Is albums a thing of the past?

[VonBonfire]

Seems like they are just an overpriced business card now but one that you still need to have for promotional purposes. I'm thinking about turning out one, maybe two, full length records and then just releasing singles digitally after that but I'm not sure it's acceptable as an industry practice or not. I got the next record more than half written right now but still gotta do a lot of tracking.

Seems like the whole business is in a transition right now but no one really knows what the future brings with A.I and digital streaming. Even for the big names albums don't sell very well anymore. People just buy the songs they like digitally or stream them. Almost no one has a CD player these days. I gave all my CD's away a few years ago. I only been printing my band CD's in batches of 100 for this reason otherwise I'm just sitting on boxes of them. I'm getting more streams than physical sales, which means zero dollars. Ten years ago I moved about 250 units with a lot fewer gigs while I was still in Tampa bay. The last record I moved about 50 since last October and had quite a few more gigs to get it done.

I'm guessing since guys are a little older here on average there are still a few CD enjoyers. How are the other band guys on the board doing things? Any music listeners wanna chime in with some feedback? Is the big $$$ for printing vinyl worth it on the sales end, more as a collectible/souvenir/or audio enjoyment? I haven't tried that. Thought I would ask for some opinions. Thanks to anyone who cares to voice their thoughts.

 

[RaceU4her]

I want three 2 minute songs at a time from my favorite bands that I can listen to on Spotify. I’m not listening to a 45 minute album anymore, and i sure as hell don’t want to spend money on cd’s or records.

If I had a band, I’d want listeners on YouTube and Spotify liking and commenting to spur the algorithm

 

[watson503]

I still buy albums - CDs, vinyl, even cassettes if that is all the band is offering although they've never been my favorite. I enjoy having physical copies of albums and don't belong to any streaming sites, never had an i-pod or what have you but also feel it is a good way to support the bands I like, buying albums and merchandise...Most people I know just stream stuff or play playlists through their phones while in their car driving but I still lug CDs around with me and play vinyl and tapes on my home stereo in my office.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Bands like Iron Maiden focus solely on albums. Almost none of the tracks are short enough to get radio play. And it’s hard to deny the shit they’re making is still pretty balls out metal.

 

[dooredge]

I hate today's model of releasing music. I want a full album that I can listen to, start to finish. Seems rock/metal bands picked up on how the rap/pop dreck operates and have followed suit. 9/10 times I'll ignore singles and wait for the album to drop.

 

[VonBonfire]

Bands like Iron Maiden focus solely on albums. Almost none of the tracks are short enough to get radio play. And it’s hard to deny the shit they’re making is still pretty balls out metal.

I don't deny it but they also have a built in fanbase from a different day and age who are now demographically in the age bracket with the maximum expendable income plus are of the age more likely to appreciate physical copies of their favorite albums.

I hate today's model of releasing music. I want a full album that I can listen to, start to finish. Seems rock/metal bands picked up on how the rap/pop dreck operates and have followed suit. 9/10 times I'll ignore singles and wait for the album to drop.

For now I'm looking for a way to do things where I don't lose my ass on the next full length record. Not trying to get rich, just trying to break even.

I released a 7 song EPK in 2015, spent too much at high brow studio, had a 1000 copies printed, and wound up with a $5 per unit cost. I was going to go with a well known CD printing company and one of the guys in the band said "I know a place that can do it cheaper". His "discount" CD manufacturer recouped the discounted fee by selling all the artwork and music to some dude in China who turned around and sold the record on ebay for $5 each.

My last CD was funded through a grant so I only have a couple hundred bucks of my own $ into it, which I have already recouped. I did apply for another grant this year but am still waiting to hear if that's gonna happen or not. Regardless, you can't have a business model that runs on grants so I'm looking for any ideas, suggestions, and even to hear guy's personal preferences. Thanks for your feedback dooredge.

 

[RaceU4her]

I predict it will be people over 50 that still want full albums and space taking cd/records, which really provide no help for a band anymore in a digital world where everything is views and likes.

 

[VonBonfire]

I predict it will be people over 50 that still want full albums and space taking cd/records, which really provide no help for a band anymore in a digital world where everything is views and likes.

I think you are right. Per the FB band page I think the age bracket of the majority of "likes" is people aged 35-75 with literally zero likes from anyone under 21 or 18 or whatever. I went to Clarksdale last fall for the pine top home coming and it was mostly a sea of silver hair with a few people in their 30's and 40's dispersed throughout. The only youths were kids who were there to perform and a few of their friends.

 

[phillybhatesme]

I have definitely seen a shift from albums to singles. Artists release singles all the time without the tracks ever ending up on an album.

 

[dooredge]

For now I'm looking for a way to do things where I don't lose my ass on the next full length record. Not trying to get rich, just trying to break even.

I released a 7 song EPK in 2015, spent too much at high brow studio, had a 1000 copies printed, and wound up with a $5 per unit cost. I was going to go with a well known CD printing company and one of the guys in the band said "I know a place that can do it cheaper". His "discount" CD manufacturer recouped the discounted fee by selling all the artwork and music to some dude in China who turned around and sold the record on ebay for $5 each.

My last CD was funded through a grant so I only have a couple hundred bucks of my own $ into it, which I have already recouped. I did apply for another grant this year but am still waiting to hear if that's gonna happen or not. Regardless, you can't have a business model that runs on grants so I'm looking for any ideas, suggestions, and even to hear guy's personal preferences. Thanks for your feedback dooredge.

I don't know how much of this applies to the conversation, but this is how my band works. We are mostly DIY. We record all guitars, bass, and vocals at my house. Bare bones set-up, but we make the most out of what we have been blessed with. We do track drums in a studio, then have an engineer mix and master. My co-guitarist is great with Logic, and that relieves a lot of the burden of relying on someone on the outside.

