[Ken Gracey]

Wow, even i couldnt come out with a statement like that


Full story here at 9-5 mac

[Dylstra]

For all Bon Jovi's posturing and self-aggrandisement the point he makes is one that a few artists have made, specifically that the ability to buy any song individually has made the concept of an album irrelevant. From an economic point of view he has a point. Once upon a time a band with a good song would sell an album. If over a period of time the band had five good songs then they sold five albums. Now it only means they sell five songs.

Bands used to be such an individual thing. Teenagers (in particular) felt defined by the bands they liked. That engendered loyalty which in turn meant that people would take a risk on an unheard album. Now if one likes a song, one buys that song. It might prompt a little digging through the album via 30 second samples, but that's about it.

[BrianB]

Very good points Dylan. I never thought of it like that.

[Tim Grey]

I dunno guys. I hear a lot about shuffle killing the album format, but I think that different segments of the market listen to music in different ways. Sure, t'youngins listening to pop music might just download the hit, but historically that's always been the case. The digital single format isn't really that much different to the 45'.

Meanwhile, 'statement albums' are still alive and well - I don't think Kanye, for example, won any awards for singles off his last album, but 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' created a real buzz taken as a whole.

Personally, i can't suffer listening to just one song off by an artist but at the same time, I haven't bought a CD since 2004....

T

[JZ]

if i couldn't buy songs individually i wouldn't buy a whole album to get it. i'd just go without the song. there are lots of bands with one or two songs i've always liked but never owned... until iTunes so in my eyes Steve Jobs/ iTunes has increased sales. if you want the real reason for music industry being destroyed then shut down torrent sites


jz

[mickdevlin]

Bon who?

[Dylstra]

Tim Grey, on 15 March 2011 - 01:01 PM, said:

The digital single format isn't really that much different to the 45'.

Except now any song (aside from those few annoyingly labelled "Album Only") are available for single purchase.

It probably doesn't make much difference in that when was a non-single a huge hit?

But as an example, from Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown album there was one song I couldn't stand. And of course, it was the first single... (Which is the exact reverse of my palindromic point.)

[Ken Gracey]

Mick stopped buying music, after Dean Martin, stopped recording

[Some Random Bloke]

The music industry is corrupt and feathers the nest of the execs and few successful acts. Killing the music business is a good thing.

It certainly hasn't killed music.

[Tim Grey]

Sir, I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Dylstra]

What I thought was interesting was that rather than lamenting the difficulties of monetising new bands, or disappearing revenue streams, or recouping costs, JoBoJo was talking about the experience of discovering and listening to music. So rather than coming across as a record company executive whose historical way of doing business was disappearing, JoBoJo sounded a bit like he was in the market for a new young wife and a sportscar.

[Stubzee]

I purchase both individual songs and complete albums on a regular.
iTunes for me was a revelation when i bought my first computer. An example of this was only yesterday that i wanted a certain album of Elmore James that went of the music shelves many years ago but to my delight and surprise there it was in iTunes along with many of his other albums.
I would have thought that iTunes is a wonderful vehicle for encouraging people to buy music from the different sources of supply.
Gordon

[Some Random Bloke]

Dylstra, on 16 March 2011 - 06:56 AM, said:

JoBoJo was talking about the experience of discovering and listening to music... JoBoJo sounded a bit like he was in the market for a new young wife and a sportscar.

'Tis true. He's right in that buying music online is a different experience. But recorded music is a technology that's what? A hundred years old? Far less in any sense than was truly accessible. The kind of lost experience he's lamenting was probably relevant for one generation - his. It's not like a social institution that's been around for hundreds of years is suddenly being upturned.

What I would like to see is iTunes LP on iPad.

[lumeswell]

JamieZ, on 15 March 2011 - 03:18 PM, said:

if i couldn't buy songs individually i wouldn't buy a whole album to get it. i'd just go without the song.

Its the difference between appreciating the artist or the song.

There are artists I really like, and for them I will buy the whole album, because I like what they have to say or the way they say it, and I find my favourite songs change over time.

Then there are songs that catch your ear, but I don't care about the artist. Previously I would not have bothered with these songs, but now I can go and buy them, so I would say that iTunes has increased my spend on music.