Vinyl!

Sent by Lee | 3:12 PM ET | 04-16-2008

I like the idea of adding a visual element, although it might be more of a novelty...

For example, for each track playing you could see who was playing with instrument when the instrument played, or who was singing, etc.

Also, I'd love to see more albums come with ProTools files, if they're recorded digitally, because I love to go in and look at the actual sound files. Maybe even do a little remixing...

But as long as I can still buy my albums on vinyl, I'll be happy.

Sent by John Michael Cassetta | 3:22 PM ET | 04-16-2008

I want it to be social. I'm not sure if will be the music format or the interface. Either way it should be open so I'm not confined to iTunes while my friend uses WMP. I would like to see real time visual graphs from play lists, likes, dislikes, moods, tweets.... I agree with the items Bob listed and think Arcade Fire ( http://www.beonlineb.com/click_around.html ) is creating some interesting web content.

Sent by Wayne | 3:37 PM ET | 04-16-2008

It drives me crazy that the lyrics can't be included in the iTunes downloads. I have to use Evil Lyrics or some other software to find/insert lyrics. It's especially annoying when lyrics are part of the digital booklet anyway. If there is a video I don't think you should have to pay extra for what was once promotional material. I like your idea...who plays what for each song. Sometimes I like to hear earlier versions of the song during the recording of the song...I like hearing the creative flow. Also, maybe the individual stems of certain songs like Radiohead just did with the song Nude so people can do remixes! I should also be able to create my own ringtones (biggest ripoff ever). Sheet music, chords, tabs, whatever would be awesome too! And how about a code that would allow me to buy a pair of concert tickets earlier than the general public. Then bands would have their biggest supporters up close at their concerts! Ok...that's a start!

Sent by Dave | 3:58 PM ET | 04-16-2008

But how would it all come together? If I'm playing a song digitally, I don't want the lyrics scrolling as it goes like some kind of karaoke machine (music is not made to be read). Lots of bands added material to CDs about 10 years ago but stopped. All those enhancements did for me was keep my CDs from starting automatically.

Sent by Ann V. | 4:28 PM ET | 04-16-2008

Nice Dave - Love the idea of a code.

Sent by Wayne | 4:31 PM ET | 04-16-2008

Something super-duper multi track, a cross between mp3, midi and good old module files from the days of Amiga and Atari. Then I can find out what samples have been used, de-compile and remix at my own interest and your listener becomes a creator much easier.

Oh, and something designed to work gapless as easily as possible.

Sent by Alex Ingram | 4:53 PM ET | 04-16-2008

I think something that mixes organic AND futureproofness. For instance, perhaps light reads a difficult to destroy surface that mirrors the sound to be listened to. Like a record, but the 21st century version. Or perhaps music would be chemical based, allowing different mixtures and percentages of chemicals to be interpreted as sound.

Sent by Bill Janis at SoundWave360.com | 5:06 PM ET | 04-16-2008

Instead of CDs, we will collect tiny animatronic doll versions of the artists who will preform live for us. You'll purchase them in little plastic capsules for a quarter at the front of the grocery store. The Bono doll will occasionally break out into political diatribes and the Liam Gallagher doll will refuse to play a lot of the time.

With OLED technology getting better I also see concert t-shirts which will play back video of the actual concerts you attend. Goodbye boom box on the shoulder, hello obnoxiously loud t-shirts.

But how can we be talking about such trivial matters when there is no viable jet pack yet. Its the 21st century, and I was promised a jet pack. The only music I care about in the future is the music being pumped through the stereo system of my jet pack.

I love this Mac, thanks for the lighter side :)
bob

Sent by Mac Coldwell | 7:18 PM ET | 04-16-2008

Three dimensional holograms of the bands. Say you want to see The Doors performing live in your living room. A hologram machine projects it onto your own private stage.

Sent by robin | 10:47 PM ET | 04-16-2008

It will be air-based. I can breathe in my collection and it will just play in my head...no ear buds, no flash drives. My mind will shuffle though the collection. I could then walk into a party and exhale and song I want to share. True Airwaves.

Sent by Judd6149 | 7:12 AM ET | 04-17-2008

Perfect format?? Vinyl of course.

Sound, visual, and just cool to have all stacked up. Covenience? Well, you know.

Sent by ZacH | 11:39 AM ET | 04-17-2008

I agree with the whole artwork thing. It's the reason I still prefer to buy actual CDs and then just rip them to my computer instead of downloading a digital album. I miss the liner notes and the packaging and the lyrics booklet and the album art, and all of that!

