Has music business become a singles market?

PaulB1984

With hugely popular current and legendary artists and bands dragging their feet with new studio albums over the last few years, has the music scene once again become the day of singles thanks to mp3 downloads? Does having the option to buy the tracks you like from an album as downloads or singles put you off buying an entire album?

Irish Aris

Not me.
I am still very much into the whole album thing.
If a band (especially a new one) releases a couple of new songs (or an EP) and I like them, they go into my radar in anticipation of full album.

Hannibal

PaulB1984 wrote: »

With hugely popular current and legendary artists and bands dragging their feet with new studio albums over the last few years, has the music scene once again become the day of singles thanks to mp3 downloads? Does having the option to buy the tracks you like from an album as downloads or singles put you off buying an entire album?

It's all mp3 downloads in the singles market nowadays. I went into HMV last year to get Noel Gallagher's first solo single and the guy working there looked at me like I'd ten heads for asking for it, he said "we only stock xfactor singles now" to which I replied no wonder the shop is empty.

I used to buy all the Oasis and Verve singles due to the quality of the b-sides and back then in HMV and Virgin there was a whole wall dedicated to CD singles now there's nothing. I think serious artists will still do an album then tour, but the x-factor type bands are only being pushed by their management as a short time money spinner so they're all singles and exposure.

Music is at a crossroads now, all these legendary artists of the 60's and 70's are all in their late 60's and nearing the end so there's not a whole lot of worldwide stadium filling bands left. There's no music to inspire kids to pick up instruments as most kids are all chasing their 15 minutes and singing songs wrote by others for them.

Be good to see both The Rolling Stones and Neil Young & Crazy Horse on tour next year though, hopefully they stop in Ireland somewhere and one or the other or both will headline Glasto no doubt

Blisterman

I'm definitely an album fan myself.

I have noticed though that on Spotify, the popularity of individual tracks varies enormously across an album, indicating that the majority of people are listening to individual tracks rather than the album as a whole.

nlgbbbblth

Dotsey wrote: »

It's all mp3 downloads in the singles market nowadays. I went into HMV last year to get Noel Gallagher's first solo single and the guy working there looked at me like I'd ten heads for asking for it, he said "we only stock xfactor singles now" to which I replied no wonder the shop is empty.

That Noel Gallagher single (The Death Of You And Me) was released on 7" and CD. If that's HMV's attitude then they deserve everything they get.

Irish Aris

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

That Noel Gallagher single (The Death Of You And Me) was released on 7" and CD. If that's HMV's attitude then they deserve everything they get.

In fairness, HMV is a business. As is every record store. They are going to use their space to stock whatever sells the most. I don't think there are that many people who actually buy CD singles nowadays. Vinyl is a different story, of course, HMV are not into selling vinyls in general, you could try your luck in smaller record stores.

DEFTLEFTHAND

An album captures the fire and spirit of a band in studio. You get a real feel for an artist or group from their album effort.

karaokeman

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

That Noel Gallagher single (The Death Of You And Me) was released on 7" and CD. If that's HMV's attitude then they deserve everything they get.

The only place I've seen stock vinyl is Tower Records and the Sound Cellar.

Granted they have seen a resurge in popularity, I'm hoping that they will eventually crossover to the mainstream (i.e. HMV, Golden Discs etc).

Personally I don't believe singles will ever overtake albums, the music business would require a lot less effort if even serious bands had to record only a few songs to make their name.

Another thing about the X Factor artists is that they die after one album (usually).

nlgbbbblth

karaokeman wrote: »

The only place I've seen stock vinyl is Tower Records and the Sound Cellar.

I usually get my new records in Spindizzy, All City, Freebird...

I have no interest in solo Noel Gallagher but it's the HMV attitude that irks me - that someone who prefers physical formats for singles is somehow uncool.

Collecting mp3s = collecting farts in a jar.

SilverScreen

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

I usually get my new records in Spindizzy, All City, Freebird...

