Gibbs & I had a nice discussion yesterday that turned, of course, to my current iTunes craze. I was mentioning a few sort of "house rules" I have developed as I import my CD collection; and one is that I never add a "Greatest Hits" version of a song for which there is a duplicate on one of my albums. I have stated before that I wish I had far fewer "Greatest Hits" collections, and that it's just not my style of buying music in recent years.
I must say, however, that my newfound love of the iTunes Shuffle has got me thinking more and more about the whole concept the "standalone single." Gibbs actually ventured not only that we are witnessing the fracturing of "the album," but that future generations may look back at the concept of "the album" as a curiosity. I'm not sure I entirely buy that, as there are still a number of artists out there with the need to craft a collection of cohesive songs, and a number of people who yearn to listen to the same. However, it is a simple reality that, in all the thousands of years of music, the album has really only seen its heyday from the 1960s on. Everything else, ever: singles (albeit, there have been Operas, Symphonies, etc.)
Summary of what I take from the discourse: I will remain primarily an album guy, but I will no longer diminish the value of the individual, stand-alone single.
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Singles remained a vital part of the music industries financial model all through the 60's, 70's etc. My brothers and sisters had dozens of vinyl singles and relatively few albums.
I think we may not understand the reality of the music industry through that period - will have to do actual research otehr than pure supposition to move this argument forward.
I think that albums will remain, if simply because the standard practice of marketing music for most bands remains the 'tour' which usually coincides with the completion of a new set of songs, call them what you will.
What the music industry/ITunes/artists seem to be failing to do is satisfy our need for liner notes digitally. Not sure why, but I'm telling you THEY DON'T.
You're absolutely right. Gracenote (tm) needs to have a much more comprehensive collection of data (including album cover) that you can import (or choose to import-obviously, things would start taking up much more space) when bringing in your albums. And providing that info for the $9.99 "albums" you download should be an absolute given.
I love the group we have because my exposure to new music is vastly growing. I can do without the album, except for those rare few that make it worth while. I relish in the collection of singles. I use to collect 45's when they were still availiable because I didn't want the entire album. My favorite two albums that I absolutely love are as follows: Number 2 goes to Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA, and Number 1 goes to Paul Simons Graceland.
Both accounted among the greats; though Born in the USA is a little "hit heavy" for my liking. Listening to it FEELS a little like listening to a greatest hits album.
Though I'm recognizing the value of individual singles, I will state again that I do prefer a really good album that can give you the time to ease into a time, and/or place, and/or mood, and/or genre, and/or style, and/or worldview; and savor it for an hour or so.
Me too - album wise.
I find fewer opportunities to savor that hour, but when I'm can't, the shuffle opportunities abound - from my personal collection or the vastness of the internet - and I enjoy that too.
A good way to find new music.
Lovin' my albums.
Lovin' (guilt free) the shuffle.
Lovin' internet radio-it's expanded many horizons for me.
Hard?
How else?
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