Who Gives A Shit: The Release Date

Maybe I shouldn't tell anybody about this since it is illegal, but I have I downloaded music from the internet...without paying for it.

I don't know if this as dangerous as it once (apparently) was, but my understanding is that everyone is doing it.

Hey, what can you do? It's the way the world works nowadays. This doesn't make it right, but there is a certain shared notion - one that grows every day - that stealing music is acceptable. Maybe not with everyone, but people certainly won't look at you like a criminal if they found this out.

I am a big music fan. I love discovering new music, whether old or brand new. The chance that I may listen to an album or a song that is truly great is in many ways an experience I live for. And, I have to say that while not every piece of music I get is life changing, I have discovered quite a lot of music that I now considered indispensable.

And you know what? If it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't be listening to at least half of the music I currently have. Let me say right now that while I do partake in downloading music from the internet, I purchase a lot of albums in stores and online - the actual physical albums, with a cover and a case and a disc and a little booklet. I'm not a collector or anything, but I enjoy buying and having CDs. I am proud of my collection, in that it is a physical representation of my musical tastes; a history of my musical life. I'm not looking to get rare shit and check out its value and boast that I have this Japanese import and that limited edition; I just enjoy holding something while I listen to the music, reading the liner notes, putting the disc in my CD player - you know, having an experience. And when I look at my shelf full of CDs...it's nice. I'm a music fan, and I like having my music there, on my shelf within arm's reach.

But I can't buy every damned record I want because I want to hear everything that piques my interest, even if only a little. If I had to buy everything I wouldn't have any money, and I'd be missing out on so much joy and pleasure.

That sounds selfish, and it is. There's no way of denying the fact that artists are losing money. If I get a couple of albums from a band off the internet and if I like them, I will oftentimes go and buy a CD of theirs, just so I can pay for some of it. Hey, maybe I'm just trying to ease my own guilt, but it's something. I'm trying. And again, I love opening up and new CD and physically having it.

This is what I won't do: download an album before it is released. I can't do it, for a few reasons.

First, the most simple reason: How do you know for sure you've got the finished product? It may not be complete. Odds are it is, but you never know. It's happened before. And, if you are listening to something that an artist never meant for you to hear, it's like you're going through their diary. If you wait until the release date or after it, at least what your getting is definitely (or much more likely) the finished product, the music as they intended it to be heard.

The second reason is respect for the artists, an extension of the aforementioned diary point. Hey, you may say, you little theif! You don't give a shit about the artist! If you said that to me, I cannot argue with you. How can I? But I do feel that an effort to wait to listen until the music has been officially released is worth something. I feel as if a lot of musicians are pissed that they're losing money - but I also feel that most artists nowadays know people will be stealing their music, have gotten used to this fact, and are trying to make money in other ways, like touring. My assumption, based off of my feelings as a musician and artist, is that yeah, having more money would be sweet, but this is my craft! It's not meant to be out at all yet!

Which brings me to my last point: Music is meant to be heard at a certain time and place. Obviously, if an album is relased in 1980, I can't hear it on its release date now. I'm not Doc Brown. But if you are looking forward to listening to music that will be relased in the not so distant future, don't you want to listen to it on or soon after the date the artist intedended for you to listen it? Albums are released at certain times because the music is meant to connect to the time of year; the season; close to an election, maybe; any number of reasons. Some albums are summer albums, man! What if you were able to get Sgt Pepper in April, when it was completed, two months before it was released on June 1, 1967? Sure, the music would still rock, and you would contexualize the album within your own personal frame of reference - but you wouldn't be listening to the album for the first time during the Summer of Love, man, the fucking start of it all! I know, I know: Who cares? Well, I do. I don't think it would be the same. You might say, maybe it would be better. And, maybe, you'd be right. But there's never a way of knowing and that's why I say: Stick to the release date because, believe it or not, some artists have intentions, and, rather than ratonalize and say that we make an experience of the album regardless of the actual release date, why not take it in after its actual release?

That's part of the problem with music today. People are hearing albums all over the place because they can get it months and months before it comes out. When Sgt. Pepper was released the entire world heard it at the same time! Think about that! That doesn't happen nowadays. There is no feeling that people are unwrapping this album just as you are - in fucking China! I think that's a shame.

Maybe I'm sentimental. Maybe it really doesn't matter. Maybe I shouldn't care. But I do. Truly. I will always wait until that release date, for music, movies, books, everything. Unless I have the blessing of the artist - Hey Dan, can you listen to this before we put it out? - unless they say that to me, personally, I won't do it. In a world where everything is free, I think the least we can do is respect the artistic decisions of artists, and, if the artist doesn't give a shit, take pleasure in waiting in anticipation for something and the ultimate reward of enjoying a piece of art with a large community. It's what's missing in music. The niche is nice, I love the niche-ization of the music industry because it opens up a lot of doors to artists, but damn it! I miss those good old days I never even experienced. There will never be another Summer of Love because everyone wants their Summer of Love whenever they want it, whenever is convenient and easiest, quickest.

So I steal music. But I try and have some respect for the artists. I hope one day I can afford to buy everything I want to hear and never download again. I think it may happen. But until that day, the least I can do is try and respect the artist and experience the album as they intended, at least the music part. When more people do this, music will once again be a communal experience - or, rather, a communal experience aside from the fact that everyone is stealing music without regard for the release date.

Wait until it comes out. It's worth it. You'll enjoy it that much more. Trust me.