If you want to get Jennifer Lopez's new album, Brave, you have several options. You can purchase the CD, you can download it legally from iTunes, you can download it illegally from a shady torrent site, or you can purchase a wood USB flash drive for $70.
Wait, does something not sound right about that last option? I assure you, this is no joke, J. Lo's new album is available on a wood USB drive, and it costs $70. In fairness, the flash drive can also be worn as a necklace or hollowed out and used to store weed.
It's pretty obvious what's going on here. Album sales are declining at a record pace, but fans still feel a strong loyalty to their favorite artists. So, in order to recoup losses from declining album sales, some record labels have decided to take advantage of fans' strong loyalties. You can file-share or burn a CD, but you can't reproduce a USB stick. And since you're a true fan, you have to go buy one, right? This is the same reason people are still promoting vinyl, even though no one has purchased a record player in 20 years.
So yeah, I understand the logic here. But seventy bucks? These labels must think the general public is stupid.
Wait, what's that? We are stupid? Oh, alright then, carry on. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a Pearl Jam USB stick for $350, I have to go buy it to make my friends jealous.
