I bought a CD (an actual CD, from an actual store!) the other night for the first time in
forever. You're probably wondering why I bothered expending time and money when just about every CD imaginable is available
for free on the internet. The CD in question is Taylor Swift's "1989," which, in a brilliant yet controversial move, she chose to keep from Spotify, Pandora, and the like. Taylor put it this way, and I agree wholeheartedly:
"Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable.
Valuable things should be paid for. It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is. I hope they don't underestimate themselves or undervalue their art." People can say what they want about her decision, but I respect her not only as a musician but also as a businesswoman. I was one of over 1 million people who bought the album
in its first week of release. I see you, Tay.
Not only does the internet make (most) music free, it also makes it a whole lot easier to be discovered. Just look at the infamous Justin Bieber! Love him or hate him, the Canadian native has been wildly successful and has YouTube to thank! Justin was discovered as a child by Usher through videos he posted to his YouTube channel.
Although I don't consider myself a "belieber," I am amazed and impressed by the relative ease with which Justin rose to stardom. It's as though the internet has provided the average Joe with a chance at fame, and that's something I can get behind.
