Vehicles of Mass Music Consumption.

At the same time that I am in a full-on embrace of the newest way to consume music (Spotify/subscription music services in general) I have started buying CDs again.

I lost my extensive music collection (upwards of 500+ CDs, dozens of mixtapes, and a crate of records) in the tornado of 2011, but I didn't care much because all of that music lived on my laptop as 1s and 0s anyway.

But now, almost exactly 5 years after I spent the winter of 2011 re-ripping all my CDs in 320kbps, I'm beginning to collect CDs again. I don't have much in the way of what you'd call "disposable" income, so I'm not buying albums I already have. But new music I want to OWN, a concept we don't necessarily even have to partake of in a subscription music world anymore, I've been buying used.

While it's easier than it's ever been to acquire music; (with Spotify I pay a monthly fee of $10 and click on a little + sign next to any music I want to "add to my music") this music is not ours.

My new system of acquiring music goes something like this. I hear music I like. If I really like it, I click that little + button. If I listen to it repeatedly for days, weeks, months, I'll look for it used in the physical format of Compact Disc or Vinyl. If the vinyl comes with a digital download and I really really like it, enough to pay 20 bucks, I do so. More often, if the used CD costs roughly the same as buying the album from iTunes or Google Music digitally, I do that. Having that tangible item that is YOURS cannot compare to the ephemeral ownership of digital downloads. Don't even get me started on DRM...

When you get your new-to-you CD home with you and start to rip it into your digital world you get the choice to store it in any size of digital file you'd like. 320kbps is perfectly acceptable, but for the truly important albums, you can go lossless. That's when your digital music sounds just as good as the CD. This is truly important when you care about sound. When you have invested in a good stereo setup, headphones, etc. If you can tell the difference between a CD's sound quality and your digital files, then physical representations of music are still the way to go and I'm glad I'm going back as a way to go forward.

I still don't own a dedicated CD player unless you count the one in my car, which I don't, because I don't spend much time there at all. Listening to CDs will be difficult until I find a component CD player for my stereo, but I've got a little baby CD collection again, and while it's uneven and strange, it's mine and that's pretty cool. I can lend them to friends. I can put them back on my computer if my computer self-destructs. I can open them up and look at the artwork and read the lyrics.

Cool.

Free Music.

There’s little reason to pay for digital music these days, especially if the artist you're seeking is signed to a major label. By all means buy it if you can, but the artists don’t get much money from digital sales. Support them by buying concert tickets or better yet, find them and put money directly into their hands (or PayPal accounts) to show them you care about their art. If you’re too poor to financially support the artists you love, do not fear. Music is your inalienable right as a human being. Feel free to stream, and sometimes even download, music for free. All five of these methods are tested by your expert Music Advisor and completely 100% legal.

Spotify — The app has recently become completely free on all (Android, iOS, computers, etc) devices. There are only two known downsides to Spotify: You’ll have to listen to some ads every few songs and if you’re on a smartphone as opposed to a smart tablet or a smart computer, you’ll be limited to a shuffle of album, artist or playlist. Spotify has approximately (MixtressRae’s verrry scientific evaluation of guessing) 80% of everything, has excellent sound quality, lots of ways to discover new music, and did I mention FREEEE?

Freegal — Anyone living in the states of Missouri or Kansas can get a Kansas City library card at kclibrary.org. They’ll mail it to you. With your library card information, you can log into freegalmusic.com and download (to keep, FOREVER) 5 songs a week. You can also stream for unlimited time-stuffs from their site or app, though the interface for both is a bit clunky.

Groove + — this smartphone app just came out a couple of weeks ago. It’s basically an interface with YouTube that allows you to stream any of YouTube's music content for free with only small banner ads. The app automatically plays the videos associated with the track, but if you lock your phone, you’ll be able to listen to the audio only, which is something you can’t do through the traditional YouTube app. This is a free way to gain mobile access to almost ANY song, because YouTube has EVERYTHING. Only available on iOS, so far. 

speaking of YouTube — You really can find almost anything on YouTube. You can create playlists too. Even from a non-iOS mobile device there are wayyyyys to listen to music through YouTube on the go. Google it…or email me and I’ll Google it for you.

NPR — Through the app or npr.org, one can access lots of free music. NPR regularly features the streaming of entire albums (a feature called “first listen”). If you poke around in the music areas of their site, they sometimes have playlists with tracks that can be downloaded to keep in your music library.

With these five methods, you should be able to find anything you want to listen to with only an internet connection and a dream. You’re welcome.

Mixtressrae@yahoo.com

radio.

*The Lana Del Rey song above is just 'cause I'm obsessing over it this week. Listen while you read, if you please.

I read this intensely long article on Pitchfork today that describes the evolution of streaming music. Apparently, back when telephones were the new and scary technology, one could pay to hear an opera over the lines, if they were like REAL rich, I'm assuming.