I have no interest in solo Noel Gallagher but it's the HMV attitude that irks me - that someone who prefers physical formats for singles is somehow uncool.

Collecting mp3s = collecting farts in a jar.

I still collect CDs and vinyl too, but I'd rather have 70GB of music in my jacket pocket to bring with me and listen to anywhere, any day of the week.

nlgbbbblth

Zero1986 wrote: »

I still collect CDs and vinyl too, but I'd rather have 70GB of music in my jacket pocket to bring with me and listen to anywhere, any day of the week.

Fair enough.

Commute / walk - discman with CDs.

Home - turntable or CD player.

nlgbbbblth

New Pet Shop Boys single ("Leaving") has just entered the UK chart at #44.
Total sales are 6,157 broken down as follows:

12" - 471 (7.6%)
CD - 2,093 (34.0%)
Download - 3,593 (58.4%)

F*ck you HMV.

Denalihighway

this is just the reality of music listening trends guys.

ask the 'young folk' about buying albums and very few will be interested.

In fact owning ANY music is dying out fast, streaming is here stay and will grow and grow and grow.

I'm an album fan, but I'm in my early 30s - and I can guess most album fans will be of older vintages (with the usual exceptions).

Youtube is the biggest streamer of music today. The kids want instant, free access to their favourite song of the day. And generally very interest in anything else. They do still like going to shows though thankfully.

This idea recently that vinyl is coming back etc is nonsense. Yes vinyl may have seen a minor resurgence in recent years, but that's just on a statistical/proportional basis - no/very few kids are buying vinyl which suggests the death-knell for the format - no news to anyone. The same with CDs.

Its sad really. But its something bands and the industry need to get their head around more.

kmaque

Ten years ago I used to enjoy going into Galway city of a Saturday morning and browsing 4 or 5 record shops. But that was the problem, I was only browsing, could rarely afford to buy. Now there are no record shops in Galway, only supermarkets that stock Top Thirty cds. In September I went online and bought a stylus for my once-reduntant record deck, now I'm back listening to vinyl.

sbsquarepants

Dotsey wrote: »

"we only stock xfactor singles now"

Oh dear jesus!
They certainly deserve everything they get.
I used to love browsing in record shops, not to see what was new - usually to pick up some old classic or get someone i'd just discovereds back catalogue. Seems all they sell now is computer games and ipod accesories and so on. I think it's a non sustainable situation. There won't be any at all soon enough bar the odd niche player.

SilverScreen

I find that most younger people who get into collecting vinyl mostly do it for the novelty, I'm probably guilty of it too after buying CDs for years. But some older music fans I've had conversations with say they embraced the arrival of CDs with open arms and never looked back. Getting the most out of vinyl takes a lot of effort, you need a decent system and the proper tools to clean your records and stylus.

I think CDs are the perfect physical format, they're portable, easy to look after and the sample rates are ideal. But the convenience and accessibility of mp3s is what wins my favour nowadays. There's albums I have in mp3 format that I probably wouldn't have a hope of finding on CD, and even if I did I would probably have to pay through my nose for them. I'm still itching for Spotify though, if it ever properly launches here I will be a very happy man indeed.

karaokeman

I collected CD's for a long time myself, starting to not rely on them as much. Although I do have Elliott Smith's Figure 8 and Coldplay's Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends in cardboard boxes, that's much handier than the vast majority of jewel cases I usually break.

On the CD-Vinyl divide....

CD Pros;

- easier to navigate, the cover side is clearly distinguishable
- portable, may be carried around in cars, bagpacks etc.

CD Cons;

- easily breakable jewel cases
- large collection doesn't look as cool as a vinyl collection the same size

Vinyl Pros;

- nicer production, better cardboard-made covers
- much better quality sound than CD's/ better for DJ
- a huge collection looks cooler than a CD collection of the same size

Vinyl Cons;

- more awkward to carry around due to larger size

nlgbbbblth

Denalihighway wrote: »

this is just the reality of music listening trends guys.

ask the 'young folk' about buying albums and very few will be interested.