We also take the time to do demos and pre-production. We don't waste time when it's time for the red light. I feel like that's key with any musical project. The studio isn't the time to figure out who's playing what, or how to play a certain riff. I feel like a lot of bands miss that fact when they go to record. I know you're a seasoned musician, so I assume you work efficiently as possible.

I don't know the exact dollar amount we have given in each instance, but it's been less than $4k per full-length album, start to finish. We've done three so far. Because of all the digital streaming services, we only printed 100 CD's of our most recent album and focus more on t-shirts, hats, stickers merch-wise. It may be a bit more expensive per unit, but it's better than having product sitting around doing nothing. We still find that a lot of people like physical CD's so we feel it will always be worth it to have some on hand. If we need to reprint another batch, we will.

 

[japetus]

Nah, I live for the deep cuts.

 

[blackba]

I still buy CDs and Vinyl and not into streaming where they can cut off my favorite artist at anytime.

My daughter is also buying CDs.
Sure it seems like only singles is the wave of the future, but I like the old album model much better. Its so cool to discover an awesome album track or how they flow together.

 

[ZEEGLER]

I like albums.

Back in high school, I only bought vinyl. CDs weren't around yet and cassette tapes were shitty disposable things that I taped my vinyl on to, but I wouldn't have bought a pre-recorded cassette if you payed me. I liked the ritual and commitment of playing a vinyl album. Carefully removing the album from the sleeve, holding it by the edges, using my record cleaner to remove any dust particles. You go through all that, you're at least going to listen to the entire side of the record. That kind of effort added value to every song on the album. It required more than 10 seconds of my attention before I skipped to the next song. On countless occasions me and friends would get together, have some beers, smoke some weed, and listen to music. Albums. On the record player. And yes, we'd sit and listen to the whole thing and actually listen to it. It wasn't just background noise.

I do think that CDs and subsequently streaming have devalued music somewhat. Individual songs make sense in today's world because of the format, and because we're all so busy and distracted.

I still listen to albums. Yesterday I spun Anthrax -State of Euphoria and Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow.

 

[RaceU4her]

I still buy CDs and Vinyl and not into streaming where they can cut off my favorite artist at anytime.

When has a platform ever cut off an artist for no reason?? I’ve never heard of this happening

 

[311boogieman]

I'm an album guy too.
-Always have been.
-By that I mean CD's.
-I always loved the concept of albums and it being an experience. To this day I often listen to CD's all the way through.
-Fond memories of going to Camelot Music and just browsing through all the album covers as a kid.
-I'm old enough to have owned a few actual vinal albums. I still have VH1 and LZ4 and some Steve Martin.
-I'm young enough to have missed the 8 track phase. Never owned one. Still have some cassettes and an old boom box.
-I own probably close to 300 CD's and that was after a big purge where I traded off w/ a local (CD Warehouse).
-Probably 50 of those (favs) are in my Suburban now.
-More than half of my CD's have been ripped and sitting on my laptop and phone.
-Don't really use streaming services to enjoy music, but I do use Youtube.

 

[Floyd Eye]

I'm an album guy too.
-Always have been.
-By that I mean CD's.
-I always loved the concept of albums and it being an experience. To this day I often listen to CD's all the way through.
-Fond memories of going to Camelot Music and just browsing through all the album covers as a kid.
-I'm old enough to have owned a few actual vinal albums. I still have VH1 and LZ4 and some Steve Martin.
-I'm young enough to have missed the 8 track phase. Never owned one. Still have some cassettes and an old boom box.
-I own probably close to 300 CD's and that was after a big purge where I traded off w/ a local (CD Warehouse).
-Probably 50 of those (favs) are in my Suburban now.
-More than half of my CD's have been ripped and sitting on my laptop and phone.
-Don't really use streaming services to enjoy music, but I do use Youtube.

You’re old enough to have owned a lot of vinyl. You’re old enough to recall when cassettes came out taking over from 8 track. I know this because you’re the same age as me. And I had a shit ton of vinyl when I was young.

 

[RaceU4her]

I am as old school in my life as I think any 42 year old can be, my music consumption is not going to be one of those things though. cutting yourself off from streaming and literally the whole world of music at your fingertips is something I will never understand

 

[ZEEGLER]

I am as old school in my life as I think any 42 year old can be, my music consumption is not going to be one of those things though. cutting yourself off from streaming and literally the whole world of music at your fingertips is something I will never understand

Yeah, you've gotta move with the times, but hey, there's no reason why you can't have it all. I have two stepkid Gen Z's in my house and they both have turntables, and both collect vinyl. Granted, the music they listen to is fucking atrocious, but that's beside the point. And as much as I love my old school shit, I listen to Spotify every day, in my car, at home, etc., because it's convenient. I enjoy doing "deep dives" on artists that I perhaps never got into enough to own their music. For example, I'm currently reading a David Bowie biography. I know a lot of his stuff, and actually own a greatest hits CD, but there's a ton of his material from the dozens of albums he's released over the years that I've never heard. I'm certainly not going to go out and buy all of his albums on CD or vinyl, but with Spotify, I can listen to pretty much everything he's ever done.

 

[PeteLaramee]

I still buy CDs. I will only buy an album/download if I like samples and there is no CD option. Also - I am going to release another album/CD. However, I will only have 300 or so made.

I'm old school (I'll be 58 in a few days). I have no idea how the kids today do it. LOL

 

[Metalhex]

I only buy cd's. No vinyl or digital. I have 3 plastic tote bins full of all my cd's for easy transport when I move.

My band printed a couple hundred cd's just before covid. Haven't sold a single one. Just a couple online sales. But then again, we never played out