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Sub Pop Invents the "mp3" - L Swain

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R Buckminster Fuller once said, “I just invent, then wait until man comes around to needing what I’ve invented,” and this would be wholly unremarkable but for the fact that Harry D. Hudson, Sub Pop’s Master of Technolo-something, said nearly this same thing to me about a new product that he is now prepared to offer for sale exclusively on this very website. What is this mysterious invention that will revolutionize the world as we know it? What ungodly creation has Dr. Hudson and the somewhat evil-seeming Professor Fletcher brought to life in their old-timey laboratory? They’re called mp3s! “Mp3” apparently stands for “music product 3”: a mysterious, invisible computer thingy which can be made to produce sounds not unlike music. It is just this sort of devotion to innovative, cutting edge technology that has made Sub Pop Records the unwitting industry leader it is today. Take that, everyone else—Sub Pop has invented the mp3! And now, we’d like to sell some of these things to you.

Since this program is in its infancy we have only a very limited number of mp3s available at this time, and we’re only offering full album downloads. We’re no dummies so we went ahead and mp3’d the big guns—all the Shins albums, the Postal Service, Flight of the Conchords, the new Band of Horses and new Iron and Wine albums are all available as downloadable zip files containing 192k mp3s and high quality cover art for $9.90 per album, except for the FOC ep which is a mere $5.94. We will be adding to this list just as soon as we’re able. This is the future—bask in its glory before someone steals our idea. Oh also, please email Dean at webmaster@subpop.com with questions, concerns, or failures.

Tue, October 23, 2007, 4:16 PM | 11 CommentsComment TWEETtweet | SHAREtweet

COMMENTS

Just a thought

Maybe you should consider offering MP3 of some of the 7" singles that sell for absurd amounts of money on eBay…Ugly Casanova & Iron & Wine singles club being the main two. The collectors can still have their little fetish piece and the music lovers can afford the music…just a thought

by mbniceguy @ November 3, 2007, 10:20 AM

That's the idea

Yep – that’s a good idea and we’re working on it. We’d like to make available as much of our entire catalog as we can. Thanks!

by chrisj @ November 6, 2007, 10:23 AM

Will LP's still include MP3 dowload code?

Just wondering if you will continue to supply free MP3 dowloads with vinyl LP purchases? I absolutely love this idea and it has allowed me to get some of my favorite new music (Low and Iron & Wine) on vinyl and still be able to easily carry it with me on my mp3 player. Please don’t kill this option. I will be sad. Thanks.

by firewhale @ November 15, 2007, 11:57 AM

Yeppers

We have no plans to stop doing the mp3 coupons on all the vinyl that we can. Please don’t get sad!

by Stu @ November 15, 2007, 4:42 PM

higher quality?

I know you just invented it and all, but maybe you could offer higher quality (256 or 320) for a those of us wanting it?

by jaredean @ November 24, 2007, 2:23 AM

HQ +1

Yes, please. Higher Quality
+1

To me, $10 is a lot (see: too a lot) unless I’m getting FLAC (or similar). My $.02 is that there should be something between ‘economy’ (192k CBR MP3) and ‘super-deluxe’ (physical CD). Perhaps one day I’ll be able to PAY for the lossless music that I download. . . ?

by fenderbender @ March 15, 2008, 5:02 PM

Out of sorts

I can no longer sort by anything other than album title. Is it a personal problem?

by macchiaroni @ March 25, 2008, 4:11 AM

Serenity now...

How about you tell the poor sods from Australia trying to buy mp3s to piss off before they fill in your crummy sign up form (which annoyingly includes the address to ship the bits to and a phone number so you can call and tell us in person to piss off?).

It’s really bloody frustrating, when you’re trying to pay the artists for their good work, that, no, you’ve got to download it off bittorrent for free.

But I want to pay!

(Notice how I didn’t say “fuck” once in this comment? Restrained – that’s me)

by vague @ April 2, 2008, 7:32 PM

Vinyl

I am just happy to know that vinyl records are still being pressed. I have a definite partiality to analogue audio. At the same time though, I do have one of the now ubiquitous portable digital music players and would not mind having higher quality audio in digital format.

by jnmara @ April 9, 2008, 8:23 AM

The Scientists 'Absolute' ???

I was stoked to discover that this long unavailable gem of an album was now available on your label but despite searching the artist list on this site ..I failed to find it there.
Where can I get hold of this most incredible album That captured the heavy ‘grunge’ sound some 10 years prior and in good old OZ !

by jef @ January 26, 2010, 6:53 PM

That'll be two copies then

I agree with Jeff and I want to get it too. Someone nicked my copy years ago. I used to roadie for them for nothing when they were in London, because they were such an ace band, and they never wore off strides. The Scientists are what Brian Jones became after he was murdered..
Jos Grain

by nosferatu_d2 @ February 6, 2010, 2:55 PM
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