P.S. I mostly just wanted to say THANK YOU for having Colin Meloy as a guest DJ this week. The Decemberists are my favorite band and I have two weeks left 'til graduation from college and am stressing out 24/7 so this TOTALLY made my week a million times happier!!

bob

Sent by Tamara Vallejos | 3:01 PM ET | 04-17-2008

I'd love a format which can play on any platform! LP, cassette, CD, mp3.... One of the crying shames of "progress" is seeing your lovingly compiled collection of music sliding slowly into obsolete oblivion once a new technology dominates.

Btw, congrats on the ever-magnificent show, Bob. I'm a regular listener over the internet in Dublin, Ireland.

bob

Sent by Carl O'Brien | 8:24 PM ET | 04-17-2008

As far as downloadable music is concerned, I'm not sure how this would work, but for physically distributed music, it's the perfect solution: a pill.
You take a pill and from then on, the music is stored in your brain. Then you can call it up and listen to it without headphones inside your mind. And since the human brain has no max capacity, storage and audio quality would be no issue. Eventually, we'd design audio output jacks on our backs for plugging into speakers (or something more wireless) for jamming with friends. Also, DJ-ing and playlist creation could all be done mentally.
I'll admit this plan has numerous flaws, such as browsing looking for forgotten music consumed long ago, or viewing album art and liner notes, but I seriously think we're underestimating the power of the human brain!

what might the side effects be :) it would give new meaning to having a song stuck in your head. Good imagination and thanks Taylor.
bob

Sent by Taylor C | 11:18 PM ET | 04-17-2008

Personally, I think something physical, like a SD card or something, could work very well. It's still physical, but it's tiny, and it contains either MP3s or some other open-platform digital representation of the music. 1gb per album is PLENTY of space for lots of tracks, hi fidelity, images, videos, whatever, and you could work in some non-sucky copy protection too. Plus, it's a postage stamp, so the art would have to be very clever, but that's fine by me.
Just sayin'.

Sent by kevin r | 12:21 PM ET | 04-18-2008

I'd want the muscians to walk thru my front door and jam on my couch and I would make them righteous PBJ sandwiches and then they would draw a caricature of me with a big head and a little body (maybe I'd be skiing). Then we would share stories around a campfire. While they would treat me to an acoustic set of tunes from an unreleased album of rarities and demos. Yeah!

i'm there!, thanks for the laugh
bob

Sent by ras | 12:31 PM ET | 04-18-2008

The complete musician lineup for each individual track would definitely be a big plus, particularly for us jazz junkies.

Sent by Kaiser Soze | 4:27 PM ET | 04-18-2008

Well, all things considered, I like something I can hold in my hand, take over to my friend's house and show it around and then play it while everyone sits around listening. I begrudgingly accepted CD's but I prefer vinyl. Sooner or later my like will die off and then who knows. Although if Ras' idea comes to fruition I might be swayed

Sent by phil | 8:02 PM ET | 04-18-2008

I want to stream any song from anywhere in 24 bit 192 k glory. All in two extremely high quality earbuds that are only attached to each other, not any kind of machine.I want it to have voice detection so I can tell it to play someone specific or to create a playlist based on a group of artists names. Playlist...John Cage, Bessie Smith, Green Day. Where do I sign up???

Sent by Franklin T. new guitar class starting Apr. 27th bob. | 12:14 AM ET | 04-19-2008

For my zine, about a decade ago, I wrote an article introducing the net. For me the future was/is a 'box' a single portable screen that is all the following: computer, TV, phone, music player/jukebox to all the world's music, book for all the written word in the world, gallery of all the worlds art, radio, etc.
Then at the end, I suggested this entire 'book' devise could probably soon be fitted into screens set in sunglasses! (And powered by solar power of course.)
For me it is an inevitable devise of the not too distant future.

Sent by Tom Hendricks | 10:21 PM ET | 04-20-2008

What I expect and hope from 21st century technology is to get free from the burden of material objects. More bits, less atoms. More sharing with a community, less private property.
So what I imagine is a space in the Internet (say, an improved YouTube Channel) where I keep my music. I access it from a necklace-sized PC which I wear. Its batteries automatically recharge with solar light (they get a lot of energy when I'm on the beach, or mountain-hiking, or cycling on my way to work). To listen, I use earphones or button-sized loudspeakers. When I need it, I extract from my pocket, or my backpack, a big, soft, foldable screen where I can visualize lyrics, info on the tunes, tour dates and news from the band. At the same time I can read/send messages from other people who are interested in that music, that they are free to hear. No download, just a playlist. I agree to pay a subscription fee, which is distributed among the artists I listen to.

