Downloaded or Disc?
 

Inspired by this,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4216400.stm

Napster users 'giving up on CDs'
Music fans are giving up buying CDs in favour of downloading music, according to download service Napster's UK arm. Some 150,000 of Napster UK's 750,000 members say they no longer buy CDs, the company has revealed.
And Napster UK manager Leanne Sharman said it was "a matter of time" before downloading overtook high street shops as the most popular way to buy music.
CD sales have dipped slightly so far in 2005 compared with last year's record high when 163 million albums were sold.
Some 55 million songs have been downloaded or streamed since Napster UK launched in May 2004, with James Blunt the most popular artist. (Continued in the url above)



poll coming.

--Edit-- Fixed now, since I apparently wasn't specific enough in referring to the article.

Do you prefer to buy CDs or buy through digital downloads?

This is stupid.

Digital makes it so much easier to listen to music.

If you say so...I'd still rather buy the CDs myself. It's an extra step to rip them, but I'm more in control of the quality.

Not to mention how fragile CD's are.

I usually download an illegal copy first. Once, I deem it worthy of my money, I buy a cd. If I really like it, I'll put it on both my cd player and my ipod.

Moral: Don't make shitty music and you will make money, through downloads and cds.

Yeah, because MP3s can't be corrupted, lost, etc.

Weak argument, since even digital backups can be flawed.

Since the question was in regards to the article, I regret assuming people would read before they answered.

This is a question of how you prefer to buy your music. Whether you download first is moot.

Yeah, buying music online tends to lead you into two problems:

One, you end up with non-CD quality music. While some people are anally obssessed with 200+K files (Which are bullshit, as the difference is no longer within human hearing range). Two, you save money, but factor out the packaging and the like, and suddenly you're not saving as much (Especially for compressed music).

Plus, I'd rather have my CDs anyway, and I listen to most of my music off my computer or MP3 player.

I downloadmore due to lack of cash but I'd rather have the CD.

CD

I've never bought through downloads, but I prefer my CDs to my downloaded music. Maybe that's just because it's better music though.

Definitely purchase the CD. I feel that I need to have the CD, its just how I am.

I was in class at the time, so I didn't click the article. My reply infers that I buy CDs though.

Same as Funky - except I don't have an ipod (because they are for homosexuals)

I didn't have a choice in the matter, you wanker. It was a Christmas gift.

Yeah, because they dissolve into the dust the instant you touch them, obviously.

CDs by a mile, MP3s have their place, but they're not physical enough for my liking.

CD's definitely. Something about the artwork and the packaging and stuff like that means quite a lot to me. Stuff like Radiohead - Amnesiac which came in this packaging which made it look like a library book :heart:

I get all of my music from iTunes these days. My Burner doesn't work currently, but I can put all my songs on my iPod and play them in my car with the FM transmitter, so I don't really need CD's anymore, unless it's a CD that's not on iTunes that is.

Unless I know I love the entire album, or a certain song isn't on Napster, I always go through Napster and save them to my MP3 player (30 Gig Creative Zen Xtra).

Basically I don't buy CDs anymore unless I really like the CD/Band or Napster doesn't have it. For example, Napster doesn't have any Metallica songs, and I really wanted Enter Sandman, so I bought the CD. It turns out that the whole CD is pretty damn great.

CD's

I like having the CD and the artwork that comes along with it.

That is so totally false...We use Nomad Zens.

Ipods are for trendy metrosexuals and old guys going through a midlife crisis.

Damn - I gotta get one