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Is the album doomed?


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Old 14-01-2010, 22:40
kathplatform
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With singles over taking album sales now, and people have the power to purchase individual tracks from an album, as opposed to the whole album, is the album on its way out?

What album have you bought for one song and been disappointed with?

What is the best song you've heard on an album that is not released as a single?
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Old 14-01-2010, 22:54
MJ_lives
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This is ridiculous, because albums make more money than singles, so even if an album sells less than a single, it will still be the big moneymaker of the two.

The only album I have ever bought after hearing two songs was Straight No Chaser by Mr Hudson. I was dissapointed at first, as all of the songs sounded the same. However, i gave the album one more chance before discarding it to my shelf, and actually, it is a really good album. "Time" is particularly beautiful, and really showcases Mr Hudson's vocals. He really is a raw talent that one.

The best song I've heard on an album of recent years is probably Fingerprints by Katy Perry. I absolutely love it and the it's just a totally feel good song. Really picks me up In fact, I reckon every single song from that album could have been a single. Same with Hot Fuss by The Killers. Another song that wasn't released that is just so amazing is Top Of The World by The All-American Rejects (yes I know.) But that song is just simply, WOW.
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Old 14-01-2010, 23:07
DEADLY_17
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hope not, i buy albums all the time especially if its an artist i like, i dont think the album will be doomed i think iTunes should ban you from just cherry picking songs of albums as its that that is damging the album sales
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Old 14-01-2010, 23:12
MJ_lives
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Old 15-01-2010, 01:08
Tom8592
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No

Some artists may stop making albums (like i think Soulja Boy released a 5 track EP instead of releasing an album last year) , but some artists rely on album sales

I think in 10 years time you'll have album artists and single artists.
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Old 15-01-2010, 04:00
smc81
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I think that there are going to have to be serious changes in the way albums are made if the format is to continue in the long term. More and more people are starting to cherrypick songs that they like and that is a trend that will continue. In the past there have been too many artists content to produce 4 quality songs (as singles) and 6-8 inferior songs (as album tracks) which I dont think they will be able to get away with anymore. The diehard fans will always buy the album and that is okay for those bands with huge fanbases (the last U2 album springs to mind) but newer artists won't have that luxury and will have to adapt accordingly.

As has been pointed out, the album is the main source of income for a lot of artists and so is unlikely to disappear anytime soon, but I think as new revenue streams emerge (sponsorships, live streaming of shows and other merchandising opportunities) that it will become less important. I also think that touring and live shows will become the main revenue stream for most artists.
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Old 15-01-2010, 07:16
Slick Nick
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Maybe for the crappy pop charts but people that listen to and appreciate real music will usually want a full album.

Plus older people tend to be CD snobs unwilling to embrace MP3 technology - each to their own though.
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Old 15-01-2010, 07:43
BillieA
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Is the album doomed?
Albums make more money for the record companies than singles so there is no way they will let this happen.

There is likely to be a way introduced of not allowing individual tracks to be downloaded before they ever allow the album to die.
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Old 15-01-2010, 08:14
DEADLY_17
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I always buy album for my fav artist, so yeah I think Only Big artist like U2, Coldplay, Madonna, & Britney even lady gaga can rely on there huge fan base to keep there albums sales strong
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Old 15-01-2010, 08:36
Gill P
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[b]Plus older people tend to be CD snobs unwilling to embrace MP3 technology - each to their own though.
That's a bit harsh. Not everyone wants to prance around with things in their ears!
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Old 15-01-2010, 09:20
Coen
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Maybe for the crappy pop charts but people that listen to and appreciate real music will usually want a full album.

Plus older people tend to be CD snobs unwilling to embrace MP3 technology - each to their own though.
I think it's probably true that slightly older people (say, the 25-35 year olds) tend to take less notice of the singles charts and will generally buy albums by artists they like - at least thats what I and everyone else I know in that age range does - as the singles charts are only relevant to a small element of music being released.

So based on that I don't think the ability to download single tracks means the album is doomed.

