about/contact
Digital Audio Insider is David Harrell's blog about the economics of music and other digital content. I write from
the perspective of a musican who has self-released four albums with the indie rock band the Layaways.
My
personal website has links to my LinkedIn and Google+ pages and you can send e-mail to david [at] thelayaways [dot] com.
Support
If you enjoy this site, please consider downloading a Layaways track or album from iTunes,
Amazon MP3, Bandcamp, or eMusic.
CDs are available from CD Baby and Amazon.
Earlier this year, Berry Ritholtz argued -- based on some info from an industry insider -- that the $9.99 iTunes album price was helping to drive down the price of physical CDs at Amazon.com and other retailers. But I'm starting to wonder if the reverse will happen -- that cheap CD prices at Amazon will result in downward pressure on the iTunes album price, at least for older catalog material.
Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Amazon touting its latest music promotion: 899 CDs priced at $8.99. While I'm not about to look up iTunes prices for all 899, I did a quick check of the 24 albums on the Amazon.com landing page for this promotion and found that of the 19 albums that are available at iTunes (no AC-DC, minimal Bob Seger!), only two of them are less expensive as downloads. The $8.99 CD price is cheaper for all the others.
"The Layaways make fine indie pop. Hushed vocals interweave with understated buzzing guitars. The whole LP is a revelation from the start." -- Lost Music
"Catchy Guided by Voices-like rockers who lay it on sweetly and sincerely, just like Lionel Richie." -- WRUV Radio
"These are songs that you want to take home with you, curl up with, hold them close -- and pray that they are still with you when you wake up." -- The Big Takeover