Is albums a thing of the past?

[skoora]

amen.

i’m so over modern pop and metal i’d take this any day (tele solo at the end

Farnham, as technically good as he is, really reinforces the right singer for the right song and Glenn Shorrock just owns this.

 

[VonBonfire]

amen.

i’m so over modern pop and metal i’d take this any day (tele solo at the end

Damn, they sound great! That vocalist is a straight ace and the harmonies are pure money. Thanks for sharing this mentoneman!

 

[stratjacket]

As a consumer, I prefer bands release full albums. I like to put it on while I’m working or in the car. I like checking out the full band. This still works for established bands and with touring they can keep the attention on the album.

As an independent guy releasing music, if I release an album, it takes longer to make and any momentum it gets is quickly gone. Releasing singles regularly can keep a steady momentum. Then just make playlists out of them so someone can still listen to all your music kind of like an album.

I use Chartmetric which gives good stats across all social media streams, playlists, etc…
As an example, here is Michael Neilsen’s release he did a couple months ago. The month he released it, it had some traction but month 2 it quickly started to fall away. His album has 15 tracks and probably took a while to make. I think it would have been better to release 1 song per month for 15 months, but just my opinion. Obviously he wanted to do a full album and I admire that.

But as a small band or a lone guy, I think it makes sense to release singles at a steady pace. Maybe once you build enough momentum and regular streams then switch to full albums especially if you can tour.

 

[VonBonfire]

But as a small band or a lone guy, I think it makes sense to release singles at a steady pace. Maybe once you build enough momentum and regular streams then switch to full albums especially if you can tour.

Thanks for a well thought out post. Just not sure if the blues market would respond as well to regular singles vs albums. Some of the blues rags review albums but won't review anything less than a full length. I was thinking about releasing a single or two in the months ahead of the record to build some interest and then submit the album for review. I guess it will depend on the $ I have to work with and the timing I am able to accomplish the music. I think I am going to at least give mastering in-house a shot this time so maybe a single would be a good place to try it before using it on an entire record.

 

[stratjacket]

Thanks for a well thought out post. Just not sure if the blues market would respond as well to regular singles vs albums. Some of the blues rags review albums but won't review anything less than a full length. I was thinking about releasing a single or two in the months ahead of the record to build some interest and then submit the album for review. I guess it will depend on the $ I have to work with and the timing I am able to accomplish the music. I think I am going to at least give mastering in-house a shot this time so maybe a single would be a good place to try it before using it on an entire record.

Well the great news is there’s no “right” way. If you want to release an album or just singles or YouTube videos or whatever, just go for it and have fun doing it. Ignore those who will cast shadows, it’s hard to build something and easy to tear it down.

 

[brunocormack]

For the general mainstream public? Yeah, the album format is basically dead—everything is driven by single tracks and streaming playlists now.

But for rock, metal, and prog fans, I think the album is still very much alive. True music fans still want to dive into a full 45-minute cohesive body of work rather than just a collection of random, disconnected singles. It's a dying art form, but the rock community is keeping it on life support.

 

[Rackman]

My experience has been that that right economic model to profit from modern recording is to drive marginal recording costs as close to zero as possible. Have your own PC with a reasonably priced DAW like Reaper. Use stock plugins, or buy used outboard that will retain its value and use that. Never pay for a plugin, since the value is guaranteed to go to zero eventually. Possible exception: virtual instruments, which you should think of more like an "actual" instrument. But in general no pay plugins. Buy a suitable interface. Record in spaces you have, or can rent very cheaply. Churches or ex-churches often have awesome high/non-flat-ceiling spaces. You rarely need more than 2 mics at a time for anything but drums. For drum, scavenge off all your friends if need be. Mix and master your own stuff. If you don't know how to do any given part, check the Bobbly Owsinski books out of the library.

Then put your stuff on streaming. You can release it one single at a time, and then the album at the end.

If you're in a market where CD or vinyl (or both) are feasible consider doing the smallest possible run. But I wouldn't do this unless you have people asking you, a history of online sales, or you have performances with a merch table where you can sell.

Usually when an album doesn't catch on this way, you make a few thousand instead of losing a few. And if it does catch on? You own your masters and are in perfect position to profit.

 

[Techdeth]

I listen to full albums constantly . If I love a band . I also check out new albums . I love albums . A giant piece of art . It’s a life experience they gave their time to . Pretty incredible art form that I’ll always support just because of that