Comments on: Is the album dead? http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/ Music culture, strategy and thinking in the digital age Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:39:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: sP http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2538 sP Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:58:38 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2538 I touched on this a lil while back as well (URL at end of comment) and I'd be surprised if we see the end of the Album format for a decent period yet. I like the fact that Estelle re-uploaded her content to iTunes after pulling it for a few weeks to see what effect it would have (which actually saw her album sales rise quite significantly). I also think it'll take more than Kid Rock to make a stand until anyone actually cares for his cause. What an awful, awful musician. Anyhow. Keep up the good work Dubber! http://sentric.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/culling-the-guff-or-help-the-lp-31032008/ I touched on this a lil while back as well (URL at end of comment) and I’d be surprised if we see the end of the Album format for a decent period yet.

I like the fact that Estelle re-uploaded her content to iTunes after pulling it for a few weeks to see what effect it would have (which actually saw her album sales rise quite significantly).

I also think it’ll take more than Kid Rock to make a stand until anyone actually cares for his cause.

What an awful, awful musician.

Anyhow. Keep up the good work Dubber!

http://sentric.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/culling-the-guff-or-help-the-lp-31032008/

]]> By: Hill | Holliday » Blog Archive » Album as application? http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2539 Hill | Holliday » Blog Archive » Album as application? Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:11:24 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2539 [...] album format or a nifty marketing gimmick? All of the above, I think. It could certainly deepen the meaning-through-proximity argument that the Save the Album gang has been making since Apple first introduced a la carte pricing in [...] [...] album format or a nifty marketing gimmick? All of the above, I think. It could certainly deepen the meaning-through-proximity argument that the Save the Album gang has been making since Apple first introduced a la carte pricing in [...]

]]> By: Matt@Kurb http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2557 Matt@Kurb Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:05:39 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2557 John Albert Thomas sounds like he's got the right idea. But I would work the niches even further - why stop at bedtime/study/holiday music albums when you can create niche sites for each? just in case you missed the ping after a tweet or two i decided to respond to this post and discuss the "content product" concept check it out http://tiny.cc/PJ0km John Albert Thomas sounds like he’s got the right idea. But I would work the niches even further – why stop at bedtime/study/holiday music albums when you can create niche sites for each?

just in case you missed the ping after a tweet or two i decided to respond to this post and discuss the “content product” concept check it out

http://tiny.cc/PJ0km

]]> By: Is the album dead? @ New Music Strategies: Meet the Music “Content Product” — Music. Marketing. Management http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2556 Is the album dead? @ New Music Strategies: Meet the Music “Content Product” — Music. Marketing. Management Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:39:53 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2556 [...] http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/ @dubber over at http://newmusicstrategies.com asked if the album was dead. [...] [...] http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/ @dubber over at http://newmusicstrategies.com asked if the album was dead. [...]

]]> By: Seamus Anthony http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2555 Seamus Anthony Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:09:23 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2555 "...artists will tend to want to curate their works into sensible, themed and connected collections." Amen to that. “…artists will tend to want to curate their works into sensible, themed and connected collections.”

Amen to that.

]]> By: John Albert Thomas http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2537 John Albert Thomas Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:55:58 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2537 After 13 years of composing I recorded my first album. Eight years later I grew frustrated that piano works would remain unrecorded and unreleased for years at a time while waiting and saving up for my next album release. I shifted my focus from releasing project albums to releasing each song as its own project, using a streaming blog entry. I found myself being far more productive. A year later I released the next album, which was a collection of the years recordings. This new model combines the best of both worlds for me. I can pace my costs and productivity, as well as connect with my fans each time I release a new song. I am much more productive now because the steps are reproducible, the projects are smaller and the rewards come sooner. My fans may get 10 releases per year instead of just one big one. Even then, after 10 successful songs, I release a new volume in CD format. Eventually, I'd like to expand on this method by adding themed volumes for various needs such as bedtime music, study music, holiday music and more. After 13 years of composing I recorded my first album. Eight years later I grew frustrated that piano works would remain unrecorded and unreleased for years at a time while waiting and saving up for my next album release. I shifted my focus from releasing project albums to releasing each song as its own project, using a streaming blog entry. I found myself being far more productive. A year later I released the next album, which was a collection of the years recordings.

This new model combines the best of both worlds for me. I can pace my costs and productivity, as well as connect with my fans each time I release a new song. I am much more productive now because the steps are reproducible, the projects are smaller and the rewards come sooner. My fans may get 10 releases per year instead of just one big one. Even then, after 10 successful songs, I release a new volume in CD format. Eventually, I’d like to expand on this method by adding themed volumes for various needs such as bedtime music, study music, holiday music and more.

]]> By: J http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2554 J Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:43:13 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2554 So here's my question/theory... When I go to a new artist or an artist that I don't know and check their stuff, if I see 20 songs, I'm only going to listen to one or two...I found that (particularly Hip Hop artist) seem to think more is better and usually I find myself bored. Nine out of ten, I want to hear something that makes me like or dislike an artist-I'm not going to explore their catalog if they don't make a good impression. For those who believe in albums-do you find yourself listening to a whole album of a new artist or skipping tracks? Don't you want to hear something that motivates your choice and won't that be a single? So here’s my question/theory…

When I go to a new artist or an artist that I don’t know and check their stuff, if I see 20 songs, I’m only going to listen to one or two…I found that (particularly Hip Hop artist) seem to think more is better and usually I find myself bored. Nine out of ten, I want to hear something that makes me like or dislike an artist-I’m not going to explore their catalog if they don’t make a good impression.

