Thread: Burning or Buying?

I'm curious to know how many of you prefer to actually purchase your music, and what your thoughts are on people who download it for free and burn it to CDs (or MP3 players, or whatever - I'm old school, and just have my trusty discman, so I'll stick to discussing that primarily).

For those of you who, like me, do both, which do you do more of? If you prefer buying, why? Also, why do CDs in Europe and Japan cost so darn much? I bought eleven in Europe, and the prices almost killed me. Didn't stop me from buying them, though...


Personally, I own many more purchased CDs than burnt. I can often hear a difference in quality between music right off a CD and downloaded songs. (Not to mention how sometimes you download versions of songs that just plain suck, no fault of the artist's...) Also, I like having the booklets. (Although not all booklets are created equal.) Besides that, I don't typically go to concerts. This is more a product of where I live than anything, but if I want to support an artist buying their CD is usually the only way I'll do it.

Anyone want to offer any opinions or thoughts? (Or comments on other ways to get music, like buying individual songs, since I didn't cover that.)

Well, it depends.

For example, i love j-rock, but it´s so darn imposible to buy original cd´s, I just have two original disc that is one from L´Arc~en~Ciel and one of X-japan. Therfore, y download almost all of j-rock, just because i don´t have any other choise, and i don´t trust so much on buying by the internet.

But if there were a chance to buy mi kind of music in this region..i´ll buy it, obviusly.

Same happens with the Video Game OST, to difficult because allmost all the OST are from Japan, with just darn luck I could get FF VII Advent Children OST original in a store out from my city.

Many does the same, they download just because there is no other choise, but many other people download just because they don´t like to spend their money and abuse in downloading when you can buy it in a store..

Originally Posted by Kazuki Kenshin 666

For example, i love j-rock, but it´s so darn imposible to buy original cd´s, I just have two original disc that is one from L´Arc~en~Ciel and one of X-japan. Therfore, y download almost all of j-rock, just because i don´t have any other choise, and i don´t trust so much on buying by the internet.

Ah, it's the same for me! That's why I bought so many CDs when I was in Europe, regardless of the price. I just can't get them at home, and I really try to avoid buying anything off the Internet. I'd just rather not take the risk. I forgot that, thanks for bringing it up.

I think it's the same thing with some older, more obscure music, too. Sometimes you just can't find a store that carries what you're looking for.

I personally don't have a real problem with downloading music since so little of the money that you use to purchase the cd with actually goes to the artist. However, whenever I'm able to I purchase cds because I like to have the cases and album art and so forth.

Well here in a city next where i live has different stores, goth, metal, otaku, you name it...but many of the stores the music they have aren´t original (but well burned i must say) but it isn´t the same on having in your hands a original cd an be really proud of it, and it´s like with video games, buy original! because if you keep on buying illegal stuff the company can collapse and there will be no more music, or a band can even disband because of this kind of things...

Hm, I tend to operate on a three song per album limit for downloading. After that, I'll buy the album if possible. I am somewhat proud of my CD collection.

Does anyone know how much money from an album purchase goes to the artist, versus concert ticket sales and other merchandise? Because I honestly don't.

I occasionally download music, but I don't pay for what I download (I'm morally against that, intrestingly enough.)

I sometimes will buy a CD, but only if I really like the album, as the prices are stupid.

Originally Posted by Valleyman

I personally don't have a real problem with downloading music since so little of the money that you use to purchase the cd with actually goes to the artist. However, whenever I'm able to I purchase cds because I like to have the cases and album art and so forth.

hmmm...i concur

Originally Posted by Valleyman

I personally don't have a real problem with downloading music since so little of the money that you use to purchase the cd with actually goes to the artist. However, whenever I'm able to I purchase cds because I like to have the cases and album art and so forth.

I do the same. It's okay to download and buy also

Originally Posted by Kazuki Kenshin 666

Well here in a city next where i live has different stores, goth, metal, otaku, you name it...but many of the stores the music they have aren´t original (but well burned i must say) but it isn´t the same on having in your hands a original cd an be really proud of it, and it´s like with video games, buy original! because if you keep on buying illegal stuff the company can collapse and there will be no more music, or a band can even disband because of this kind of things...

It's okay to download at your leisure, but when you can, atleast buy one or two actual Cd's

my collection is split up about 50/50. and a lot of the stuff i have on pc i have an original copy of. normally i'd be all over downloading and not spending my money on so much cd's, but since one of my best friends runs an ebay business selling metal cd's i get great deals on some really rare stuff.