Teens and young adults
embrace new music technology
By Danielle Komis
DAILY Staff Writer
danielle.komis@decaturdaily.com · 340-2447
Digital would have killed the radio star, but video beat it to the punch.
As the popularity of downloading and listening to music digitally has grown, consumers have more power than ever to listen to what they want to hear. At the forefront of the trend are young consumers, while their older counterparts are scrambling to catch up.
Troy Shockley, sales manager at Radio Shack in Hartselle, said he rarely sells CD boomboxes or portable CD players anymore. Big music sellers at his store are iPods, largely because of their name recognition, he said.
"Mainly the younger teenagers want them and send their parents to get them," he said.
iPods fly off shelves year-round, but especially during Christmastime, he said.
iPods and other MP3 players have made it possible for consumers to download high-sound quality tracks, rather than purchase full albums, and share their music with one another quickly, easily and inexpensively.
Radio Shack also offers other MP3 players that are less expensive but not as widely known, as well as satellite radio systems such as Sirius and XM Radio that offer hundreds of commercial-free digital channels, including sports and talk radio.
For 19-year-old Jenia Stephenson of Athens, burning CDs from her friends' downloaded music is her favorite way to get music she likes.
Six percent of music content is ripped from others' CD collections, according to a June survey conducted by Ipsos, a survey-based market research firm.
Stephenson also has the ability to play music on her Motorola phone, which she uses when she's on the go.
"If we go on road trips, it's real good for that," she said.
Parrish Gilliland, 24, of Trinity, said he uses his Ipod at work, so he can listen without disturbing his co-workers.
Nearly one in five Americans over age 12 own portable MP3 players and one in 20 own more than one, according to the Ipsos survey. Those statistics mark a significant increase over the 15 percent ownership levels found in 2005 and nearly double the proportion of owners found in April 2003.
David Ross, publisher and editor of Music Row Publications in Nashville described the digital music trend as a "complete transformation" of the music industry.
The trend kicked off with Napster, the first widely used free peer-to-peer file sharing service that was later shut down for copyright infringement issues. While it was available, myriad university students spent hours downloading music from its Web site.
"It probably has been the second most significant moment in the history in the music industry after the invention of the phonograph," Ross said.
However, the site sparked new debate about intellectual property rights, and the digital industry is still finding its way through some of that turmoil.
"Everything is evolving and we are still looking for the best way to bring the music to the consumer," he said.
The best way to provide the music may be to find a cheaper way, college students said. Many local college students said that some of today's digital technology is just too expensive for them.
Kenneth Pinckley of Madison, a student at Calhoun Community College, still listens to good old-fashioned AM/FM radio in his pickup truck. He's thought about getting an Ipod but just doesn't have the money for one, he said.
Elizabeth Watwood of Cullman also said that not many of her friends have Ipods.
"We know poor folks," she joked. It seems like younger teens usually are the ones who have them, because their parents will pay for them, she said.
Brett Spurlock, 20, of Athens agreed.
"I feel like sometimes I'm just catching up to them (teenagers)," he said.
The least expensive Ipod costs abuot $80, and plays up to 240 songs. The most expensive are about $350, features a color screen and will play up to 20,000 songs along with TV shows and movies.
While she doesn't have an MP3 player, Watwood has a digital radio. She pays about $10 a month for the service, though that was on top of some set-up fees, she said. But it was worth it.
"There's always something on you like," she said.
And having the choice to choose is what the digital music trend is all about, Ross said.
"It's reflective of everything going on in our society," he said. "Consumers want choice."
SIDEBAR- OLDER GENERATION LEFT BEHIND?
Parrish Gilliland's mother has digital radio, but she doesn't fully understand it, he said. Her technology-savvy husband bought it for her.
"She doesn't really know how to work it but she thinks it's cool," he said.
Other young adults said similar things about their parents' attempts with new music technology. Most parents don't even try to understand it, they said.
"I think my dad would like it but he'd be confused," 19-year-old Jenia Stephenson said.
Ross said the confusion among adults about the numerous options available to people through digital music doesn't surprise him. The technology and the shear breadth of the options is often enough to overwhelm and shut out those who didn't grow up with the technology.
"There's no question people are confused," he said. "I guess the younger you are, the less confused you are...Forty-five and over, a lot of them are still trying to figure out what a mouse is."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Most of the time if I buy an album, I'll burn it and save the original."
Michael Watson
23, Ardmore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We have XM radio. There's always something on that you like."
Elizabeth Watwood
21, Cullman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My (MP3) player is an old one. I just figure I'll just use it until it tears up."
Brett Spurlock
20, Athens
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I thought about getting (an iPod) but I don't really know how to use it."
Sheena Powell
21, Athens
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm too poor to buy an iPod right now."
Kelly Canterbury
21, Cullman
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THE DECATUR DAILY
201 1st Ave. SE
P.O. Box 2213
Decatur, Ala. 35609
(256) 353-4612
webmaster@decaturdaily.com
embrace new music technology
By Danielle Komis
DAILY Staff Writer
danielle.komis@decaturdaily.com · 340-2447
Digital would have killed the radio star, but video beat it to the punch.
