As a longtime fan of music and someone who spent tens of thousands of dollars purchasing records, tapes and CDs, I was thrilled when music went digital. No longer did I have to make a trip weekly to the record store to search for new releases. I could simply log in on Tuesday and listen to the new releases from the comfort of my home and purchase the songs instantly that I wanted. Recently I have become frustrated with the inability to purchase new releases from other countries. I tend to look to the British charts for music, trying to find songs not heard on the radio here, only to find I am unable to purchase them. For example, the current Loick Essien single is unavailable in the US. Last year, The Script released their current album in the UK six months prior to it’s release in the US. And next month, James Morrison will release his third album in the UK. Currently, there is no US release date. I know this seems trivial, but for the fan always looking for the newest music, this is beyond frustrating.
In the old days of the music business, albums from other countries were listed as “imports” and cost two to three times the cost of a normal CD. They were difficult to find, especially as a new release. Often artists in other countries, like the UK, release albums months in advance of their US release. Typically it allows for marketing. Also, artists agree to distribution of their music in the home country of their record label, limiting the rights of the label. Many times, they seek distribution in other countries with other labels. Itunes and other retailers actually have separate stores for consumers, depending on what country you log in from. All of this seems ridiculous in a digital age. Why not make the music accessible to everyone at the same time. Why can’t labels sign artists to worldwide distribution? Independent artists typically release their music worldwide and are paid by Itunes for each country that purchases tracks. It shouldn’t be that difficult for major labels to do the same. It’s time the entire industry embraces the technology, and allows music to be available worldwide at the same time.