Are digital music stores serving a purpose?

Several years ago before the digital era, artists could make great numbers selling their music physically. Music was only accessible through a physical sale of the copy of the mixtape/album/vinyl. That made it more even meaningful to collectors and music lovers. Getting that copy in your hands was more gratifying as it was rare. You would be the first to play it, critique and floss about it.

Do you remember that first hardcopy you held in your hand? Maybe it was Swatta Kamps’ “Khut and Joyn” or Hidden Forces’ “Takeover” or POC or HHP.

Today it’s much more convenient to just click on your PC/Laptop and smart phone to access all the music you need. You don’t even have to go anywhere; you can even do it on the move.

But does this mean the fans are buying music or they just have easy access to it? Are digital music stores serving a purpose to the general South Africa rapper?

Khuli Chana, Blaklez, Reason, Zakwe, Kwesta, Ifani, L-Tido, Ginger, AKA and more dropped their projects and listed them up on iTunes for sale but numbers are a struggle still. Zakwes’ recent milestone set the bar, but it’s only been him. There hasn’t really been a wave in the culture on the topic of sales.

Does the general supporter have what iTunes requires when making a purchase? Should rappers stick to physical music stores and backpack selling and leave the digital world?

If a rapper releases an album on iTunes and they then give out the first single for free, have it played on several radio stations, get several spins for the music video and have frequent performances. Does the fan still need to buy it on the internet? Because, when it’s hot it’s going be everywhere, Yfm will play it 5 times a day. The fans might want it but there’s no pressure to buy music now. Rappers are now dropping free singles faster than the next open letter will.

iTunes could be serving its purpose, but maybe not as much as time vested in hardcopies could by an artist. If its purpose is to close a gap between buyer and seller or the gap between demand and supply, then sales would confirm this but they not. Most rappers are probably selling more hardcopies than digital.

There are several means of getting music out to the public.  Some rappers might just have to realize that it’s not for them and push harder where they’ll get paid up because, if you are no Khuli Chana and your fan base does not pour outside the country, then it’s not an emergency. Your disk will be gotten at a music store or your next show.

For an artist, a portion of your project goes to the media, and then another portion goes to the  consumer that “wins” your album, then another is for promotional purposes, then a loss is made through the sharers (Bluetooth, ripping, burning, copying), and then the haters that won’t buy and passive supporters. Who is then left to go online and buy your album? Is your target market that advanced? Fans twipic hardcopies after they buy. They attend signing sessions to buy and they attend shows to buy. It feels realer when it’s tangible.

Do you think we should adjust, accept and embrace the digital sales era or should we just chill it out for now? Maybe I’m just hardening up to change, or not too techno advanced or one of the nostalgic bunch, but I still prefer getting my hardcopy disk and stacking it up with the rest of my stash.