| Given that we are told its National Album Day 17:34 - Oct 13 with 3973 views | sparks |
Are albums dead or getting that way? If not, will they be soon?
Just how much are angry-birds generation missing out on? The ability to simply pick your favourite songs or stream a selection of hits presumably means that one is much less likely to persevere with less obvious tracks on an album (or even hear them at all). |  |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |  |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 17:37 - Oct 13 with 3342 views | Funge |
Hadn't thought about it before, but it's a fair point.
A great album should take you on a journey; how can one particular track in isolation do the same thing? |  | | |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 17:49 - Oct 13 with 3317 views | brogansnose |
I would go as far back as the birth of the CD when it became to skip tracks very easily artsomething that was much more difficult to do with vinyl or even cassettes. It could be that I'm now getting to be an old fart but the act of putting a record on a turn table sort of impells you to sit and listen. |  | | |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 17:51 - Oct 13 with 3313 views | tabletopjoe |
Each wave of pop culture gets shorter, less significant and forgotten quicker than the last one. It won't be long until it all disappears back up its own arse, where it belongs |  |
| 'Let the ignorant argue with themselves' -- CL |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:02 - Oct 13 with 3299 views | JakeITFC |
No.
Bands who make albums worth listening to are still appreciated by people who like listening to albums in the same way that bands that make pop songs are listened to people listen to pop songs.
The death of the album has been a topic for my entire life and it hasn’t happened yet. |  | | |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:07 - Oct 13 with 3289 views | footers |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:02 - Oct 13 by JakeITFC |
No.
Bands who make albums worth listening to are still appreciated by people who like listening to albums in the same way that bands that make pop songs are listened to people listen to pop songs.
The death of the album has been a topic for my entire life and it hasn’t happened yet. |
Agreed. There's a bit of a difference between bands who try to create a whole album that hangs together and one album of, say, twelve individual songs. There have been some great bands who've done the latter but if an album is meant to be heard back to front in its entirety it's probably done by a talented band who have more switched on listeners and would listen as intended.
The difficulty with albums is that 10/10 records are very seldom. I skip loads of tracks on albums I'd even consider favourites. Don't tell me back in the day that you oldies sat through rubbish tracks just for the experience rather than skipping the needle! |  |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:13 - Oct 13 with 3270 views | Dubtractor |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:02 - Oct 13 by JakeITFC |
No.
Bands who make albums worth listening to are still appreciated by people who like listening to albums in the same way that bands that make pop songs are listened to people listen to pop songs.
The death of the album has been a topic for my entire life and it hasn’t happened yet. |
What he said. |  |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:13 - Oct 13 with 3270 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 17:37 - Oct 13 by Funge |
Hadn't thought about it before, but it's a fair point.
A great album should take you on a journey; how can one particular track in isolation do the same thing? |
Yes- thats another point I was going to make but forgot to type. There are tracks that sound right when they follow another. Serious musicians often take a lot of care and consideration over the running order and how the album is put together. That effort is pointless and wasted on the 2 girls one cup generation. | |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:19 - Oct 13 with 3254 views | linhdi |
There will always be a market for an album. Tonight, I am at the Islington Assembly for a one-off Album Day show, where Barclay James Harvest (recently had their 50th anniversary) are performing the mid-70s "Everyone is Everybody Else" album straight through. Show is almost sold out. Second half will be some wonderful random selection from over the decades. This (probably final) incarnation of the band have been together around 20 years, but are still improving, writing new material and reinventing old... sorry for that stream of semiconsciousness but my day began when I met them, my all-time fave band, at breakfast in the hotel I was in. Aaaahhhhhhh!!! |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:29 - Oct 13 with 3230 views | Ftnfwest |
I think you're right it's less and less and being an old fart the last great album for me was That's Why God Made the Radio in 2012 but there will always I hope be albums by genuinely good live bands that the kids will buy |  | | |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:32 - Oct 13 with 3224 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:29 - Oct 13 by Ftnfwest |
I think you're right it's less and less and being an old fart the last great album for me was That's Why God Made the Radio in 2012 but there will always I hope be albums by genuinely good live bands that the kids will buy |
I cant help thinking that the very concept of a collection of songs is founded on the fact that they are contained, physically, one one storage medium- whether it being a record, tape or one of these CDs they have now.
If one can just pick tracks on a streaming list- and that is what someone grows up with, it will be interesting to see if the concept really lasts. | |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:39 - Oct 13 with 3216 views | footers |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:32 - Oct 13 by sparks |
I cant help thinking that the very concept of a collection of songs is founded on the fact that they are contained, physically, one one storage medium- whether it being a record, tape or one of these CDs they have now.
