Matt Drudge links to this article from USA Today about what a sorry state the recording industry is in. I can't help but think they did it to themselves. Who wants to pay $16.99--or more--for music that's just terrible. As InstaPundit mentioned a while back, even the ratings for the Grammys are down, proving that it's not Napster's fault.

When I was waiting for our flight out of JFK yesterday, I went to a music kiosk to buy a CD to listen to on the plane (in addition to the folder of about 10 or 15 CDs I had burned (from originals I bought, by the way). The "music" being played was the most awful combination of rap, infantile "singing" and silly samples and loops I had heard in a long time. "How are you?", the girl minding the kiosk asked. "Just fine", I replied, "Except for having to listen to that stuff while I shop".

Even the haircut and synthesizer bands that prowled MTV during its heyday made better stuff than most of what's on pop radio today. And it's typical of the record industry to blame technology, instead of themselves for their slump.

Speaking of which, the CD I bought was The Cars' first album, for $9.95. It was cheap, the music was pretty good, the production was even better, and I didn't have it already on CD. Perfect.

UPDATE: Happy Fun Pundit is also on the case.