The Pledge: eMusic
Ars Technica is running an article on the eMusic subscription service that offers downloads of non-DRM VBR mp3s. Their catalogue is primarily indie bands and music from "beyond the commercial mainstream", though AT point out that "bands found on the site account for almost 30 percent of sales in the US music market."
The majors are terrified of ( Read more... )
The majors are terrified of ( Read more... )
There will always be people who, for whatever reason, fall outside of the market. How many people could afford a CD player when the discs first appeared on the music store shelves next to the vinyl? I imagine there are still people out there who don't own a CD player of any kind, even now. The point is that the market is defined by the most influential group, not by the lowest common denominator. I know there are a great number of people who don't download music, legally or otherwise, who don't know how and perhaps aren't interested in finding out, but I can't imagine that their numbers aren't shrinking, and fast. If anything this only serves to prove how powerful the new medium is, that a relative minority of technologically empowered consumers can have such a tremendous impact on the industry. Add to this situation the possibility of free national wireless Internet access in the US and we start to see something that is becoming ever more attainable and attractive, and arguably more democratic in nature.
There will always be a knowledge-gap, that's unavoidable, but I don't think we can reasonably use the technologically un-enfranchised (to coin a phrase) as the measure of what is to come.
I agree with your estimate, BTW, I think 20 years could see the end of the physicals market as we know it. However, this means that in just 10 years time the damage could be half done!
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