Published: December 29, 2009

It seems physical music recordings are a dying species these days. While vinyl has seen a small comeback over the past few years, it seems that the majority of people who actually buy vinyl are DJs and members of older generations who own record players. Cassettes are almost  extinct and are now only sold in 99-cent stores. CD sales have drastically fallen since the introduction of iTunes and iPods in 2001.

Despite the trouble in the industry, there are still many ways to discover and get hold of new music. Record labels and musicians have come up with new means of drawing people in. New products and Web sites give fans a broader opportunity to find old favorites and new findings.

By far, the most unique and unexpected way to obtain music is through video games. Games such as “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” are fun on their own, but they also allow gamers to purchase the music that they play through the games’ online music stores.

Musical acts and record companies both benefit from this new form of exposure. For example, when The Who released a dozen greatest hits to the “Rock Band” store back in July 2008, their album sales increased over 150 percent. Artists such as Weezer, Van Halen and Guns N’ Roses have all profited from such publicity.

The games also make it easier for acts to sell their catalogs through the games. “Guitar Hero” released a game solely devoted to Aerosmith, and the band’s catalog sales saw a 40 percent increase after the game was released. Similarly, the creators of “Rock Band” announced a Beatles-themed game to be released for the 2009 holiday season.

The Web is another great outlet for exchange of music. While mix tapes have been disappearing in real life, the art and concept have been reborn on the Internet. Some Web sites have adopted the practice and allow users to create their own mixes that they can share with the world. Internet mixing exploded in late March 2008 when Muxtape was introduced. Users had the opportunity to upload up to twelve songs to their original “tapes,” and then they could share and exchange their mixes with other users. Unfortunately, due to Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) violations, the Web site had to be reconfigured in August 2008. Currently, the site is now preparing to re-launch, becoming a nesting ground for new, independent artists to upload and share their music with the masses. Fans will be able to download content for free and get in touch with bands more easily than before.

Another Web site, called Favtape, launched shortly after Muxtape’s  shutdown. Though it has many similarities to the original Muxtape Web site, Favtape has still distinguished itself as its own. Instead of uploading songs to create a mix, all one has to do to compile songs is search for MP3s via SeeqPod (a playable online search engine), iTunes, Pandora or Last.fm and add them to one’s compilation. After creating an ideal mix, users can share their creations via e-mail, Facebook or Twitter.

The past few years have introduced an abundance of ways to distribute music to the public. Sharing and listening to music has entered a new era, in which convenience thrives and people want their music quickly. Of course, local record and music stores should always be supported, since they are good venues by which to support local musicians. For those imagining the future of music distribution, though, the newest alternatives are extremely innovative.