Amazon Makes it More Difficult

[archetype]

I like to buy and listen to CDs and LPs. I buy some through Amazon. I buy directly from Artists and Labels when I can. For example, I’ve bought many Wire albums from the Wire store online, but I can’t buy Asia’s old Alpha album from Asia directly, so I buy a used copy from Amazon. It is fun to order from SST and Domino and Cherry Red and other labels too.

When I do buy new from Amazon it adds the albums to my Amazon Music. I can stream entire albums I’ve purchased at work commercial free. This has been a valuable thing to me.

Amazon has recently decided I can’t listen to my purchased albums in any order besides Shuffle (Shuffle is default now). For albums I've bought this somehow means the original sequence, and the album playback starts over if I pick any song besides the first one. This is to say I can no longer choose individual songs from albums I have purchased, or listen to them in any order I wish unless I pay to upgrade to Unlimited service. They want me to pay again to fully access what I have already own, and I must add that I've paid for Prime as well.

The services have been limited, and because I prefer an older model of music ownership they've put the most basic level of control behind a pay wall.

Amazon has also changed the search function for music. I used to be able to click on a band name in a CD or LP listing and it would take me to a page where I could browse all the band’s CDs and LPs. Now I am unavoidably dumped directly into the Amazon Music streaming/download page. This search service for physical media has been limited/eliminated.

I’m nearly certain consumer preference and service have nothing to do with these changes. These changes certainly do not provide greater service and/or value to me. I imagine none of this would matter if you consume music in a non-LP format, and only buy music online one song at a time. I suspect the changes are intended to change my behavior and move me farther from actual ownership and purchase of physical media, to a rental/subscription long-term revenue model.

The number of people still buying physical media is smaller than those buying downloads, sure, I get that...but do you agree that these changes are about changing my behavior and preferences towards selling me downloads and recurring charges to access them, not about providing better service or more choice?

I was browsing the books in a Goodwill, yesterday, and a mom with her 2-year old was browsing the CDs next to me. The mom was explaining everything to her little girl. "I'm getting these CDs because mommy wants to own her music, now."

 

[oldunc]

I almost never use the service anyway- why listen to an inferior sounding format when I own the CD?

 

[THX1123]

I almost never use the service anyway- why listen to an inferior sounding format when I own the CD?

Because I am at my desk at work?

 

[Guitarzan]

Amazon has recently decided I can’t listen to my purchased albums in any order besides Shuffle (Shuffle is default now). For albums I've bought this somehow means the original sequence, and the album playback starts over if I pick any song besides the first one. This is to say I can no longer choose individual songs from albums I have purchased, or listen to them in any order I wish unless I pay to upgrade to Unlimited service. They want me to pay again to fully access what I have already own, and I must add that I've paid for Prime as well.

The services have been limited, and because I prefer an older model of music ownership they've put the most basic level of control behind a pay wall.

I believe Amazon snuck in the policy change and change in the Amazon Music app around the first of December. It was not a great UI prior to that and that broad Alexa cannot understand plain, southern English. But this version is worse.

I am curious it the change came about due to a new round of negotiations and contracts with record labels and publishers or just plain financial issues Amazon is facing [as has been facing since the end of increased shopping from home].

I cannot say, "Alex, play music by Gethen Jenkins" or "Alexa, play Cajon Pass by Gethen Jenkins" [or whatever artist or song] and get the songs played anymore. Instead, the UI says it will play similar music and sometimes it is that song but most times it is not.

I too still buy CD's. I also cannot figure out a way to play any of the songs from my library as I once could. As a result, I have substantially curtailed my use of the app and have been listening to more podcasts [not on Amazon's system] during drivetime and any downtime at home.

 

[oldunc]

Because I am at my desk at work?

I suppose it depends how you feel about the music. I would seldom invest in a cd that doesn't deserve to be listened to properly. Can't really see sitting at a desk doing something that I didn't need to concentrate on either, but jobs today, I don't know, I honestly don't have a clue what most people do for a living anymore. It doesn't seem to involve a lot of interaction with reality.