Why You Need To Buy Music

We live in the digital age, which is both a blessing and a curse for the music industry (and society as a whole). On the one hand, we have nearly unlimited access to an inordinate amount of music, and independent artists have a platform to showcase their talent without a record label. But on the other hand, the sheer volume of music available on streaming services and the ease with which music can be pirated has seem to have brought an end to the necessity and joy of buying music. Consumers now have the mindset of “why buy this when I could just get it for free?”.

Well, I’m here to tell you why: you buy music to support the artists. They are living, breathing human beings that need to support themselves (ditto for whoever owns the rights to the music of deceased artists). Songs aren’t written by machines (but if they were, London would beckon for them apparently). Though one could argue that the corporate entities that write a lot of the Top 40 stuff are effectively machines- but that topic is best left for another day. My point is that for many, being a musician is not just a hobby. It’s a livelihood. Musicians deserve a return on the art they work so hard to make. Your duty as a fan is to support the artists you revere by buying their music and merch, attending their shows, and spreading the word so that their fanbase can grow. This is especially important for independent artists who aren’t backed by a label. So, take an active role as a fan. Introduce your friends to your music. Buy albums, merch, and concert tickets to give as gifts. Actively promote your favorite artists on social media- especially if they are not well-known yet. Show them your support and gratitude for all that they do, because they work incredibly hard for their art.

Yes, we’re all guilty of listening to music for free on the internet. It’s a great resource. Most of us have probably even pirated music at some point in our lives (some bands even encourage it!). While it’s true that some artists don’t make much money from selling albums due to their recording contracts, many artists you will come across on the web are independent artists who are not part of a record label (or if they are, it’s a small label). These are the artists that are doing it all themselves: recording, promotion, booking gigs, etc. They put everything they have into what they do. And for what? To ripped off by “fans”? Perhaps people think that because music itself is intangible, it does not deserve to be bought. This could not be further from the truth. Tangibility and worth are two separate things; quality is quality, whether you can hold it in your hand or not. And isn’t that what CDs and vinyls are for anyway?

Oh, and for the love of God, please don’t use Spotify and crap like that- artists only make about $.006 cents per play. Or if you absolutely must pay for a streaming service, at the very least don’t treat it as a substitute for actually buying music and supporting your favorite artists. And, if money is tight and you only have a limited amount of money to spend on music (don’t we all?), try to use that designated money to specifically support independent artists who are not part of a major label. They need every sale they can get, and as an active fan you can directly contribute to their success and help them gain recognition.

So, if you love the music you’re listening to, please buy it and support the artists so that they can continue to make more great music (and, you know, feed themselves). And, of course, go to their concerts, rock their merch, and be a proud fan.

Speaking of supporting independent artists, please take the time to check out Get Off My Lawn Records, a co-op of artists pooling their resources to make cool stuff! Get 10% anything in their catalog by using the code ninja1.

https://getoffmylawnrecords.bandcamp.com/

What’s your opinion on buying music? Comment below!