Multimedia changed my life

Six years ago, when I discovered a song on the radio, I ran to the records shop next to my home and I listenned to the whole album. If I liked it, I bought it.

Five years ago, when I wanted to listen to music, I chose a CD and I put it in my old hi-fi system.

It seems like an eternity.

Today, my habits have completely changed, especially concerning music consumption. New technologies such as MP3 players and the internet have led to the dematerialization of music.

When I hear a song I like, I listen to the artist's album in streaming on websites such as Deezer, Jiwa. What is interesting is also that the internet encourages people to be curious by using the multimedia aspect of new technologies. Not only you can listen to music but you can watch videos and read what people's comments about them. We all know the unopposed leader YouTube, whom videos can be exported on external websites (blogs for instance).

Music websites were developed as places where you can listen to music, watch videos, look at pictures, read official biographies and users' comments. The music website Last.fm is a good example of the concentration of possibilities offered by new technologies. For instance, on Radiohead's Last.fm profile, there is a short biography of the band, a selection of "top tracks" that you can listen to if you are signed in, but also videos - concerts and videoclips -, web-users' comments (in the so-called "ShoutBox"), photographs, links to similar artists' profiles, list of the upcoming events... Last.fm gives the users the opportunity to buy artists' music by redirecting them on selling platforms such as Amazon, 7digital, iTunes, etc.

The internet triggered a big change in music consumption by offering a wide range of possibilities.

I think I've become a geek.