Monday, May 19, 2008

How Many Times do I have to Buy This?

I have no problem compensating artists for their work.

How many times must I do it?

I have purchased Nine Inch Nail's Pretty Hate Machine album 3 times on CD, and once on iTunes. My first few CDs were lost or scratched, or in storage when I got my first iPod. What are the record companies selling? They keep saying they are selling licenses to listen to a song, but what they are trying to create is an infinite continuum of potential licenses, one for each format, device, thought, or dreamed up service, with them taking their 0.99, 1.99, 3.99 etc at each and every opportunity.

I love Nine Inch Nails. Trent has, I believe, received enough money from me in the past to allow me to continue to enjoy Pretty Hate Machine now, and in the future. Regardless of what new formats or paradigms arise.