Buying CDs: New or Used

Ok, can I start a friendly discussion? Since it seems that the majority of empeggers choose pay for their music and rip their own CDs, what are your thoughts on this question:

When you buy CDs, do you go New or Used?

See, for me, this choice is almost the same as "Download MP3s or Buy CDs." Why? Well, when you buy new, you're supporting the artists (and the fat-a$$ industry). But, when you buy used, you're only supporting your local record store. That cash from the used sale isn't really going to the artist you are trying to support by buying the CD in the first place.

So, I ask the question, "New or Used." This BBS has made me feel bad enough about the MP3s I have for which I don't own the CDs (and, honesly, never could because they are out-of-print singles and German imports). Could the BBS make me feel bad about buying used CDs as a means of being legit on the grounds that it's not supporting the artists?

I only buy CDs because I like to rip them myself. I almost exclusively get mine from half.com. Most of them are promos and cost around $5.

I go to many concerts, so the artists will get my money at some point.

In most cases, buying the CD is only supporting the record industry, and not the artist. Only well-established artists typically end up getting any money from album sales. Ask some.

New or used should be a question of "will it be scratched" and I can't answer that.

I only buy CDs because I like to rip them myself.

I hate ripping myself, and yet, I do. I think I'm caught up on ripping.

I almost exclusively get mine from half.com.

Mine are usually from alldirect.com and I recommend them, if they have what you want, they're typically cheapest.

I go to many concerts, so the artists will get my money at some point.

That's for many of them the only way they will.

I always buy used when I can. Unfortunately most of the cd's I wish to buy cannot be found in the used section. I tend to be behind the times musically, like 20 to 60 years behind! If you buy used locally you can always check them before you buy.

I buy new and used ones I also get lots of stuff from emusic.com . I never thought about not getting royalties from used cd's. The closest thing to illegal I have are concert tapings from a couple bands that I own every release from.

Well, I think buying used CD's creates a demand for new CD's. When you buy a new CD, you know it has a resale value of X amount if you don't like it or get bored of it. Without that market, new CDs would be worth less, and artists would theoreticaly recieve less (if that's possible).

Matthew

In reply to:

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I also get lots of stuff from emusic.com

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How well are the emusic mp3's encoded? Last I heard, they had some issues with quality which kept me from subscribing. Emusic seems like the perfect solution, as I'd much prefer to buy mp3's than CDs.

Matthew

It's 128K which sounds good enough for me. I would sign up for the free trial and see if you like the quality.

It's not your problem to worry about.

As someone else mentioned, most artists make sweet FA from CD sales. Therefore, buying new vs buying second hand doesn't affect many of them. This is the fault of the music business, and not you.

And someone also mentioned the resale value being a driver for new sales. I'm not sure as to the validity of this for most people. Certainly it might be comfortable to know that part of the $300/3000/30000 you spent on CDs could be recouped if an accident ever left you totally deaf, but the average person probably doesn't factor that into their shopping decisions. Some people may be of the type that buy everything, listen to it once, and then sell it - but I'd doubt very much that even 0.001% of people do that.

That being said, there obviously is a second hand market - so something in the music business's model must support it's existence or it'd collapse. What could that be?

Anyway, your right to buy/sell second hand CDs is protected. Thank God.

When you buy CDs, do you go New or Used?

See, for me, this choice is almost the same as "Download MP3s or Buy CDs." Why? Well, when you buy new, you're supporting the artists (and the fat-a$$ industry). But, when you buy used, you're only supporting your local record store.

Do you (or would you) feel any compunction about purchasing a used car? In my mind, it's the same as purchasing a used CD. The person who originally purchased the CD at retail price supported the artist, and he now no longer has access to that music, unless he ripped it and then sold it, which I think is a bad thing, but over which I also have no control. I suppose that I could avoid used CDs based on the idea that I might be indirectly supporting someone who's purchasing CDs, rippnig them, and selling them as used, but that seems like stretching it a bit too far.

Anyone remember when Garth Brooks got all pissy about used cds back in '93?

Of course he has a history of being pissy about lots of stupid things.

Of course he has a history of being pissy about lots of stupid things.



Warren G: I own that letter!

Garth: No, I own that letter!

So does Sesame Street have to pay them a precentage?

I would have to agree that buying used CD's can't be controlled by what the previous owner MIGHT have done with them. Now buying all of my CD's from me KNOWING full well that I ripped them all might be a little different.

Is Cookie Monster going to eat that gerbil?

mmmm...gerbil

Yup. And all the independent retailers around me promptly stopped carrying Garth Brooks CDs. Worked out well for everyone involved.