Music vs. Cover Art & Booklet

Dean wrote: Exhibit 1:     ...how many people bought that in the 70s because of the Patrick Woodruff's artwork rather than Dave Greenslade's music? (hint: lots)

topofsm wrote: I'm confused and appalled that the vote was tied 3-3 before I voted. This is a music forum after all.   In any event, Mike, I may be one of the only people who seems to think that it's fine that album art and stuff could be left aside, as long as you're left with great music. I myself seem to prefer music that contains lyrics that are at least somewhat important, but I don't even get physical CDs every time to marvel at the magnificent artwork or read through the lyrics as I'm listening, because after all it's the music that's important. Furthermore, I think Roger Dean's artwork is incredible, but I don't have any physical copy of any albums that he did artwork on, save for my father's vinyl copy of Fragile, and that one has water damage so the first coat is coming off easily. But that doesn't matter, cause I enjoy lots of Yes music anyways.   I listen to music through an iPod dock anyways, or in the car when I'm driving so there's little need for me to have vinyls and CDs, though sometimes I'll get a cheap thrift store vinyl for something like a dollar for the collectability of it.

Indeed, the situation is different for each album. Some albums have great artwork that is intertwined with the music. Some albums have great artwork, but it doesn't have much to do with the music at all (often the artwork is created independently from the music). And then of course there are albums where the artwork is totally unimportant.

And as you said, there is the cost factor. Focussing on the music (MP3) alone allows me to buy more albums. But like you I'm also paying regular visits to my local thrift store ... when I see an album with a nice cover for a bargain price, I'll take the opportunity.

Wrong question in the poll. Make a poll with both options possible to choose. Not just one option with the answer you want. What valuable answers can you possibly get by asking rhetorical questions like this?

I voted for cover and booklet, but of course the music is generally more important. I buy Vinyl when its an option, bwt, and of course its about the whole package. 

I honestly just think that owning the physical media is so much more beneficial...

I can play it out of a CD player!

For example
I recently developed a fetish for MARILLION artwork, and TBH, I'm looking at bidding on a 12" Record just for the album art today...

I bought 11 Marillion CD's in the last 3 months from eBay - I could've downloaded them from iTunes, or illegally, but I chose to buy the CD's as I prefer to own a physical media.

Don't get me wrong - its not that I'm opposed to or afraid of change, its that I feel like I'm not really paying for a proper product when I buy MP3's. I usually don't give them as much consideration, or value them as much either.

For example, I payed 19.99 USD for a Marillion: FUGAZI CD on eBay (That was before 7USD in postage to Australia) and I could've got it for around 9.99AUD on iTunes, but I wouldn't feel as though I owned the music.

And apart from that
I wouldn't be able to play it Every morning on my CD player before school...

Mr ProgFreak wrote: BaldFriede wrote: Will books also become a virtual thing? Hopefully not. And just like I like my library I like the collection of albums on the shelves. Just think of this: When a new friend for the first time enters the place where you live, what will he, among other things, take a look at? The books and musical albums on the shelves, because they reflect an important part of the host's personality. Do you honestly think this can be replaced by having it all on the computer? I definitely know I would be missing out on something, and the question "let me have a glance at your computer to see what you read and hear" appears to be a bit daring to me. Of course manners may change in the future, but I actually like to have my personality on display for people who visit me. It definitely won't be the same if it is all on the computer. I think that users will simply have the bulk of their collection on their computer. It still makes sense though to keep some books, CDs or vinyl albums ... to put in a shelf, and to show to visitors. I currently have 1000 CDs ... I could give visitors a good impression of what I'm listening to by simply keeping the 100 most important ones. Preferably ones with great artwork, in digipacks instead of jewel cases. BTW: You can also present your collection on the computer. All major music player applications allow you to manage cover art ... if I open Winamp (my player of choice) I can display my entire collection as a big tiled display of cover art. That also looks much better - and more interesting - than my CD shelf, with only the side of the CDs visible.

Yes, but it would definitely not be the same to present the collection on the computer. And you are already compromising. Our homes definitely would be less "home" if it was all on the computer.

The music.
If the lyrics and the "cover" art work are available online, I'm not fussed about owning the product in physical form.

Snow Dog wrote: Dean wrote: Exhibit 1:     ...how many people bought that in the 70s because of the Patrick Woodruff's artwork rather than Dave Greenslade's music? (hint: lots) I did!!! Beautiful.......but the exception rather than the rule. I took mine back actually. Its such quet music and tthe crackles on the vinyl drove me nuts! Plus I thought it a wee bit boring.

 

Hmm... So according to this poll half the people would rather have just the album art while the other half is fine with just the music. We could save money this way and only buy half the albums we want. The ones who like the music can keep the files and as long as we sent the empty vinyl sleeves and CD cases with the artwork they'd be content.

manofmystery wrote: Snow Dog wrote: Dean wrote: Exhibit 1:     ...how many people bought that in the 70s because of the Patrick Woodruff's artwork rather than Dave Greenslade's music? (hint: lots) I did!!! Beautiful.......but the exception rather than the rule. I took mine back actually. Its such quet music and tthe crackles on the vinyl drove me nuts! Plus I thought it a wee bit boring.   Vinyl is the only format with any value to the cover art/booklet, CDs are just too small

NotAProghead wrote: BaldFriede wrote: Our homes definitely would be less "home" if it was all on the computer. I completely agree.  I know people of younger generation prefer all these PCs, iPods etc. Most of them do not care much about sound quality. There are objective reasons like the lack of money, place etc. But I'm afraid "bad habit" to listen to everything on PC will stay even when they will be able to own good sound systems and enough room for collections.

I completely resent that notion. Listening to music on the PC has nothing to do with sound quality issues ... if you really think that MP3 is inherently inferior to vinyl or CD then there are other threads that deal with this never ending discussion ...

I'm 34 years old. I have a big collection of CDs and vinyls, and a good hi-fi system (I had several of them over the years). I'm also a professionally trained musician (electric organ, keyboards, guitars). When I listen to MP3s on my computer system (which has a €80 Logitech 5.1 sound system) I am absolutely satisfied with the sound quality. Of course it could be better, but right next to it I have the big hi-fi, and when I compare those two "worlds" I find that the computer is not far behind, and in fact the clarity/resolution and the precision of the low frequencies is actually better than the hi-fi. That's probably because the hi-fi is about 10 years old now, and in those 10 years speaker technology has improved significantly.

Long story short: I know that many people think that listening to MP3s on the computer can't be any good ... unfortunately there's nothing that I can say that would change anything about it. All I can do is to continue to "spread the word", and hope that more and more people accept these new realities.