I had to pay for Gojira’s From Mars to Sirius. Like, a free poster, or a coupon for a free limited-edition shirt from their webstore. I know that’s really expensive… but, just the CD isn’t enough anymore. They last a long time… but, that’s not enough anymore; especially with Vinyl on the rise.
The Ghost of D. Boon

Oh shit Justin you recorded the EP with Albini? Fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Justin Foley

We did not. We recorded it ourselves. I referenced Electrical (and the other things) as examples of stuff that I want to keep alive as a music fan.

Is ‘ourselves’ a word? It’s probably not a word.

= Justin

Jacob

Download to check out, unless (and since i’m actually pretty new to buying CD’s, this hasn’t happened yet) i’m familiar with the band and like their previous stuff, then fuck it i’m pre-ordering or buying that shit the day it comes out.
blah

CD, 12″ vinyl, digital download, DATA DVD

Justin Foley

If you wrote this after the label already put it up on their Twitter feed, that’s awesome. Anyway, you got it right. The contest is closed, folks. blah, contact me at info|at|austerityprogram|dot|com with your address and shirt size.

= Justin

Facebook User

I am a fan of the vinyl packaged with the CD included. I love having the packaging the vinyl provides, but having the CD allows me to rip the CD to my IPod, and I convert my CD to FLAC, so I can stream it over my stereo via my Logitech Squeezebox Duet.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Keith-Brown/537636633 Keith Brown

I only download something when I know the band’s okay with it, or I know they don’t need the money. Good example is the Who. If I felt like getting Who’s Next on my Ipod (instead of playing my dad’s vinyl copy), I’d only feel a little bad because I really like the band. But at the same time, I know that Pete Townsend isn’t going to suffer any major losses. Another example would be Nine Inch Nails. Trent Reznor’s cool with it, AND it’s hella good. Win/Win
Lybrium

I like packaging for the art, notes, other goodies, but most of all; for the physical connection to the release, I like turning the thing over in my hands while listening. Having said that, I have a large library and like to be able to listen to whatever I want, whenever I want as well. So I download most albums, in lossless, and then find the biggest/best quality cover image I can find on the web. When I feel responsibility to support an artist, I do so, mainly by trying to catch their live show’s (after all, thats what it’s all about) or buying a shirt…etc.

Mainly, I want creativity on the art & packaging of any release that I’m going to buy, example: Precambrian – The Ocean.
http://raiseyerfists.wordpress.com Liam

I download first and buy it later if it’s something good. I have dozens of CDs in my collection from before the download era that I bought based on (poor) recommendations and absolutely never would’ve spent a dime on if I had heard them first.

That said, it takes away the thrill of finding out if something was worth the cash, but I’m not 14 anymore and I have fucking bills to pay. I know the musicians do too–hopefully their tunes and tshirts find their way to the hands and backs of somebody who cares.

I still like CDs because I like having a physical object to show for my $13 (vinyl is cool too, and I’m usually willing to pay a few extra bucks for it), but I’m more and more willing to pay for a digital download. Art, lyrics, and liner notes seem to be an afterthought for some bands, so I’ll save the few bucks.
http://www.myspace.com/thestarsthrewdowntheirspears Tim

I think the answer to the format question is a vinyl combined with an instant download. You get the instant gratification you expect from our age, and you get the long-lasting gratification of having the higher-quality vinyl.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrew-Sterner/1335958279 Andrew Sterner

I’ve never been a fan of CDs. Usually, I’m downloading music, off the internet, without paying for it. I did go out and buy World Painted Blood the other week though, since the local record shop didn’t have it on vinyl

I have been buying vinyls for about two years now, and I’m glad to say my collection is well over 50 records at this point.
dave texas

I’ll admit, I have downloaded plenty of stuff, but in the end, I will always buy a record on CD or vinyl. If i really like it, then on both formats.
Motoghost

Although I downloaded a few years ago, it was only music that had either been out for years already or was releases the exact year I did it. I’ve never thought it was right to download someone’s hard work weeks before it’s supposed to be heard. I value the quality of the recording, the actual music, the lyrics (somewhat), and the artwork. In this respect, I’ve grown to prefer Vinyl, but I don’t mind buying CDs if the album isn’t on vinyl. I’m unemployed but any money I get, and don’t need to put towards something else, goes to music. If it isn’t a physical copy, I’m not buying it.
Frampler

I download most music I read about or know about, then buy all the of the albums I like. While I have some selfish reasons for wanting a CD – my collection is a part of the furniture – there is a big element of me wanting to reward the people involved in making the album, particularly if the band is not particularly popular and therefore likely to be substantially less well-off than me.

I’m pretty happy with a normal CD to be honest – I’ve got a very good hi-fi so I can hear the difference between that and an mp3. But live CDs and DVDs are good extras to get in the package, as are bits of artwork. I’ve also bought quite a few CD + Merch packages that are advertised in advance of an album’s release, but this will only be for bands I know are going to deliver.