And, btw, I'm an affectionate podcast downloader from Italy. I discovered this great station about 6 months ago, and I'm not going to leave you. Great music, calm, wit and a delightful pronunciation (very important for a stranger). I still can't believe I can freely access all your podcasts, archives, playlists.

All my best, Bob! To you and coworkers. You are truly amazing guys.

what a wonderful way to start off the morning. Thank you for your smart ideas and your kind thoughts.

bob

Sent by dalia | 4:10 AM ET | 04-22-2008

For the physical format, how about a credit card encoded with the music. The cards could feature cover art, would be compact and easily stored and still attractive to display.

Sent by Thomas Main | 12:12 PM ET | 04-22-2008

I think we will all have small implants behind each ear, tiny iPods, that store the songs and transmit the sound via skull vibrations. New songs will be uploaded wirelessly and the storage capacity will be unlimited. How will we select songs to play? Hmmm... Cortical implants to transmit thoughts - too Jetsons. Direct retinal projections of the menu - where would the projector reside? A remote screen on a peripheral device - a cellphone or watch. Too Dick Tracy? No, I think the watch will be the controller. Either that or the nipple ring.

Sent by sandman | 4:41 PM ET | 04-22-2008

I want the score!! I'm a cellist and having sheet music of the album so I can be geeky and play with the my stereo would make my heart flutter.

Sent by Jess | 11:35 AM ET | 04-23-2008

THANK YOU for including liner notes and artwork. Part of my reluctance in joining the i-music generation is the fact that I own over 10,000 recordings (mostly CD and then vinyl). Part of the listening experience for me is leafing through the liners and seeing who played, engineered, etc. Without this information, we are just passive consumers, not actively interacting with the music and more importantly the musicians, producers or engineers that bring the music to life.

Sent by Mark | 12:57 PM ET | 04-24-2008

So I've read a slew of ideas here that fall from impractical to tongue in check (I hope) to so far reaching that while the technology will likely arise, the arrival will be so far in the future that it's nearly pointless to speculate on what we'll actually do with the technology given our current perspectives.

Why not take what's around right now and apply it effectively?

We have FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) which offers compressed CD quality audio, typically at around half the data size. A typical CDs worth of audio will take up around 600 MB as raw audio, but can be compressed to around 300 MB while allowing a perfect reconstruction of the original audio. The size reduction is of course reliant on the audio content. Silence compresses to near 0, while noise is nearly uncompressible.
FLAC also supports 1 - 8 channels, 4 - 32 bits per sample, and an insane range of 1 - 1,048,570 Hz sampling rate. CDs are locked at 2 channel, 16 bps, 44.1 kHZ.

There are other codecs: shn, wavpack, ape, etc, but I picked FLAC because it is fully open and documented, in widespread use, and even supported by a wide range of hardware.

As for the artwork we're also covered: by PDFs. You could always go with an even more basic format like PNG or JPEG, but PDFs bring a nice layout structure where images and text can be combined without ballooning file sizes. Higher resolution images can be used to support quality viewing and zooming.

Other features like live lyrics and such aren't currently included with CDs so I've left them out, but a standard could easily be developed which matches a line of displayed lyrics with a time code. This technology already exists for movies as subtitle files (srt, etc).

The synced lyrics are the one addition that I could see as being standardized at this point. Maybe synced artist info as well. Anything else would likely only satisfy a small percentage of the population and is doubtful that it would see quick enough growth to build wide enough demand and probably isn't worth standardizing. Look at DVDs. How many releases have you seen that actually support different viewing angles and branching? Extras such as the identification of who is playing what at any given moment or layers of alternate song versions could be provided as extra data files or even as a proprietary application as many CD extras are today. Of course the raw data would be more useful and future proof.

Unfortunately, I would not be surprised at all to see the record labels be far to protective in releasing chords and even lyrics. Then again, the labels as they exist today can't survive many years more.

There are of course many distribution channels that are already providing many of these features. The Barenaked Ladies store offers FLAC files and (I think) PDF booklets. There are others as well (that slip my mind at the moment).

For me the future is here already. My CDs are accessed once. The first time I open the case, the disc slides in the drive and is ripped to FLAC. The book is scanned and the whole set packed away. Listening comes from those bits or the derivative MP3, AAC, etc files.

Sent by fracai | 4:01 PM ET | 04-28-2008

I liked the moment in Roswell (the T.V. series) when one character holds a C.D. to her ear and can hear it playing. The man costs of speakers would make a solely playable format impractical but a cheap memory-card-size format that can instantly be connected to one's earphones/headphone/car will be nice if purchasing music without the internet or connecting to the store's equipment. Internet-capable music players seem to work well enough though. In terms of content, lyrics (and sheet music, since it's no secret once one owns a copy of its performance) ought to have been included already, along with the music video (which, as Dave (2008.04.16.15.58) stated, was promotional material). Typing of which, MGMT have interactive music videos on their site.