In America, artists have never been paid for airplays on the radio (we're the only country that this has always been the case). Plays on the radio are considered "promotional". So, the outrage about artists not getting paid very well for streaming web services, which is basically the new radio, is less of a blow perhaps? I don't know what I think about this because:

1) I'm too poor to not stream before I buy and I NEED music to live.
2) I'm pretty into the Swedish model of people having a right to things for free. Apparently you can camp in people's backyards in Sweden for free as long as you leave everything the way you found it. I feel I have a right to listen to any music I want, and a Swedish company called Spotify provides this for me.
3) I also think people should be able to make a living off of making music. The record industry model was born broken, and this has always been a struggle for musicians. Always. I twitch a bit every time I pay for an album because I know my money is barely going to the right place.
4) If I made music, I would provide it on a donation-basis on SoundCloud or BandCamp. Because the people I know are as broke as me and I am practical enough to be aware that people aren't going to buy something they can't first listen to...

It's a new time. You don't have to buy a CD with your fingers crossed anymore. This is a good thing. I respect artists pulling their music from streaming sites and taking a stand when they feel they're not getting adequately compensated for their art, buuuuuut not being in the streaming game means not being heard a lot of the time. David Byrne and Thom Yorke can get away with it, for sure, but not littler bands. If I made music, I'd never get heard without making my music free. And if I signed to a major label, I'd be giving them the control over my art. A free model would be the only way I could succeed. Maybe it's not fair. To be sure it's not fair, but I know what it is.

I also, here's a controversial opinion, think artists tend to overcharge for their art in general. I will never pay thousands of dollars for a painting. I will never pay $200 for a concert ticket. I'll never pay $500 for a pair of shoes or a purse. I believe in paying for quality, but not for prestige. You should totally be able to make a living doing your thing, but no one needs to be paid multiples of thousands of dollars per month for their living. Don't get me started on the way wages are "earned" in America.

I think a lot of things should be free. I think television and radio should be free. I understand it costs money to make art, but I want to give the money after I know I enjoy the art. I will TOTALLY buy the DVDs and the music files. I'll buy the shit out of the things I love. I will buy the merch and fund kickstarter-projects for people I respect. I believe I vote with my money, but I have VERY little money with which to vote.

Until the whole system is fixed (like people like me can make living wages with a bit of cush and corporate monsters no longer exist), I will continue to enjoy my Swedish websites filled with gorgeous-sounding music for free, buying only the albums that really bewitch me. To be fair, I am easily bewitched by music. I still spend hundreds of dollars on it every year...more than I can afford.

Battle of the RADIO stars.

You may have heard that there is yet another “Pandora-killer” on the market: iTunes Radio. It works the same way all the internet radio services work. It plays a station based upon an artist/song/genre of your choice and you can “star” it or reject it. We all know the drill of user-input internet radio. 

I decided to compare 4 of these radio services in a highly scientific (I made a chart and everything!) analysis. I gave each service a point for each of 8 set parameters they excel within. With each service I listened to a station based on Grimes’ “Circumambient” for an hour counting songs listened and songs liked, then converted the ratio to a percentage. If the percentage of songs liked was at least 75%, the service gets a point. Math! Who will win the battle of radio??

Spotify Radio --

Availability/Convenience: Available on computers, Apple and Android apps. (+1)

Price: free with ads or $10/mo (+1)

Library Size: 20 million songs (+1)

Ability to Customize Stations: Once a station has been started, only customization is “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” within tracks.

Streaming Quality: 320 kbps (+1)

User Interface: Pretty if a bit of a learning curve. There are a lot of apps/features within the computer program that make it easy to discover new music. (+1)

Standout Features: When you “like” a song, Spotify automatically adds it to a “Liked from Radio” playlist. This playlist isn’t playable on mobile devices if you’re a free user, however.

Listening enjoyment: 65%

Overall Score: 5/8

Pandora --

Availability/Convenience: Available Everywhere. (+1) 

Price: free with ads or $36/year (+1)

Library Size: 1 million songs

Ability to Customize Stations: You can rename stations and add multiple artists and songs. (+1)

Streaming Quality: free users are stuck at 128kbps and paid subscribers can only get up to 192kbps. 

User Interface: UI is fine online but the mobile app’s ads take up a lot of space and are incredibly annoying if you’re a free user. The album artwork is typically low quality and often altogether missing.

Standout Features: Pandora started it, but they are way behind and need to retool their approach now that everyone else is in the radio business.

Listening enjoyment: 92% (+1) Though this percentage is high, the selection was boring overall.

Overall Score: 4/8

iTunes Radio -- 

Availability/Convenience: The service is conveniently integrated into the iTunes app on computers and iDevices, but it’s not available on Android devices. 

Price: free with ads or $25/year (+1)

Library Size: 27 million songs (+1)

Ability to Customize Stations: You can rename stations and add multiple artists, songs, and genres. There’s also an option to tune your station to “hits, discovery, or mix” which is pretty cool. (+1)

Streaming Quality: Apple hasn’t revealed their kilobits per second, but it sounds decent. Purchased tracks from iTunes are 256kbps, so that’s likely their streaming bitrate as well. (+1)

User Interface: UI is user-friendly and pretty, as is Apple’s wont. I also really enjoy the simplicity of the service being integrated into iTunes apps. (+1)

Standout Features: That ability to tune your stations is pretty sweet. You can also add songs to a wishlist and/or buy them directly from iTunes. (+1)

Listening enjoyment: 79% (+1)

Overall Score: 7/8

Google Music Radio --

Availability/Convenience: Available on computer, Android and there are workaround apps for Apple, but no Google Music app proper as of yet. (+.5) 

Price: $10/mo to access the radio feature and Google Music All Access, their on-demand music service.

