The Worst Thing to Happen to Music.

Between my bouts of bending backwards and not, I realized that someday, a person might come across that statement, try to translate it, and then be confused out of their mind. But, music also just happens to happen, and it is easier for more people to discuss.  When iTunes was first released in 2001, people were thinking "Hey, awesome! An alternative to piracy!" But, the thing is that piracy isn't anywhere near as much as a problem as it is made out to be. It is an easier way for the band or musician to get free publicity without needing to put forth any effort. And, as hard as they try, you can't pirate a true live experience. No, no, no. The real problem is that it is now possible to get songs one by one. Quick insight into my mind; all of the songs I've grown to love are because I have either been sent the link by a friend, or heard it on the album and I'm sure I'm not the only one like this. The songs are now seen one by one instead of how they should be seen, as a mural of beauty in sound. Now it's story time again. I've had access to Dark Side of the Moon for the past 17 years and never gave the album (save Money) a listen. It was only after my friend played the entire thing through after I fell asleep that I actually listened. But, now we need to look even further back. All the way back to what is perhaps the greatest medium ever, able to create PVC pipe, blood bags, tape, and records; vinyl. Now, when vinyl was birthed into existence, it swiftly decided to follow the rules of other flat objects and have two sides. As such, artists with any one hit wonder needed to have another song to fill the empty side. The "B side" is an interesting beast, as the songs are either going to be incredibly terrible (more often than not), so terrible that it's awesome, or so incredibly awesome that it is awesome. The truth of the universe is that the greatest things only happen once. So, since B sides were mostly filler, the bands just flung whatever they had left and called it a day. But, these songs were sometimes (always?) done in one or two takes, which means that many mistakes could make it through the final cut, some of which created classic rock's greatest moments. Certain songs which were not even a sparkle in the band's mind when they were writing their one hit have weathered time far better than their A side counterparts. Songs like Louie, Louie (The Kingmen), Tutti Fruitti (Little Richard), and Rock Around the Clock (Bill Haley) were all songs thrown together at the last minute that have since gone on to become classics. And this isn't really asking too much out of the musicians. B sides were BS anyway, and I'm sure that they have a great deal of experience with that assuming they had schooling. I mean, is an extra 40 minutes of work for another song that is put on for free with the hit to much to ask, really?