How do you feel about REMs Unplugged Record Store Day Release .

Better stores sell out then be stuck with product. Especially since these days there are no returns as I understand. When i managed stores in the 70s we could return pretty much anything.

 

It's how I feel about every other limited edition item on RSD -- offer it as a normal non-limited / non-numbered release in a few months time and no biggie. But if it's never re-issued again, even if there's demand for it, and that's a different story.

 

Someone explain this to me...I must be dense....exactly who makes out by having a limited number of copies (2500) available for sale for an item that might easily twice or 3 times that....not the band, not the record company and not the retailer....the idea of scarcity only benefits those that buy a copy and (maybe) resell it....the only benefit I see is that a retailer can feel confident that he can turn his inventory quickly and entice a buyer into his store to perhaps buy other things as well....

I have no issue with the limited edition or the quantity....that is a decision that the band, the record company and their advisors are fee to determine on their own. I just don't understand that if you can sell 5 or 10,000 why you wouldn't choose to do that.....

Unless you were pumping up interest in the forthcoming CD?

 

Yeah most people still but CDs and after all it's still the same music less a few clicks and pops.

 

What was the price in the US? It was $89 NZD here, equivalent to $75 USD.

Also when did the release count jump up? I thought it was limited to 1000.

 

If you didn't make it limited, I bet they wouldn't even sell 2500 copies (or at least any time soon), esp. at $100. That's very expensive for a 4 lp set.

 

I'm still not sure how I feel. I was curious what others thought. It's always nice to have a piece of music you want. You may never come across it again

 

What about the record stores? I mean, creating buzz, creating excitement, a mechanism for getting people in the door, isn't that what it's about? If it's not available for purchase there's always something else to catch our fancy.

Yes, it's bout the fans, it's also about the long-term viability of our beloved brick and mortar stores. Let's not forget that.

 

I think it was about $85 here in Madison, WI, and I never saw it jump to 2,500, either.

 

They made 2500. Supposedly 1500 for Europe

 

It was the REM release that got me into the store this year. It would take something special for me to go next year.

 

2500 world wide? 1000 USA

 

Record Den in Mentor had many copies but that is a long drive from Canton.

 

Going for avg £140 on Ebay,
Will this sound any better/different to the CD?

 

Besides pops, crackles, surface noise, fill issues...it will be about the same.

 

It will sound different than the CD. Pops and clicks will be added and the cover much larger

 

Beat me.

 

I would have made the drive. My bad. I'll call and see if they have any left. Thanks

 

Do we even know if the band had much of anything to do with the release? I have no idea, but I'd assume that Warner Bros. along with MTV were mostly behind this release. Please, correct me if I'm wrong. I hate the overpriced limited quantity RSD stuff as well, but I'm glad that in this case, there will be a wider CD release. I know that Vinyl only junkies will be pissed that they didn't get it in that format, but for me, I'll take the cheaper CD option and still enjoy the terrific music.

In conclusion, I'm not mad at all. That's the way the business works.

 

I paid $90 at my local store. Michael Stipe was involved in the package design, but I'm guessing the folks at Rhino and MTV made the decision about how many copies to press.

 

You can see the effect of supply and demand from the DMB Live Trax series. First Live Trax 1 on RSD 2013 was limited to 500 copies. Flippers targeted them and they went on eBay for small fortunes, for 2 discs no less. You had a better chance of seeng a unicorn than that box set. On Black Friday 2013 they issued Live Trax 2 and 3 at 1,000 pressings each, so basically quadrupled the total number of pieces (but really only doubled by title). Flippers still bought them all up. Where I was, the first 15 people on line were pros. You can tell the pros because they are like mercenaries. They get into the store and are out in less than five minutes with big bags and no expression. Real collectors would spend a little more time to savor the moment in the store, maybe even do so more shopping.

So 1000 was not enough to discourage the flippers, but I think this year's 2,000 copies for Live Trax 4 was perfect. Just enough to make flipping for a profit very risky, and also enough for all fans to get a set if they put in a realistic effort. The result was that the flippers stayed away, and I finally have a Live Trax set on vinyl.

IMO, REM needed to press more of this set, and then the flippers would have buggered off and left the sets for the fans. 2,000 would have been perfect.

 

More for Europe than the US?Maybe that explains why I was able to get a copy from the UK,at $105 including shipping.

 

They printed 2500

 

I love REM, but their reissues have been absolutely unlistenable. I'll stick with original-pre-remastered CDs for the stuff up to the mid-2000s. Since even their new albums in 2006 and 2008 or whatever just sounded awful, I've given up on them - Its really sad, as they're such a great band - Oh well... Its possible that Unplugged willbe an exception, but I'm happy to stick with youtube streams or whatever

 

REM - the band that could do no wrong (from a marketing standpoint) for so many years, has done so much wrong lately.

They need Jefferson Holt back, managing things.