If one can just pick tracks on a streaming list- and that is what someone grows up with, it will be interesting to see if the concept really lasts. |
Great artwork and liner notes for geeks will be a couple of reasons that people still buy vinyl. It's actually making a bit of resurgence and you can even crowdfund vinyl records now.
Same thing happened with books and Kindle. Books will never die, people just love them too much :) | |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:41 - Oct 13 with 3212 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:39 - Oct 13 by footers |
Great artwork and liner notes for geeks will be a couple of reasons that people still buy vinyl. It's actually making a bit of resurgence and you can even crowdfund vinyl records now.
Same thing happened with books and Kindle. Books will never die, people just love them too much :) |
But are those geeks mainly people who grew up with it? People (or indeed musicians) who have never really known differently may not maintain that interest.
The niche will always exist- but I wonder, even now, how many youngsters actually have and listen to albums per se. | |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:43 - Oct 13 with 3204 views | footers |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:41 - Oct 13 by sparks |
But are those geeks mainly people who grew up with it? People (or indeed musicians) who have never really known differently may not maintain that interest.
The niche will always exist- but I wonder, even now, how many youngsters actually have and listen to albums per se. |
That's true. I suppose it will do full circle- go completely digital with no art or notes, then be repackaged as 'wow, special edition, actually physical collector's item!'- sigh.
I'm of the tape generation but still have no idea how these modern yoots would perceive it. | |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:21 - Oct 13 with 3164 views | WeWereZombies |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:32 - Oct 13 by sparks |
I cant help thinking that the very concept of a collection of songs is founded on the fact that they are contained, physically, one one storage medium- whether it being a record, tape or one of these CDs they have now.
If one can just pick tracks on a streaming list- and that is what someone grows up with, it will be interesting to see if the concept really lasts. |
I think it is often much more than that and can include:
A group of musicians who have arrived at a mutual stage if development and accomplishment at roundabout the same time e.g. Mahavishnu Orchestra or Radiohead
A collection of songs that complement each other thematically e.g. OK Computer
A producer who shares the vision of the artist and knows how to connect them with other musicians and recording studios e.g. George Martin with the Beatles, Joe Boyd with Nick Drake
A set of pieces that reflect the development of a 'scene' so that they represent the acme of that music until the next group extend the genre. This is happening now in the Highlands and Islands through to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and connecting now to musicians coming out the traditional music degree at Newcastle University. A couple of decades ago it was Shooglenifty, five years back it was Treacherous Orchestra, now it is Elephant Sessions and Niteworks. And these last two are young musicians with a lot of young followers. |  |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:26 - Oct 13 with 3158 views | Superfrans |
Personally, I don’t think albums are dead yet. But they do need more support, especially from streaming services which offer albums (when you search for them) on shuffle rather than in track order.
As long as artists record albums (and thus demonstrate how much albums mean to them) the longer albums will survive. And I can’t see that stopping for some time yet. |  |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:30 - Oct 13 with 3151 views | Oldsmoker |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:19 - Oct 13 by linhdi |
There will always be a market for an album. Tonight, I am at the Islington Assembly for a one-off Album Day show, where Barclay James Harvest (recently had their 50th anniversary) are performing the mid-70s "Everyone is Everybody Else" album straight through. Show is almost sold out. Second half will be some wonderful random selection from over the decades. This (probably final) incarnation of the band have been together around 20 years, but are still improving, writing new material and reinventing old... sorry for that stream of semiconsciousness but my day began when I met them, my all-time fave band, at breakfast in the hotel I was in. Aaaahhhhhhh!!! |
Now that is a gig I would like to go to so well done you for getting in.
I first saw BJH at Weeley festival in 1971. They had an orchestra with them and played Mockingbird 3 times.
Most albums start with the best track but "Everyone is Everybody Else" has "For no one" as the closer and its one of the best encores I've ever seen by any band. So if they perform the album from start to finish they play the best at the end.
Youtube has a few live shows and "For no one" is the stand out track. |  |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:33 - Oct 13 with 3144 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:30 - Oct 13 by Oldsmoker |
Now that is a gig I would like to go to so well done you for getting in.
I first saw BJH at Weeley festival in 1971. They had an orchestra with them and played Mockingbird 3 times.
Most albums start with the best track but "Everyone is Everybody Else" has "For no one" as the closer and its one of the best encores I've ever seen by any band. So if they perform the album from start to finish they play the best at the end.
