Mic Mell, of Polyvibe Records, posted an inquiry on his blog today about a study in the UK about their Music Industry, and the revenue they are losing. They estimate that 18% of the album sales are lost to p2p and piracy. But the biggest killer to their sales? Un-bundling albums on digital markets like iTunes. Read his entire post here, but this is the first quote that caught my eye:
Does it serve artists to have their musical works picked apart? While the single is still a viable format, it has a specific design. A track meant to generate interest in an album, and often the best track (sometimes colloquially referred to as the “money trackâ€).
In my opinion the only people really hurt by un-bundled album sales are those out there putting out ‘money tracks’ + filler-filled albums. Its the hit-making machine thinking coupled with consumer choice in not paying full price (even on iTunes) for what is mostly a shit album with 1 - 4 good tunes.
However, as an artist, I want my vision to be experienced. When my albums are split apart, listeners do not get the full scope of my musical vision.
I too love albums that are whole and complete pieces, such as ‘Low Blood Sugar‘ album, written by Mic Mell himself (the author of the article). But sometimes an album is just a hot track and nothing else to me (That’s the DJ in me talking). And just like Mic - I am all for consumer choice - which may mean that some companies have to change their business model.
However, I am also a completist. And even if the rest of the album doesn’t move me, I still buy the whole thing - I can’t go mucking up my iTunes library with incomplete albums - somebody, please think of the children!
And while most of my tastes have me buying from BLEEP.COM and not from iTunes (though I have been checking out their DRM Free iTunes Plus offerings) - it still comes down to this in the consumers mind: Is the whole album worth owning? For me the answer is almost a resounding yes!
Other consumers, especially the kinds that get measured in these types of studies - i.e. Pop Music, Top 40, and other Radio Audiences â„¢ - are exactly the kinds of consumers that want to un-bundle albums, just want the single, and while they’re at it get it as a ring tone, too. Next month, they will be on to the next “money track” that their radio and TV is telling them to buy and the consumer is none the wiser to the devastation they are causing to the labels putting out the music they listen to! Oh My! Oh Brother :/
And while we’re on the subject of iTunes, they have the technology to sell albums in their complete whole, and only as a complete albums - and they can do it one of two ways:
- By making every song an “Album Only” track - which they generally do with super long tracks already, because they can’t sell a 20 minute mega-mix for $0.99. Same goes for super short ones, which they will also only sell with entire album purchases.
- Format it like they do on an audio book - One file, with chapter markers for the tracks. This format, if i recall correctly, will even separate the chapter markers as audio tracks on the CD when you burn it. Doesn’t work very well for most Audio Books (averaging 4 hrs or more), but could be perfect for albums under 80 minutes in length.
The problem with this of course, is more of policy - Steve Jobs has been rather adamant about having iTunes run his way, or take a hike content provider, tho even this is starting to change - than of technology.
And now I turn to you, dear readers, what do you think? What are your buying habits like? Are you buying whole albums, or just the hot singles?
since i’m still a fan of the physical cd, its superior sound compared to lossy formats usually offered online, its packaging, its tangible existence, and all that goodness, it’s the cd that i continue to buy most of the time. when i buy downloads, it’s usually the ‘money tracks’ that i cherry-pick from itunes. y’know, from artists that i don’t like much, have no interest in buying the whole record, but would be willing to drop a dollar to own the one song i care about.
unbundled records are also insanely useful when, for example, putting together a wedding music collection.
the only time i buy downloads of entire records, for the most part, is when those records are too obscure to find in physical form without paying outrageous moolah from online retailers (a good example would be when cd’s are released overseas and not here in the US. the price of the cd shipping usually outweighs my desire for it. downloading, then, becomes favorable and cheap…).
i don’t really have an answer for them, especially since steve jobs isn’t being very flexible on price structures. otherwise i’d suggest they experiment with bundling new albums and unbundling old albums (with lower prices for really old albums). sell a single at 99 cents but provide incentive for buying the full album (10 full albums purchased gives you a free 11th or something). i dunno, of course, these ideas suck compared to the favorable ethical record company business model, but i don’t see that happening any time soon.
in general, as you suggest, stop releasing shitty music, and people will buy the good stuff that remains. period. why invest in a big pile of nothing, then wonder why no one wants it?
The modern album and the 2:30 single are the way they are because of archaic technological limitations of recorded media. There is no natural reason that the “album” should be the way it is, other than the habit of artists to make appoximately enough music to fit on a 12″ record.
Excellent points, especially the bit about putting together a collection for a event such as a wedding.
I’ve been out of college for a very short time and have now just gotten a job.. but i know myself well enough to know that in the near future i will only become more prudish instead of less..
and so i say that the last time i bought a new cd was in the first quarter of this year at the earliest. adding to that id say that the newer things i have listened to have been non-DRM tracks released through free netlabels, cds bought or received secondhand, and the downloaded other. i don’t support itunes because as you said, they have a flaw in their product sale system.
really it just costs too much to pump money out to just hear audio books and cds anymore. i want to support people, and i do, as soon as they join netlabels that are focussed solely on the artists and the work they can produce, or internet releases by artists that have moved from the music industry moguls that are oft mentioned in these conversations.