Do Record Companies actually listen to Music Buyers?

You know, In amongst allll the discussion, debating, & agreeing or disagreeing that goes on around our board, there's one thing I don't think has ever been uncovered; Do Record companies/ conglomerates, whatever they're called these days of digital....Do we have any honest clout as to what gets chosen to release/re-issue, what have you? Are there archivists/producers/curators at these places that will read E-mails or letters from the general music consumer? Maybe takes some time to find out what a board like ours has to say again & again as to what we'd like to see, and will take the time to answer why or why not certain product can or can't happen? Look at the requests to go back to honest analog sound. I'd like to hear from someone high up in the food chain take this topic and tell us; Is this doable in 2017? Or is it simply cost-prohibitive after so much digital change? What about the brickwalling & loudness wars....is that simply here to stay regardless? We've had some great requests for certain boxsets, live material & long-lost musical prizes that people are prepared to open their wallets for. Is anyone in the "ivory towers" hearing what is being said here? Or has it all just turned into a giant bean-counting exercise overall?

 

Thinking in terms of new releases by living/active artists, there are some, (especially smaller labels), who certainly do listen and do their part to meet the needs of their consumers. Mastering, format availability, production and the artist roster are each very important to me. Of course song selection, but a talented artist should be trusted to make such decisions without much in the way of input from a record label. Regarding reissue labels, I think that's a whole other ball game.

 

Buyers ?
No !!!

 

It would be interesting to have a discussion with some of the "movers and shakers" involved with the music industry.
Not sure who has the most influence as far as what, and how things are produced/released.

 

I think they listen to dollar signs (ka-ching!), but that's about it.

 

I think it is a cold, calculated process of looking to see what sold last week, last month.

 

As long as people keep buying what they are selling, things will stay the same. It doesn't matter whether or not the buyers are complaining as long as they keep spending their money.

 

That's one thing I love about the vinyl collective boards is direct interaction with smaller labels. I don't think the majors care cause they have enough suckers to buy whatever, but I have seen directly how buyers can influence small labels at times

 

Intervention Records certainly does.

 

I'd say they listen, but don't respond appropriately.

 

A lot of reissues right now are being mastered better, and are not as loud. I think they are listening a bit. Now, new releases are a different story. The only thing I can think of to explain this is that re-issue producers and engineers have a mandate to produce a product that has a fidelity that audiophiles will appreciate.