Plus I do tend to always buy CDs, but that's nothing to do with being a CD snob - it's because in practical terms I spend the most time listening to music while driving, and my car (like the majority of cars still) has a CD player, it doesn't have an MP3 player.
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Old 15-01-2010, 11:29
nbennett17
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Have there been any concept albums, by anyone big, anytime recently? Last 10 years or so.
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Old 15-01-2010, 11:33
Coen
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Have there been any concept albums, by anyone big, anytime recently? Last 10 years or so.
I'd class Green Day's "American Idiot" as a concept album, can't think of any other examples by well known artists off hand though (although there are a few more by lesser known artists I know of.)
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Old 15-01-2010, 12:02
Inkblot
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That's a bit harsh. Not everyone wants to prance around with things in their ears!
Very true. I own at least four pairs of head/earphones and they all annoy me. I'm sure I'd be regarded as an "older" person but I've had an iPod for ages (mine's a 3G one so 2003 vintage).

What I've noticed is that I meticulously categorise my iTunes files into album playlists so I can listen to whole albums, whereas my son doesn't like that system and manually adds individual tracks to his player. So maybe the idea that an album is a complete work to be listened to end-to-end is unfamiliar to younger people who've never needed to take an album (CD or vinyl) out of it's sleeve to play it.
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Old 15-01-2010, 12:13
caren197
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I like getting albums. Imo you always find a little gem on there somewhere that wouldn't have otherwise. Unless its an artist i really like, i'll wait and see what the singles are like and then buy the album but if the singles aren't any good then i don't bother.

I did this last year with Black Eyed Peas : The E.N.D. Loved the first 3 singles so i bought the album and it truly was awful. Apart from the singles i don't think i like any of the songs.

However, i don't get this cherry picking idea. I would listen to the 30 second previews on itunes but more often than not i can't tell whether i like a song or not. Case in point, i listened to the previews of the Saturdays Wordshaker album and thought it was crap. I then heard Ego on the radio and thought that it wasn't bad so the previews imo don't give you a true reflection.

I think i'll always love to get albums and i don't think that this 'trend' will kill off the album. If anything it'll make the album better because artists will be forced to make the best possible album.
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Old 15-01-2010, 13:32
starsailor
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Have there been any concept albums, by anyone big, anytime recently? Last 10 years or so.
Muse: The Resistance is pretty much a concept album.
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Old 15-01-2010, 14:09
Dame Hedwig
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Plus older people tend to be CD snobs unwilling to embrace MP3 technology - each to their own though.
I'm one of said older people and although I have embraced mp3 as a portable format, I still listen to albums rather than shuffled tracks. Outside of the pure pop/moneymaking arena an album is a work of art and I'm old fashioned enough to want to experience it in its entirety and in the correct order. Like reading a novel.
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Old 15-01-2010, 14:13
funnyusername
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i'd say singles are doomed not albums. money-wise anyway. nobody over 18 really buys singles do they? i mean on a regular basis?
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Old 15-01-2010, 14:22
bathlamp
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Have there been any concept albums, by anyone big, anytime recently? Last 10 years or so.
Kate Bush - Aerial
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Old 15-01-2010, 14:23
bathlamp
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Old 15-01-2010, 18:17
kathplatform
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i'd say singles are doomed not albums. money-wise anyway. nobody over 18 really buys singles do they? i mean on a regular basis?
I buy single tracks I like from Amazon / i-tunes
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Old 15-01-2010, 18:21
Slick Nick
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That's a bit harsh. Not everyone wants to prance around with things in their ears!
Neither do I... more hi-fi is coming out geared around digital music. I run my entire iTunes through a DAC Magic and into a surround sound system.
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Old 15-01-2010, 19:14
Computer
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Have there been any concept albums, by anyone big, anytime recently? Last 10 years or so.
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

It could even be classed as a rock (hip/hop) opera.
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Old 15-01-2010, 19:18
mimicole
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Imo some of the best tracks I own are album ones. 'Misguided Ghosts' by paramore for example. So I hope the album doesn't die out. I brought quite a few albums last year.
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Old 15-01-2010, 19:19
bigzarafan
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No way is the album doomed

You say single sales are over-taking album sales, but look at 2009. "Poker Face", the biggest selling single of the year, didn't sell over 900,000 copies. "I Dreamed A Dream", the biggest selling album of the year, sold over 1,000,000 copies.

Albums will still be around in 10 years. Physical singles, however, may not be. In answer to your question, no, the album is certainly not doomed.
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