♫ Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution — Cut Copy ♫
Show me a blogger who doesn’t listen to music while they post.
I usually include a song or two at the beginning of each post. I do this to offer some insight to my tastes, set the mood, and hell, it’s just cool to click on random links sometimes.
Through the life of this blog, the online music industry has rapidly evolved, and it’s still changing. I have gone through several different services(some of which no longer exist) to post music up here. Some of the older ones reroute to myspace—or what’s left of it—though I have never used it for music. Ever.
Recently, I’ve been using Spotify to link my tune of choice to. As a media player, it kinda blows, as you get very narrow customization, and it is very hard to integrate your existing media library if you don’t have exclusively all .mp3 files. In that respect, you still need a second media player if you’re planning to keep your local library. Why I like it, and I choose to use it here, is that the cloud-based nature of it’s architecture makes it very convenient for on-the-fly music browsing, and hotlinking for blogs/messaging folks. No sending files, or downloading music. Sound too good to be true? It is. You get denied some of the bigger name bands with greedy producers who ban their music from any service that isn’t pay-per-play or run by apple. So any of my attempts to search for bands like the Beatles, Pink Floyd or Def Leppard have only left me with crappy cover bands. Oh well, I still like Foobar.
My only question is which way I should use the hotlink. You can either use a direct magnet link which just opens it in spotify(considering you have the app open), or you can use an http link which will open it in another tab, thus distracting you away from the blog. Personally, I like the direct link. Not because i’m desperate for your love and attention here, oh no. It just feels more streamlined. But the link with the new tab offers a sneak peak to the song, and shows anyone without spotify should be seeing/hearing.
♫ VHS Sex — Com Truise ♫ (HTTP Link)
♫ VHS Sex — Com Truise ♫ (Magnet Link)
I’ve been using the premium version of Spotify for a few months now, mostly to get access to the Android app for my phone. I use it quite extensively when I’m out and about. I highly suggest getting it, because there is a free version that works just as well. It’s invitation based, so let me know if you need an invite. I still have a boatload it gives you.
I vote direct link as well. Yeah it’s a bummer about the larger bands. I heard that artists in general don’t really get a fair share out of the service, but I haven’t had a chance to look up the facts. It also begs the question, “what is ‘fair share’ in the music industry these days,” because of the change in distribution method and such.
@russell
I think it all goes back to whether you think musical artists who “make it big” deserve to be paid as much as they do. To me, being a musician is something that requires passion. You do it because you love to, not because you want to be a rich rockstar. If money were important, they’d have picked up an opthalmoscope instead of drumsticks.
I dig distribution systems like Spotify because they pay bands(if only a little) per every track played. Better than ripping it off, or not listening at all. Some of the smaller bands I enjoy, I try to see live. Small bands make do through playing small shows and selling merch. If Def Lep wants to tour non stop with a fair ticket price, I’d consider the system slightly more fair.