As the popularity of downloading and listening to music digitally has grown, consumers have more power than ever to listen to what they want to hear. At the forefront of the trend are young consumers, while their older counterparts are scrambling to catch up.
Troy Shockley, sales manager at Radio Shack in Hartselle, said he rarely sells CD boomboxes or portable CD players anymore. Big music sellers at his store are iPods, largely because of their name recognition, he said.
"Mainly the younger teenagers want them and send their parents to get them," he said.
iPods fly off shelves year-round, but especially during Christmastime, he said.
iPods and other MP3 players have made it possible for consumers to download high-sound quality tracks, rather than purchase full albums, and share their music with one another quickly, easily and inexpensively.
Radio Shack also offers other MP3 players that are less expensive but not as widely known, as well as satellite radio systems such as Sirius and XM Radio that offer hundreds of commercial-free digital channels, including sports and talk radio.
For 19-year-old Jenia Stephenson of Athens, burning CDs from her friends' downloaded music is her favorite way to get music she likes.
Six percent of music content is ripped from others' CD collections, according to a June survey conducted by Ipsos, a survey-based market research firm.
Stephenson also has the ability to play music on her Motorola phone, which she uses when she's on the go.
"If we go on road trips, it's real good for that," she said.
Parrish Gilliland, 24, of Trinity, said he uses his Ipod at work, so he can listen without disturbing his co-workers.
Nearly one in five Americans over age 12 own portable MP3 players and one in 20 own more than one, according to the Ipsos survey. Those statistics mark a significant increase over the 15 percent ownership levels found in 2005 and nearly double the proportion of owners found in April 2003.
David Ross, publisher and editor of Music Row Publications in Nashville described the digital music trend as a "complete transformation" of the music industry.
The trend kicked off with Napster, the first widely used free peer-to-peer file sharing service that was later shut down for copyright infringement issues. While it was available, myriad university students spent hours downloading music from its Web site.
"It probably has been the second most significant moment in the history in the music industry after the invention of the phonograph," Ross said.
However, the site sparked new debate about intellectual property rights, and the digital industry is still finding its way through some of that turmoil.
"Everything is evolving and we are still looking for the best way to bring the music to the consumer," he said.
The best way to provide the music may be to find a cheaper way, college students said. Many local college students said that some of today's digital technology is just too expensive for them.
Kenneth Pinckley of Madison, a student at Calhoun Community College, still listens to good old-fashioned AM/FM radio in his pickup truck. He's thought about getting an Ipod but just doesn't have the money for one, he said.
Elizabeth Watwood of Cullman also said that not many of her friends have Ipods.
"We know poor folks," she joked. It seems like younger teens usually are the ones who have them, because their parents will pay for them, she said.
Brett Spurlock, 20, of Athens agreed.
"I feel like sometimes I'm just catching up to them (teenagers)," he said.
The least expensive Ipod costs abuot $80, and plays up to 240 songs. The most expensive are about $350, features a color screen and will play up to 20,000 songs along with TV shows and movies.
While she doesn't have an MP3 player, Watwood has a digital radio. She pays about $10 a month for the service, though that was on top of some set-up fees, she said. But it was worth it.
"There's always something on you like," she said.
And having the choice to choose is what the digital music trend is all about, Ross said.
"It's reflective of everything going on in our society," he said. "Consumers want choice."
SIDEBAR- OLDER GENERATION LEFT BEHIND?
Parrish Gilliland's mother has digital radio, but she doesn't fully understand it, he said. Her technology-savvy husband bought it for her.
"She doesn't really know how to work it but she thinks it's cool," he said.
Other young adults said similar things about their parents' attempts with new music technology. Most parents don't even try to understand it, they said.
"I think my dad would like it but he'd be confused," 19-year-old Jenia Stephenson said.
Ross said the confusion among adults about the numerous options available to people through digital music doesn't surprise him. The technology and the shear breadth of the options is often enough to overwhelm and shut out those who didn't grow up with the technology.
"There's no question people are confused," he said. "I guess the younger you are, the less confused you are...Forty-five and over, a lot of them are still trying to figure out what a mouse is."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Most of the time if I buy an album, I'll burn it and save the original."
Michael Watson
23, Ardmore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We have XM radio. There's always something on that you like."
Elizabeth Watwood
21, Cullman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My (MP3) player is an old one. I just figure I'll just use it until it tears up."
Brett Spurlock
20, Athens
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I thought about getting (an iPod) but I don't really know how to use it."
Sheena Powell
21, Athens
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm too poor to buy an iPod right now."
Kelly Canterbury
21, Cullman
Subscribe for only 33¢ a day!
Leave feedback
on this or
another
story.
Email This Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE DECATUR DAILY
201 1st Ave. SE
P.O. Box 2213
Decatur, Ala. 35609
(256) 353-4612
webmaster@decaturdaily.com
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