Aggregating

I mentioned in another entry somewhere that the online music services really want you to buy more than one $0.99 tune because otherwise the credit card fees kill all chance of profit.

Sony recently had a promotion - get a $9.99 album for $0.99 from the Sony Connect Music Store. Since I have a MiniDisc player this seemed like a fine thing to try.

Every album I tried to get said, "Purchase by individual tracks only."

Finally I found a hidden gem that I never would have known about, which is an old album by Dick Hyman, which he made himself, by setting a cassette recorder on top of the piano while he played. It's called "Dick Hyman: An Evening at the Cookery 1973." I like Dick Hyman so I bought it.

It was at least three days before Sony charged my credit card. Talk about wishful thinking! Of course, the purpose of the promotion was to get me in a buying mood but it didn't work. They waited three days, hoping against hope that I wouldn't hit them with a $0.99 credit card charge.

Didn't work, though. I only bought the one thing.

There is something wonderful about listening to an old LP originally made in 1973 from a cassette recorder, republished digitally, transmitted over the internet, and compressed in Sony Atrac format, and played back in a format (Sony MiniDisc) that is very rare in the US.

© 2005 Stephen Clarke-Willson - All Rights Reserved.