Youtube has a few live shows and "For no one" is the stand out track. |
I struggle to think of any of my favourite albums with the opening track as the strongest. | |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:40 - Oct 13 with 3135 views | WeWereZombies |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:33 - Oct 13 by sparks |
I struggle to think of any of my favourite albums with the opening track as the strongest. |
Mott the Hoople's 'Mad Shadows' and 'Thunderbuck Ram'
Who's Next and 'Baba O'Reilly'
Love's 'Forever Changes' and 'Alone Again Or'
Tubular Bells...
It's the sonic equivalent of an establishing shot. | |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:41 - Oct 13 with 3131 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:40 - Oct 13 by WeWereZombies |
Mott the Hoople's 'Mad Shadows' and 'Thunderbuck Ram'
Who's Next and 'Baba O'Reilly'
Love's 'Forever Changes' and 'Alone Again Or'
Tubular Bells...
It's the sonic equivalent of an establishing shot. |
That was just a word soup. | |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:51 - Oct 13 with 3119 views | Oldsmoker |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:33 - Oct 13 by sparks |
I struggle to think of any of my favourite albums with the opening track as the strongest. |
Try these
Stones - Sticky Fingers - Brown Sugar
Dire Straits - Joshua Tree - Streets have no name
Springsteen - Born in the USA - Born in the USA
Some have said that not listening to a whole album means you miss the gems. I no longer see the obvious Stones tracks as their best tracks but instead I now like the ballads more. | |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 20:18 - Oct 13 with 3113 views | Guthrum |
As a way of telling a story through music, it's difficult to beat (except, perhaps with the altogether more elaborate and less accessible medium of opera/musicals). I don't just mean the overt concept album, but even as a body of work reflecting where a band/artist is (philosophically, emotionally) at a given time. |  |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 21:33 - Oct 13 with 3092 views | syntaxerror |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 18:43 - Oct 13 by footers |
That's true. I suppose it will do full circle- go completely digital with no art or notes, then be repackaged as 'wow, special edition, actually physical collector's item!'- sigh.
I'm of the tape generation but still have no idea how these modern yoots would perceive it. |
Vinyl sales are up a huge amount, the demand far outstrips the ability to press them.
The format is growing as a reaction to streaming. Some people still want to own a physical item, and vinyl satisfies that demand better than CDs.
The last Arctic Monkeys album sold about 50,000 on vinyl in the Uk alone. Almost 25k in first week alone:
https://www.clashmusic.com/news/arctic-monkeys-break-uk-vinyl-sales-record
Last years top sellers in vinyl included Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, Nevermind and What's the Story, Morning Glory, but also Ed Sheeran. So its not just people revisiting their youth.
Strangely enough, even audio cassette sales are up almost 5 times what they were a couple of years ago. [Post edited 13 Oct 2018 21:34]
|  | | |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 21:37 - Oct 13 with 3085 views | WeWereZombies |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 19:41 - Oct 13 by sparks |
That was just a word soup. |
I really do not think so, but tell you what - go to those albums (Tubular Bells aside, my little joke) and try and find stronger tracks. But then consider how opening with your best shot does not detract from great albums. | |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 22:05 - Oct 13 with 3062 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 21:33 - Oct 13 by syntaxerror |
Vinyl sales are up a huge amount, the demand far outstrips the ability to press them.
The format is growing as a reaction to streaming. Some people still want to own a physical item, and vinyl satisfies that demand better than CDs.
The last Arctic Monkeys album sold about 50,000 on vinyl in the Uk alone. Almost 25k in first week alone:
https://www.clashmusic.com/news/arctic-monkeys-break-uk-vinyl-sales-record
Last years top sellers in vinyl included Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, Nevermind and What's the Story, Morning Glory, but also Ed Sheeran. So its not just people revisiting their youth.
Strangely enough, even audio cassette sales are up almost 5 times what they were a couple of years ago. [Post edited 13 Oct 2018 21:34]
|
These albums are being churned out for wannabe hipsters in Sainsburys. | |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 22:07 - Oct 13 with 3058 views | sparks |
| Given that we are told its National Album Day on 21:37 - Oct 13 by WeWereZombies |
I really do not think so, but tell you what - go to those albums (Tubular Bells aside, my little joke) and try and find stronger tracks. But then consider how opening with your best shot does not detract from great albums. |
I've just not heard of the artists or albums😀 [Post edited 13 Oct 2018 22:10]
| |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