The best development for me has been limited edition vinyl. The extra size of the cover means the artwork looks great, and they really appeal to collectors.
Patrick

I love everything about buying a CD. The smell, the act of driving to the store, finding it, and buying it. The disc. I am an avid collector of music and NEED a physical copy. CD is my preference.

Album Cover – Has no effect if I buy an album, but I still love artwork so a good cover is a happy bonus and creates an iconic image to go along with that music forever.

Liner With Lyrics – Super important. I listen to music for many reasons but I am a huge fan of lyrics and am devastated when I buy a CD and it doesnt come without the lyrics. And I do enjoy band thank yous and notes.

Other Artwork Within The Book- Has no effect again, but would be nice.

CD – Super important; I NEED a physical copy of all of my music and I hope CD’s last a lot longer.

I use my ipod of course, and love having headphones on but I also love listening to music while I drive.

CD’s all the way.
Patrick

Music FANS will buy albums for themselves and to support artists. True fans appreciate art and will forever love music. Music shapes our lives. Period.

People who use music as purely entertainment,or something to just “hear when they are bored or driving” and just wanna listen to songs that “have a good beat” or like concerts to “party” dont give a shit about music and the artists who create it.

There are still real fans. Music wasn’t more popular 10 years ago, downloading just wasnt as easy or known so people who werent truly fans still bought stuff cause that was the only way to really hear a certain song or album whenver they wanted, now they can download anything and everything, so that will hurt sales.

Real fans will still buy, the philistines won’t. Period.

TallNerdGuy

I enjoy listening to “party” music that has a good beat every now and then. Especially after I listen to some really technical or cerebral music…it sort of allows me to cleanse my palette and not burn out on one artist or genre. I listen to that stuff and I respect the artists who make music like that, because I believe they have their place just as more “artistic” musicians have theirs. I consider myself a “real fan” of music, and I support all artists who make the music I enjoy, regardless of their choice of genre.

J-Ho

CD, digital download, vinyl, 8 track.
http://www.segadriven.com Hairyman

CD, download, vinyl, cassette.

http://www.segadriven.com Hairyman

Just for the record. I buy CDs. I don’t even download before I buy anymore cause my personal internet connection might as well be dial up. If I see it written about, recommended or hear anything that is positive then I consider it within my own tastes. I like a lot of straight forward metal and hard rock. I don’t mind more tech metal but sometimes it feels a bit elitist. If it conforms to my ideal, then I buy it on CD. Chunky booklets and great art are always a bonus and I have a thing for bonus DVDs. Some are trashy and thrown together with music videos and making ofs but sometimes you get some really great, entertaining stuff. The one that comes with Evile’s latest record was a great laugh. SYL’s Chaos Years DVD has one of the best performances I’ve ever seen (the Download 06 set). I’ll more than likely then rip the CD into digital format to have a my MP3 player (which is shaped like a cassette, retro!). This is how I listen to music on the way to work and back as I don’t need to drive that short distance. When I’m driving it’s back to the CDs. Better quality and tracks that have a seamless transition into the next actually join (they don’t on the MP3 player).

Martin_rb

I do download quite a bit of music, but I also buy as much of it as I can. Being a student, it’s hard to buy every single piece of music that I feel deserves credit, but I try. Having a real copy of the music is desired, there is something really satisfying about actually paying MONEY for a record.

I pretty much only buy vinyl now, unless there is no vinyl copy of what I want. IPOD’s are great, I take mine where ever I go. I stopped buying CDs because when I buy a CD I immediatly rip it to my computer, put it on my IPOD and then it sits on my shelf with the others, indefinatly. Vinyl has that nice thick sound, huge artwork and there is also something totally bad ass about having an actual record. It’s kind of a collectors thing now I guess, because not many people buy it, but the demand is growing.

I’m going to guess the 4 formats are: Vinyl, digital download, CD and cassette.
http://toeleven.wordpress.com/ Jayson

I always buy CDs, unless I can’t. Then I buy the download.

Generally most of the artists I listen to are something like the Austerity Program, similar sized artists. I don’t want to take money out of their pockets. It’s like there’s a face that’s not Lars Ulrich, an actual person, so yeah.

I hate vinyl. I can’t do a rip without a lot of pops and crackle. I still get it sometimes because the words ‘limited edition’ produce a Pavlovian buy response in me.

CDs give me lossless audio at a price that is basically giving me a free hardware backup that will probably outlive me plus some artwork, which I feel is part of the overall package. Someday when we have 10tb iPods it’ll be worth it, or so I pretend.

