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hold is appreciable. Because of their MP3
compression format, it can hold much
more music data than a CD. This means
that even the more inexpensive portable
MP3 player can carry around 4 hours
worth of music.
But this new technology did not take over
and replace the existing delivery methods
that came before it. While some people
argue that the CD has already been re-
placed by the MP3, music stores want
you to think otherwise. Consumers can
add additional songs to their MP3 play-
ers, as well as transfer pre-loaded songs
from their computer to these players.
However, MP3 players are still quite a bit
pricier than a single CD or downloading
individual songs. And true fans and au-
diophiles alike will end up purchasing a
CD over an MP3 due to their tangibility
and audio quality.
The MP3 player opened up doors for
services such as Napster and
iTunes. To this day they re-
main the most recognized
brands in fee-based down-
loading. Both services pride
themselves on having the
highest usage levels among all
online music services. Each
company has found their own
niche among their target mar-
ket. Despite the dominance
by both companies, down-
loader's are aware of the
wide variety of digital music
services and only nuanced
brand differentiation among
them. These other services,
which are used by the same
audience, include Rhapsody,
Yahoo! Music, Wal-Mart and
Isohunt. This is a challenge
because both want strong
name recognition. It is hard
to decipher who has trans-
lated into perception of lead-
ership within the fee-based
digital music community.
While consumers are most
likely to be aware of Napster
and iTunes, other fee-based
services are indeed benefiting
from the mainstream growth
in digital music and iPod in
particular, and will remain
viable options for consumers
seeking fee-based online mu-
sic outlets moving forward.
Although iTunes and Napster
continue to hold unique and
distinct advantage in terms of
awareness and usage, there is
still an opportunity for com-
petitors to emerge and be
successful in the digital music market. It
will be critical to distinguish themselves
from the other players, possibly through
mobile marketing. By focusing on service
elements and enhancements that are cur-
rently not offered by other well-known
websites, this will put them a set ahead of
the competition. By offering special deals
and keeping their consumers up-to-date
via their mobile devices, they will attract
potentially more loyal segments of digital
music users who are interested in more
specialized niche features than just the core
functionality.
The world of today is quite different than
that of yesteryear. But it helped mold
and shape what we all know and use at
the present time. It is a world of constant
technological innovations, where our cul-
ture is created by creative advertisements.
Information is vast and accessible with the
click of a button. Media helps drive our
economy, provides entertainment and
supplies access to information. It plays an
important role in our daily lives and is in-
fluential in the choices made in whatever
we do or buy.
Media Delivery Methods
continued
looked up different things in Ta-
coma, there was a big bridge that
went over there, and they knew
about the big bridge. They could
hold a conversation with some-
one who just visited Tacoma any-
way.
They had a showcase night on
Thursday nights. The first time I
ever saw Dracula Jones was on a
showcase night on a Thursday. I
think you guys (Born Again Sav-
ages) might have even played
there on a showcase night the
first couple times. We saw a lot
of Syracuse bands that ended up
being popular Syracuse bands. I
don't know how many bands
from Syracuse actually went on
to do much of anything, but I saw
a lot of really cool bands there on
Thursdays. The Ben Wah Boys
were always a staple around one
o'clock in the morning they would
get out there and pump out all
of these cover songs. They were
just really amusing. They were a
lot of fun. We used to mosh pit
all by ourselves. Before I met my
wife her and her friends actually
moshed around the pit like me
and my buddy used to. At first
it was like one of them, and then
2 of them and then 4 of them. I
knew they were doing that for us.
It was pretty funny.
As we wrap up this installment,
we have learned that The Lost
Horizon has led many bands to
fame and fortune, and brought
people together for a lifetime.
Not too many music clubs can
claim that.
The next (and final) installment
will be interviews with promoter
Stacy Waterman of DMR Book-
ing and Bryan Edwards, former
manager of The Lost Horizon.
Until then, as always, keep your
heads up and keep Rocking!
Lost Horizon
continued