Library Size: 20 million (+1)

Ability to Customize Stations: You can rename stations only.

Streaming Quality: 320 kbps. (+1)

User Interface: UI is great on Android and computer, but the workaround apps for Apple are clunky and don’t always work. (+.5)

Standout Features: Because Google’s radio service is only available with their subscription service, you have the ability to add songs to your library, skip, replay, and see your future queue. (+1)

Listening enjoyment: 65%

Overall Score: 4/8

WINNER -- iTunes Radio.

FINAL THOUGHTS -- iTunes Radio wins for me because it’s convenient, customizable, and I have several Apple products. It was incredibly liberating to FINALLY give up on Pandora. Their bad bitrates and annoying ads led me to close Pandora’s box, maybe forever. If you’re an Android user who is similarly vexed with Pandora, Spotify Radio is an excellent free alternative. Which radio service to use is highly subjective, so pick your favorite and email me your thoughts at mixtressrae@yahoo.com

Top Five Music Apps.

So, you’ve just gotten a smartphone (Not that anyone’s calling your old phone dumb; It was probably quite astute for being 5 years old...) and you need some apps.  I’ve compiled a list of most of my favorite music apps that are available for both A’s: Android and Apple.

DISCLAIMER: Make sure you have the data available for all except #2 (and #2 will use a bunch of data if your music is stored in iTunes Match)--most of these apps will suck up a 200MB plan in a measly few hours of streaming music set on higher quality bitrates.

#1- PANDORA (free): First and foremost, you must to have Pandora.  It is the most easily accessible music app ever.  All you do after downloading is type in the name of an artist, composer, or song that you like and you will then have a radio station tailored to that artist/composer/song.  Then, you “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” tracks as you go along to further tailor your station.

#2- GROOVE 2 ($1.99 for Apple only): Ok, I lied about all the apps being available for both A’s.  I realllly like Groove, though, so you need to know about it if you have an iOS device, and hopefully someday it will be available for Android as well.  This app syncs with the music on your phone (so it’s no good if you don’t have any music uploaded to either your phone or iTunes Match) and creates playlists based on your music.  Some of the great featured playlists: Artist Duos play two artists back to back, Three of a Kind plays three songs each from an artist (remember Block Parties on the radio back in the day?) and Groovy Mixes are smart mixes of songs that go well together (works much more consistently than iTunes’ not-so-Genius: there, I SAID it!).  The app also tags your music so you can play by genre.  There’s even a Surprise Me button if you don’t want to think at ALL, which is especially helpful for short work commutes...because, we all know you can’t drive in freakin’ silence! This app is TOTALLY worth the $2. 

#3- SPOTIFY ($9.99/mo subscription): I have touted the virtues of Spotify’s on-demand music subscription service before. Being 10 bucks a month, it’s obviously not for everyone.  However, if you like listening to anything you want whenever and wherever you want without having to own any music, this is pure bliss.  Just make sure you have the data plan to stream or the space on your phone to download playlists before you leave the comfort of your own WiFi.  They’ve recently added a radio feature that operates similar to Pandora that’s actually surprisingly compelling.

#4- SONGZA (free): This is a really cool new playlist app.  Download this app now before they get too big and start charging.  The way the playlists work is time-sensitive.  For example, I’m writing this on a Monday evening.  When I tap into the app it says “It’s Monday night.  Play music for: Bedtime, Love and Romance, Unwinding After a Long Day, or Work or Study.”  When I choose “Work or Study” it gives genre options and I choose “Electronic”.  Finally, there are three playlists to choose from that are electronic ambient stations to melt into the background while I’m working/studying (I chose “Electronic Study: IDM” in case you’re wondering).  How cool is that?  In the morning, the playlist options will be different (such as “Morning Commute” or “Waking Up”), but you can also bypass the time of day and pick from a list of activities or favorite playlists.  The selection of genres and playlists are really varied and I’ve actually discovered some cool new music (Hello, Moderat, I think I fancy you!) from this app.  Seriously, get it now before they start charging $5 for it or something.

#5- SOMAFM ($4 for app, or free from somafm.com): I’ve also peddled the infinite goodness of somafm before within these pages.  somafm.com is a San Franciso-based internet radio conglomerate with a lot of really cool (mostly electronic and chill music, though they do have some other genres; check them out online before shelling out the 4 bucks) radio stations.  They are commercial-free and donation-based, so if you like them, support them!  I like to send them $10 every once in awhile, just to show I care.  My favorite station on SomaFM is the very ambient “Drone Zone”.  I usually play it  when getting ready for bed at night.

  

The above list is a great music app starter-kit, whether you’re just starting out in the smartphone world or recently learning to love the beautiful plethora of music apps out there in this gorgeous electronic universe of ours.