Job Bon Jovi has lashed out at digital music culture and, more specifically, Apple CEO Steve Jobs for "killing the music business".
We recently reported on signs that the option to buy legal single downloads could be impacting US music revenue in this article, but Bon Jovi has a more sentimental observation.
His bone is with the pick n’ mix culture of being able to download single tracks rather than discover a full album as part of a musical adventure, a process many music fans will have fond memories of.
"Kids today have missed the whole experience of putting the headphones on, turning it up to ten, holding the jacket, closing their eyes and getting lost in an album," he elaborated to the Sunday Times, "and the beauty of taking your allowance money and making a decision based on the jacket, not knowing what the record sounded like, and looking at a couple of still pictures and imagining it. God, it was a magical, magical time.
"I hate to sound like an old man now, but I am, and you mark my words, in a generation from now people are going to say: ‘What happened?’ Steve Jobs is personally responsible for killing the music business".
Thanks to CMU for the report.
Do you agree? Are we better off for the modern convenience and portability of digital music stores, or will current and future generations miss out on the magic of discovery? Share your thoughts in the comments.