I do like cool packaging, anything that looks like some thought went into it is well appreciated and worth a few bucks more to me, like Shellac’s 1000 Hurts.
TallNerdGuy

Due to my lack of a record player, vinyl was never really something I was interested in. My parental units had their share of vinyl records and they would pull them out every so often, but the love for vinyl never passed onto me. I buy CDs whenever there is a full album I want, and I hunt around desperately for CD versions of EPs before I decide to buy them digitally. Not only do I enjoy the artwork, sound quality, and the satisfaction of being able to have physical proof that I spent my money on something, but a CD covers all the bases for me: I can rip it digitally to my computer, I can take it with me and play in my car stereo (which is fairly old and was made way before the mp3 player boom), and it is small enough that I can store it with others in a relatively discreet way (I live in a small-ass studio apartment, but still manage to keep my hundreds of CDs organized).

Having said that, I do legally download music, as well. Mainly if something is out of print but has been given new life on iTunes or something, or if there is only one exclusive song out of some 20-song movie soundtrack that I have my eye on. The problem I have with digital files is the limiting hard drive space. I’ve been ripping CDs into a lossless format for the past year or so, and doing so can fill up a hard drive quick. Even with an external hard drive, it would only be a matter of time before things start to reach critical max. With physical discs, there are ways of organizing them or storing them elsewhere. Another problem with the larger file formats is their way of bogging down an mp3 player. Not only is there a storage issue again, but the battery charge is used up faster than if it were reading through basic mp3s. And with that, I come down to a decision…do I really want to sacrifice sound quality to access more of my digital music? Because there is a big difference between a Devin Townsend mp3 and Devin Townsend lossless.

Also, if a record label sees that an artist’s new album isn’t selling all that well, that might mean that they won’t back that artist with as big of a tour. So to just illegally download an album and sit on it without buying it and then claim that you’ll just see them live and buy merch might not be all that supportive of a move. Giving a little extra up front might pay off in the long run with a chance for the artist to get a more extensive tour schedule. Kinda jumping off that point, I do agree with what Ziltoid said above about the idea of reducing album prices from $14 or more to $7 or so, creating sort of a “happy medium” than many can afford/profit from.
http://thatdevilmusic.blogspot.com Rob Liz

CD’s are good to have as a master copy for music files. As others have pointed out, hard drives will fail usually within 5 years of purchase. So unless you’ve backed your stuff up on multiple drives you run the risk of losing all of your music unless you have a fallback which is ripping cd’s to whatever you want.

I’ve always wondered if mp3s had never shown up would artists be now releasing albums on DVD,HD,or Blu Ray disks? Higher quality and the abilty to pack more music on a disc.How many artists usually say in interviews that they’ve recorded x amount of songs but could only pick a handful to release.
http://relativationofjustice.blogspot.com Chris the Mad Scientist

I try to buy as many CD’s as possible for two reasons. One, I love the full package that you get with a CD of liner notes, album art, and music. Two, I want to support the band as much as possible and be able to show people why I like them – not just sonically, but visually as well. With digital, I’m getting a quick fix, and that’s all. I refuse to buy albums digitally.
PD

Vinyl, CD, Digital, 5.1 Surround DVD

Although, a music book would be cool. Whatever you call it so you can play it yourself.

I used to download fuck tons in college, especially new bands. I also had the time to listen to music (on the bus, walking to class, etc.). Now it seems I’m only buying CDs of bands I already listen to and don’t have that desire to discover as much new music as I used to. So really, CD is all I do now. I do own a few LPs though…mainly for novelty purposes.
dot

1. usb flash drive
2. cd
3. vinyl
4. WATER!!!!! (like dethklok)
Dan

I always find myself conflicted over this topic. On one hand, I love CDs, to have something to hold, liner notes and lyrics to read whilst you listen, artwork to gaze upon, even that “new just opened CD” smell! And then the added satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting the artist – if only a little.

But then on the other hand, I don’t have the money to buy every album out there, or even just a handful these days. I try and make the effort to buy the albums of the bands I truly love, but aside from that I mostly just download these days.

And downloading is a perfect tool for hearing an album before commiting to purchasing it. I mean, you can hear a song or two from a band’s new album on their myspace, you may like them so you buy the album – and the rest of it’s awful and totally not what you expected – in which case you just wasted that money. You could argue that you can hear more tracks on youtube, but it’s always at a reduced quality.

I’ll happily buy a CD after already having downloaded the album and heard it in full, as long as I love the album, downloading’s just a way to avoid disappointment and regret.
Discipleofthewatch

Oh, I’m late to this party, but I’ve expressed my view on this before anyway… music is air to me, as essential as food or water, allows me to keep my grip on sanity, and I am glad to support the bands I love by purchasing cds, attending shows, and buying t-shirts. I’ll listen to samples of music on myspace or youtube, then later buy the album. I am a true fan with a music budget, and I’m lucky to have a good job in this crappy economy. But I really can’t express how much metal means to me; it’s gotten me through lots of tough times. Sometimes it seems like the only thing that makes sense in the messed up world… love and metal!

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THE AUSTERITY PROGRAM’S JUSTIN FOLEY ON THE FORMAT WARS – WHERE SONY, LARS ULRICH AND THE RIAA DO BATTLE AGAINST THE FACELESS INTERNET AND REALLY, REALLY LOSE.

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