How Not To Treat Customers

As I was working on the previous post, I spent some time on Amazon checking out the comments on the new Dave Matthews Band record, Stand Up.

Normally you'd find about six or seven comments, all talking about the music.

In this case, most of the reviews are about the DRM system on the CD, not the music.

The music reviews are pretty bad too.

I don't agree with the music reviews, I think its a good album, maybe not their best, but we have it in heavy rotation and like it a lot.

So I wonder if the fact that Dave Matthews put out a CD that you can't rip music off of, you can't get onto your iPod, and insults the fan base with its obnoxious digital rights management system has anything to do with the bad reviews.

Hard to say, but it sure doesn't help.

I really have to wonder who is advising Dave Matthews on this stuff.  He has a rabid fan base, the kind that the Greatful Dead had. And yet he is adopting bad practices on the digital side.  He puts DRM on his CDs.  And his music isn't widely available on digital music services like Rhapsody.

Someone should have a talk with him about this stuff.

UPDATE: As usual, a reader says it better.  I may not be able to automatically move comments up to the front page, but I can do it manually.  So here is Dan's take on this issue.  This is what the music business doesn't understand but they will someday.

It really was distrubing for me, a long time Dave Matthews fan, to hear that his cd was locked down with some DRM. The music industry still believes that they can "force" people to do it their way, instead of giving people what they want. I don't want a music on a cd, I want it on my ipod. If I can't do that, I'm not a happy customer. A friend who purchased the CD before me, told me "not to bother," because he couldn't get it on his ipod. He told me to just download it off limewire instead, where not only it was FREE, but it also worked with all mp3 players. So here is a case where the free version wins, because not only is the cost great but it is so much more convenient. I would've gladly paid for the CD, but someone trying to control what I do with my music just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
The moral of the story: Not only did the DRM prevent or annoy paying customers, but it also was unable to stop someone from ripping the CD anyway and sticking it on limewire.

Comments

[Charles Smith]

Blame it on the Lillywhite Sessions, the band's album that was released on the net before it was finished. The core fan base is furious about this- many of them spend $100's each year and they now have to learn about DRM. That the band's popularity soared due to their extremely friendly live show taping and distribution policy adds to the discontent.

[David]

The music industry is so full of crap in that they pound their chest about all the money they "loose" because of the sharing when in reality their revenues typically increase when people get to sample music and then go buy it. Every time the industry has had it's way with any sort of technology that COULD be used for duplication, they've messed it up. Ironically, if the industry had it's way, they would suffer from tremendous losses in revenue, but apparently they don't understand their own model very well.

I say we encourage them to DRM all their CD's, etc. and let the listening public (ie. the customer who pays the bills) show them a little reality.

[Dan]

It really was distrubing for me, a long time Dave Matthews fan, to hear that his cd was locked down with some DRM. The music industry still believes that they can "force" people to do it their way, instead of giving people what they want. I don't want a music on a cd, I want it on my ipod. If I can't do that, I'm not a happy customer. A friend who purchased the CD before me, told me "not to bother," because he couldn't get it on his ipod. He told me to just download it off limewire instead, where not only it was FREE, but it also worked with all mp3 players. So here is a case where the free version wins, because not only is the cost great but it is so much more convenient. I would've gladly paid for the CD, but someone trying to control what I do with my music just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
The moral of the story: Not only did the DRM prevent or annoy paying customers, but it also was unable to stop someone from ripping the CD anyway and sticking it on limewire.

[Dave!]

Actually, it is interesting, since I distinctly remember seeing an interview with Matthews (Charlie Rose?) around the time of Metallica going ape**** over MP3s, during which he basically said the music industry needed to get over it and let fans have access to the music they want their way. Personally, I find his music is mostly derivative and mediocre, but I always liked him for that interview. Now, perhaps, not so much.

[jackson]

Kudos to Dave for locking his shit down, now all the theives out there have to develop new software to rape him. I'm no fan of Dave's music, but I respect him for quietly (yes that's you Lars) putting an end (for the time being) to the rampant criminal behavior that people seem to think is their god given right. YAY!

[Tom Powell]

Not sure if this makes it any better, but it appears the the dual sided version (DVD and CD) rips just fine. I'm listening to it on my iPod right now...

[Mike Orren]

This happened with the last Ben Harper disc, and the label wound up exchanging early copies for ones without the DRM.

FWIW, the DMB site has Ipod download instructions. Funny that there's not a hint of irony in the "Burn the disc, save to Windows, Burn another disk, Make MP3" instructions.

javascript:window.open('studioannouncepopup/IPodDirections.asp','jav','width=538,height=848,resizable=yes')

[Pamela]

By contrast, my customer experience was very different. I bought the album this weekend on the iTunes Music Store and was pleased to see there was a bonus .PDF and video that came along with the download. I honestly can't say I've burned it to CD, put it on my iPod, or even watched the video yet, but it's interesting how an artist who, in one medium, seems to have a disdain for digital users can, in another medium, seem to be treating them quite well, indeed.

P.S. Loved "Dreamgirl" too.

[Scott]

The plot thickens with "Stand Up." I had a similar issue with that cd myself. You can find my account of the issue at the provided url.

http://scottramsey.blogspot.com/2005/05/dual-disc-technology-and-dave-matthews.html

[Matt]

I had a similarly bad experience with the DRM, in that it rebooted my computer:

http://photomatt.net/2005/05/13/dave-matthews-stand-up/

Incidentally, the blog post about that is now number one on Google for the CD.

[Malaika Martin]

Sometimes, I learn a lot on blind dates, even if I don't end up with a boyfriend after it all.

Once, I went on a date with a music entrepreneur - artist development or something like that. Flew back and forth between NYC and LA.

I bounced an idea for a business I had a long time ago that still percolates in my head but don't do anything with for lack of resources and questions of feasibility.

My date said this: the labels have had complete control over the business for decades, deciding how things will be distributed. With the rise of mp3s, the labels are losing control and they know it. This is why they fight like hell against downloaders. He told me how Steve Jobs had to bang on doors and get in people's faces when he was setting up iTunes to convince labels to let people download music from iTunes for $.99 per song.

Basically, the major labels are arrogant and are operating on an outdated business model. They think that with their wealth and might they can keep the status quo ante in place.

I suggested going straight to the artists. He said the artists have clauses in their contracts not allowing them to have their music distributed by others (including for pay music sites).

The only solution would be to get the artists before they sign with a major label. Theoretically, with some great artists, some savvy tech guys and a new and different business model for the music trading site, one could create a service that would revolutionize the industry and bring the arrogant dinosaurs down once and for all.