Joseph Hwang
* The statistics cited in this article are from the "2023 Music Industry White Paper" published by the Korea Creative Content Agency, part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea.
The desirable human instinct to listen to and enjoy music and the need to own it are two different things. If you like it, you want to own it, but that's not enough to explain the instinct to own. The statistics from the K-pop usage survey clearly show this.
1. Electronic vs. Physical Possession
With the development of digital music, recorded music can be stored as a combination of electronic signals and transmitted over long distances without losing the quality of the original. The purpose of recorded music is to provide high-quality reproduction and convenient distribution for mass production and consumption. The current ability to listen to music using only electronic signals enough serves this purpose, but something is omitted: the ability to memorialize the fans' love for an artist. The possession of music records fulfills this function.
Why do people feel affection for an artist and want to own a token of that affection? The answer is human nature to express and act on those feelings, but that's not enough.
Even before the advent of digital music, people experienced and enjoyed music through broadcasts and performances. However, of all the music experienced, far less is purchased and owned. No matter how much music you like and appreciate, buying and keeping a record by a particular artist seems completely different.
Despite the prevalence of digital music, there remains a discernible difference between streaming music from a service and downloading and storing the music file on one's mobile device. These are two distinct behavioral patterns. Primarily, individuals gravitate towards artists who express music that resonates with them emotionally and intellectually. However, this expression is conveyed through the artist's personality. The same musical composition may evoke disparate emotional responses and possess varying degrees of appeal when performed by different artists, contingent upon the individual artist's distinctive musical expression and personal style. The desire to own music can be attributed to a combination of two factors: the aesthetic appeal of the music itself and the human appeal of the artist who expresses it. The distinction between music listened to and music owned is a clear one in the mind of the listener.
The traditional music listening experience was not predicated on the concept of physical possession; rather, it was a personalized social experience that unfolded through the broadcast and performance. The act of physically owning music entails a process of personalization. If an individual is emotionally affected and drawn to the social aspect of music, they may conditionally consider personalizing it, which could entail purchasing and owning a record. The personalization of music was previously only possible with physical records; however, it is now possible with record data. Nevertheless, the personalized experience of listening to one's favorite music is a unique emotional experience, and people desire to own the physical medium, not merely the music data or to be "connected." This instinct to possess is not exclusive to humans but is also observed in other living animals. The desire for physical possession, as opposed to electronic possession, is a unique privilege for humans in civilized societies.
2. Statistics on the Instinct to Own Music
Even for listeners who utilize downloads and streaming services, there will be individuals who prefer to own physical music. Consumers of K-pop are no exception to this trend, with 37.6% of the sample surveyed indicating that they purchase physical music. The respondents stated, that they had purchased physical music in various formats, including CDs, LPs, DVDs, Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray discs, cassette tapes, and USB albums. Remarkably, the purchase of physical music was more prevalent among individuals in their teenage years and those in their sixties. CDs were the most popular medium, with a 20.5% purchase rate, followed by USB albums (14.2%) and DVDs (8.9%).
In essence, online music services are selling a "bonded right" to listen to music. In contrast, purchasing physical records represents a form of "realization of ownership," whereby the consumers acquire a tangible object that physically serves as a representation caused by their attachment to the music.
The decision-making process for music consumers when purchasing music is often fraught with ambivalence. Consumers must determine whether they prefer to buy the right to listen to the music or to acquire a physical object that they can retain indefinitely for the same cost. Those with greater financial resources may be able to procure a more extensive collection, however, the economic impact of music differs from that of essential daily items directly tied to survival. In this regard, music products can be considered luxury goods.
The most prevalent frequency of physical music purchases is once or twice a year, representing 32% of respondents. An additional 12.5% of respondents purchase music more than twice a month. It is significant to note that the most prevalent point of purchase for physical music is online, rather than in offline retail establishments. This is because there is minimal necessity for musical quality in an offline context. This indicates that physical records can be sold directly to consumers by K-pop artist labels, rather than through established music distribution networks. This purchasing method has the effect of simplifying the music distribution process.
When queried about the rationale behind their decision to purchase physical music, 52.7% of respondents indicated that they sought to acquire a tangible copy, followed by 47.9% who cited their affinity for the artist or the fact that the music was by a preferred artist. This finding indicates that, even in the context of digitally distributed music products, the personality and appeal of the artist remain significant motivators for consumers who purchase physical records.
* References and quotations:
https://welcon.kocca.kr/ko/info/trend/1953646
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