Sent by Peter | 3:51 PM ET | 05-05-2008

Would have to have high detail, multi-channel output like the SACD format, which I still have a player and lament it's downfall. Having visual content like lyrics, cords, etc. Also, have a mood-inspired visual background would be awesome. Alas, mp3s have ruined the music scene as we once knew it and there are not enough consumers to support a high def format, even the CD, anymore. We're going back to vinyl.

Sent by Jesse | 1:58 PM ET | 05-07-2008

I don't think there is one format that can do it all. Be constantly available, be sharable, remixable, visual, informative, archival, tactile, it simply can't all be done at once in a simple way.

That said, I've often longed to be able to beam music (and maybe all that extra stuff) directly into my brain, but again, that has drawbacks of its own: sharing, the ability to remember all your music, etc.

In reality, I think what would be better than a totally new format would be to simply improve human-computer interface. Computers are still very clunky unintuitive machines, and managing your digital music library is still far more difficult than it should be.

Sent by Nick | 8:21 PM ET | 06-08-2008

For the artwork/lyrics/visualization aspect I can envision a web-based application that works sort of like a cross between search engine, social networking and music player.

For example, when you queue up "A Shot in the Arm" by Wilco the interface automatically runs a little search for info related to that song. It can then display "official" band sanctioned content like liner notes, a music video and tour dates, as well as user generated content, which could be anything from art inspired by the music or alternative videos and remixes. All of course would be ranked by popularity.
You could also connect with other listeners who have similar tastes and exchange playlists. Or even host listening parties with other users logged in from remote locations.

The iTunes store brushes up against some of these ideas, but with a constrained, corporate level of control instead of a free-for-all exchange of ideas and creativity.

Sent by Jeremy H. | 3:29 PM ET | 06-09-2008

Hey, I love sticking my iPod on shuffle and letting it play, but I love that SD card idea!

More and more computers come with card slots, and so do some mp3 players - but what nobody has mentioned yet, so do practically all phones!

Every phone I have owned in the past 5 years (and all those of my friends) have had this option, and come with headphones (or bluetooth). This would be a great medium for a high quality album, with videos, notes and more.

SD cards are cheap, reliable, and have been used for years already.

The only problem being that the industry doesnt seem content to settle for any given type for more than a couple of years. :(

Sent by Arnie Kamzoil | 8:19 PM ET | 06-09-2008

I just listened the podcast where Bob spoke about this. Here are my 2 cents.

This is one of the craziest ideas I had a long time ago. Mostly the next step of computer will be a fight for portability and diversity against intelligent design (and I'm not talking about the one denying T-rexes).

Quantum computers can be attached to any form of jewelry or personal wardrobe. Your whole PC (or MAC) could be just a small ribbon on your fedora or your wedding ring. Your interface is what I called a Gnome, an avatar of your own design that could have any kind of attire that you can imagine and form. Your whole files are stored in a quantum cloud that follows you everywhere. As this form of computing has managed to use technology as tactile holograms for organizing files, telephonics (the possibility of projecting sound, in this case without a physical medium like headphones) would allow the sound arrive in a very pristine and clear way into your inner ear and with the intensity required for you to enjoy it and not end up deaf in the process.

In case you want a more strident experience, you can set up options as DTS.O (for Orchestral), where you feel like in front of an orchestra or a concert place, allowing you to perceive sound located on a certain place and feel it as it is emanating from that particular instrument.

The format would be very similar to the current Variable Bit Rate (VBR) as you will only use the required amount of bitage for each part of the song. These could be embedded with different levels of extra content: official video (the director can share on the Tapestry [the name of the next version of what we call currently Internet] his whole media for the video and you can create your own version, all in holographic 3D), lyrics (original, funny versions, karaoke experience, practice sessions), ringtones (your favorite snippet from the song that you can adapt and make your avatar sing it whenever a particular friend calls you), band info (a mix between a wiki and a blog from the band), song bio (how the song started, told by the band. This feature is a combination between what we see currently as the director's commentary and a recording session by the band) and buzz (what people think about the song, which will become better than any other selling point in the world). Sharing music will be as simple as telling a friend about it. You can send the song while calling him on you Gnome and no DRM will be involved.

Does this sounds utopic? I think so, but in my world music comes from musicians who play just because they enjoy it and not because they need to pay for their lifestyles.

Sent by Alexander Soto | 1:38 AM ET | 06-20-2008