In fact owning ANY music is dying out fast, streaming is here stay and will grow and grow and grow.

I'm an album fan, but I'm in my early 30s - and I can guess most album fans will be of older vintages (with the usual exceptions).

Youtube is the biggest streamer of music today. The kids want instant, free access to their favourite song of the day. And generally very interest in anything else. They do still like going to shows though thankfully.

This idea recently that vinyl is coming back etc is nonsense. Yes vinyl may have seen a minor resurgence in recent years, but that's just on a statistical/proportional basis - no/very few kids are buying vinyl which suggests the death-knell for the format - no news to anyone. The same with CDs.

Its sad really. But its something bands and the industry need to get their head around more.

I think sales of physical formats will level off - there's room for both downloads and CDs/vinyl to co-exist. I don't think I've ever seen a busier time for reissues than the last couple of years.

One thing I have noticed is the smaller pressing runs. The Kinks released two box sets this year - A 10CD mono albums collection and a 5CD+DVD BBC sessions set. Both sold out within a couple of weeks and currently fetching high prices on the used market.

From a personal perspective I've been buying records since 1981 and CDs since 1987 - and have no intention of abandoning either format. Both have their merits but my strong preference is for vinyl. Although I hate most remastered CDs [too loud, compressed and no dynamic range in many cases]. There's a lot to be said for early CD pressings - flat transfers and perfectly crankable. Louder is rarely better.

Denalihighway

yeah i hear ya but its a generational thing with us. it'll get smaller and smaller until its not worth anyone's while making vinyl and CDs anymore except very bespoke (and expensive probably) projects.

convenience is the massive thing here. marketers will tell you there are 2 main selling points:

- 1) superior quality (which people like you are admirably opting for)
- 2) convenience

add 'free' to number 2 and you've got a pretty much irresistible offer!

the kids these days also seem to have a very very poor appreciation of audio quality, to the point where they really don't give a f*ck at all. Hence listening to phone and laptop speakers and godawful youtube live recordings etc.

- you mention dynamic range etc which is a big thing. I myself, though heavily involved in music, couldn't genuinely call myself an audiophile but even for me - listening back to original Nirvana/Neil Young CDs etc, the punch and the ebb and flow of those records was great from a dynamic range perspective - whereas nowadays digital fatigue can set in pretty quick when listening to a really hot new CD / mp3 album - mind you that's been happening for some time as a result of the Loudness War. but that's what the kids want - they want to be able to hear it above the bus/train/car/whatever, none of this turning up and down the volume knob etc if things suddenly get loud/quiet. the nuances have disappeared on many records - especially pop obviously.

again...its sad where things have gone, but there ain't no goin back

nlgbbbblth

Denalihighway wrote: »

the kids these days also seem to have a very very poor appreciation of audio quality, to the point where they really don't give a f*ck at all. Hence listening to phone and laptop speakers and godawful youtube live recordings etc.

- you mention dynamic range etc which is a big thing. I myself, though heavily involved in music, couldn't genuinely call myself an audiophile but even for me - listening back to original Nirvana/Neil Young CDs etc, the punch and the ebb and flow of those records was great from a dynamic range perspective - whereas nowadays digital fatigue can set in pretty quick when listening to a really hot new CD / mp3 album - mind you that's been happening for some time as a result of the Loudness War. but that's what the kids want - they want to be able to hear it above the bus/train/car/whatever, none of this turning up and down the volume knob etc if things suddenly get loud/quiet. the nuances have disappeared on many records - especially pop obviously.

again...its sad where things have gone, but there ain't no goin back

Yep - the loudness war has a lot to answer for. Some shocking remasters done of late - REM, Cocteau Twins, XTC and Suede being the worst offenders.

It's funny how technology progresses but many people are perfectly happy to listen to inferior-sounding mediums like you've outlined.