Counter Counterpoint
Correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Beerman, but I believe your response went slightly beyond the scope of my original post. You seem to address more the frequency of "one-hit wonders" - a discussion I whole-heartedly agree with - rather than the fate of the album.
Perhaps I should clarify: I view the album as a single work, a piece of art - not a vehicle for a shoddy assortment of should-be-popular songs. Care for an example? An album is Nirvana's Nevermind. A vehicle for one or two hit songs is Blink 182's Enema of the State. Both groups are talented in their own right, but both groups seem to approach music composition in very different ways.
Readily downloadable music permits the casual listener to download only the songs they want, thus providing a strong market incentive for artists to release only songs they know will be popular - thus the album falls from grace. Let's say you are Kurt Cobain and you are still alive. iTunes asks for an exclusive deal where you release either an album that will sell for 9.99, or five singles that sell for .99 a piece. Personally, I would go for the singles - they're easier (and cheaper) to create, and appeal to a much wider fan base. Only Nirvana fans buy Nirvana albums; Come As You Are fans buy Come As You Are.
So what do we do to thwart this otherwise inevitable market trend? The answer is easy: education. Sit your younger siblings and/or children down, and share with them your CD, tape, or - dare I say - vinyl collection. My father spent a summer teaching me the value of 12 tracks listened straight through; it was one of the best lessons of my life.
Perhaps I should clarify: I view the album as a single work, a piece of art - not a vehicle for a shoddy assortment of should-be-popular songs. Care for an example? An album is Nirvana's Nevermind. A vehicle for one or two hit songs is Blink 182's Enema of the State. Both groups are talented in their own right, but both groups seem to approach music composition in very different ways.
Readily downloadable music permits the casual listener to download only the songs they want, thus providing a strong market incentive for artists to release only songs they know will be popular - thus the album falls from grace. Let's say you are Kurt Cobain and you are still alive. iTunes asks for an exclusive deal where you release either an album that will sell for 9.99, or five singles that sell for .99 a piece. Personally, I would go for the singles - they're easier (and cheaper) to create, and appeal to a much wider fan base. Only Nirvana fans buy Nirvana albums; Come As You Are fans buy Come As You Are.
So what do we do to thwart this otherwise inevitable market trend? The answer is easy: education. Sit your younger siblings and/or children down, and share with them your CD, tape, or - dare I say - vinyl collection. My father spent a summer teaching me the value of 12 tracks listened straight through; it was one of the best lessons of my life.
posted by Dr. Cook at 9:36 AM
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