Steal this record!

OK, so my sister and I just picked up the new Jason Mraz CD from Best Buy (by the way, this is not a shameless plug, as you will soon find out). I think I'm a little Jason Mraz crazy, as I bought the CD, and I also pre-ordered the download from iTunes (now this one is a shameless plug) so that I could get the two exclusive pre-order songs and video download for "Wordplay." What can I say, I kinda like the guy's music...

Anyway, back on topic...

So my sister opens up her CD (I haven't yet, since I have it downloaded on iTunes, but it will make me not have to burn a backup copy). And lo and behold, it has that electromagnetic anti-shoplifting sticker in it. But not the easily removable one with the magnetic strip encased in plastic that they stick to the inside of the plastic tray. Those I don't mind because, as I said, they are easily removable without a trace that they were even there after you legally acquired the CD. No, it is one of those nasty paper ones with a thin wire that coils around on the paper that are super sticky and never come off that the people at the label decide to stick on the back paper insert, obscuring the artwork (it seems like black trays are out of favor, and everyone is doing clear trays, which lets you place photos/artwork/credits on the inside back insert, but this is all covered up by the paper sticker, which is approximately the size of a large square postage stamp).

Now I'm not saying that they should outlaw anti-theft devices in CDs. These do provide a valuable service (for example, letting the record company be able to sponge as much money out of you as possible by making you buy an overpriced album that could easily sell thousands of more copies if they actually had a nicer price point. But I'm not going to discuss economics/red tape/bottom lines with you all today). But as such, please only place them on the plastic tray. I still believe in buying actual CDs, mostly because a lot of musicians/artists nowadays incorporate the album art, liner notes, and music all into one artistic experience (come on, it's there for a reason besides giving photographers like David LeChappelle and the like tons of money). Don't' ruin it for us by covering it up with a hideous white sticker!

Now I have to deal with my sister, who is spit mad because of this. She is actually trying to wrap the CD back into it's protective little cellophane as we speak, and making plans to get the CD off of Jason's Website, which hopefully does not have to worry about shoplifters.