For those who believe in albums-do you find yourself listening to a whole album of a new artist or skipping tracks? Don’t you want to hear something that motivates your choice and won’t that be a single?

]]> By: Matt@Kurb http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2553 Matt@Kurb Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:58:01 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2553 The album is dead, all hail the "content product". The album is ready to go home, someone just needs to call it a cab. There's just a few mitigating circumstances (outside of tradition and familiarity, obviously) like the discrete scarcity of 80min on an audio disc and price breaks on Tunecore and CD Baby for album distro. Those who can break a new viable model will set the tone for future content monetization, but you may have to drill deep to extract it, while true innovators will make coin monetizing attention, brands and leveraging C2C. A 20th century format wont stand in the way of socialized consumer empowerment. They'll be making their own (albums, "content products", Comps, T-shirts, Gigs, Acts) whether you can write more than 5 songs at a time or not. That's not even discussing engagement. Can you really afford to go quiet for 6 months while you work on your opus? If you're established., maybe, don't think that's what new acts who'll break will be doing. The album is dead, all hail the “content product”.

The album is ready to go home, someone just needs to call it a cab. There’s just a few mitigating circumstances (outside of tradition and familiarity, obviously) like the discrete scarcity of 80min on an audio disc and price breaks on Tunecore and CD Baby for album distro.

Those who can break a new viable model will set the tone for future content monetization, but you may have to drill deep to extract it, while true innovators will make coin monetizing attention, brands and leveraging C2C.

A 20th century format wont stand in the way of socialized consumer empowerment. They’ll be making their own (albums, “content products”, Comps, T-shirts, Gigs, Acts) whether you can write more than 5 songs at a time or not.

That’s not even discussing engagement. Can you really afford to go quiet for 6 months while you work on your opus? If you’re established., maybe, don’t think that’s what new acts who’ll break will be doing.

]]> By: dunc http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2536 dunc Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:26:16 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2536 "Reviewers and bloggers are critical to generating attention about an artist. It is much easier to get someone to review or talk about an album than it is to get them to talk about a collection of singles or a video you just released. It gives context." I'm not sure about this to be honest. I've just recieved a massive wedge of 10 albums for one of the blogs I write for. That's about 10 hours of music + writing time, so I think I'll get chance to write 2 reviews tops I imagine. If I had 10 singles then I could probably do decent write ups for 5 or 6 of them. “Reviewers and bloggers are critical to generating attention about an artist. It is much easier to get someone to review or talk about an album than it is to get them to talk about a collection of singles or a video you just released. It gives context.”

I’m not sure about this to be honest. I’ve just recieved a massive wedge of 10 albums for one of the blogs I write for. That’s about 10 hours of music + writing time, so I think I’ll get chance to write 2 reviews tops I imagine.

If I had 10 singles then I could probably do decent write ups for 5 or 6 of them.

]]> By: D http://newmusicstrategies.com/2008/08/21/is-the-album-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-2552 D Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:42:01 +0000 http://newmusicstrategies.com/?p=751#comment-2552 Okay, maybe you guys can help me out. I'm a jazz musician . . . and I really want my next project on vinyl. I've been working on this project for a while now, and the songs are well . . . they aren't 3 minutes (One song is almost 14 minutes long). My style I'm is in the Headhunters/Jazz-Funk arena. So even though I have about 10 songs for the new project, I feel kind of risky about printing up a double LP. So I'm thinking that I could split the album into two, therefore releasing single LP's in succession. That means that the cd version will only contain 5 songs (maybe a bonus track). I mean after all, Head Hunters was only 4 songs and is still one of the most popular albums in jazz. It's no secret that these days attention spans are shorter. So I'm thinking it won't be such a bad thing to sell only 5 songs, especially being that it's jazz. I'm thinking about the long tail model on this, which is what jazz musicians did back in the days of Blue Note/Impulse/Prestige. Fewer jazz albums sold, so they recorded 5 songs, released it and went to the next. This kept them having a steady stream of income over a longer period of time, because hits in jazz were rare. And how many songs do you hear in a jazz set anyway? On average 5-6. So why record an epic album that runs damn near 70-80 mins when most folks are still diggin reissues that have 4-5 songs on them. So what do you guys think, am I on the right track when it comes to format considerations? Okay, maybe you guys can help me out.

I’m a jazz musician . . . and I really want my next project on vinyl. I’ve been working on this project for a while now, and the songs are well . . . they aren’t 3 minutes (One song is almost 14 minutes long). My style I’m is in the Headhunters/Jazz-Funk arena. So even though I have about 10 songs for the new project, I feel kind of risky about printing up a double LP.

So I’m thinking that I could split the album into two, therefore releasing single LP’s in succession. That means that the cd version will only contain 5 songs (maybe a bonus track). I mean after all, Head Hunters was only 4 songs and is still one of the most popular albums in jazz.

It’s no secret that these days attention spans are shorter. So I’m thinking it won’t be such a bad thing to sell only 5 songs, especially being that it’s jazz.

I’m thinking about the long tail model on this, which is what jazz musicians did back in the days of Blue Note/Impulse/Prestige. Fewer jazz albums sold, so they recorded 5 songs, released it and went to the next. This kept them having a steady stream of income over a longer period of time, because hits in jazz were rare.

And how many songs do you hear in a jazz set anyway? On average 5-6. So why record an epic album that runs damn near 70-80 mins when most folks are still diggin reissues that have 4-5 songs on them.

So what do you guys think, am I on the right track when it comes to format considerations?

]]>