I have been meaning to post about the Album vs Track culture that has arisen as a result of the download generation. Albums very much have a place, but I have fallen into temptation and filled by iPod Nano with one-off tracks. Well, I do have some albums on there too.
Today saw an interesting statement issued by Ash (which has given them the most publicity in a long time):
I find this interesting. A respected band, critically acclaimed over their tenure (and I have never heard any journalist diss them), who are not manufactured and not designed to release singles in the same way that Girls Aloud are, decide to bin the album format and go for just download singles.
This is definitely the way that pop should go. Without doubt. There is no point in Sugababes, Girls Aloud and all the rest of them coming up with filler songs to pad out an album. I'll buy the best of sugababes but I am not interested in their "proper" albums. Same with Take That. Although I heard that their current album is great.
Not true with other bands though. I think it is a shame that Ash have done this. But then I actually cannot think of any non-single album tracks (or b-sides) that Ash have done that I can remember how they go (possibly some early b-sides). (Maybe I shouldn't have bought them). So I guess they are right. Ash are a singles band and it does mean that the music gets to their audience quicker and so is fresher.
Their new single is great by the way. I downloaded it and love it. Which is odd, as I don't usually download singles by bands that I have collected but I got done by the single format war (see Give Me A Single Reason). They had some donwload exclusive tracks and it was essentially as cheap to download the whole single.
I don't see how they will make money out of this strategy. Perhaps less costs (no manufacturing, less promotion). I think it means that their concerts will become Greatest Hits tours again and again.
I think it is a shame that Ash have done it. I would have rathered it was a bubblegum pop group that had been so radical. I will later compile a list of my top ten non-single album tracks.
I’ve been meaning to post on this for ages too.
I reckon you will get album bands (like NIN) and single bands. The internet is a disruptor and this is another way it’s disrupting. I don’t think it will just be pop bands that become single only and I also don’t think it will just be indie bands that do albums only. The whole mix will shift.
AFAIK albums where pretty much a record industry invention (50s? 60s?) to make money by packaging up a whole lot of tracks and forcing you to buy the lot. It was only later on that bands starting using the album as a form of artistic expression.
But then that’s just what I heard so I might be wrong.