Albums are dead.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by manco, Jan 15, 2019.

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  1. Devin

    Devin Time's Up

    Yep, I think we can all agree that Modern Dad is full of shtick.
     
  2. Diamond Dog

    Diamond Dog Cautionary Example

    He's definitely full of something. Other than himself, I mean.....


    D.D.
     
  3. HotelYorba101

    HotelYorba101 Senior Member

    Location:
    California
    I am just lamenting the fact that the SH forums can't have a streaming related thread without that shtick taking over the threads at this point
     
  4. Vaughan

    Vaughan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex, UK
    I don't know man, you're making some sweeping judgments right there. What "mostly sucks" are only things you don't like, but you can't project that into the industry as a whole. Obviously there are a lot of people who enjoy what you don't. Album may be dead to you, but to the rest of us they're going strong.

    Oh man, those were the days. :D

    Seriously, I used to think just as you do. My experience is that it's just a phase. Eventually you'll come to realize you've missed out on a lot of good stuff. As I say, that was my experience.

    The problem here is that you make generalized statements as though they apply across a broad spectrum, when in fact they only apply to you. You really ought to learn where to draw the line, imo.
     
  5. Freedom Rider

    Freedom Rider Senior Member

    Location:
    Russia
    Schnitzerphilip has now achieved the seemingly unattainable.

    By now, he has alienated almost every conceivable subset of this board, including both the anti-streaming crowd and the anti-"new music sucks" crowd, which is a feat in itself.

    The only group he must have on his side at this point is the "new music sucks" folks that also believe the "album is dead" and are also heavily pro streaming. But that is, like, a super rare species on this forum.
     
    ARK and Pop_Zeus like this.
  6. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Last month I purchased Bon Iver’s i,i, Lana Del Ray’s Norman F****** Rockwell and Tool’s Fear Inoculum. All three are great albums qua albums, and are being treated as such by fans and critics alike.
     
    Damon Arvid, wolfram and HfxBob like this.
  7. HfxBob

    HfxBob Forum Resident

    The big question is, why do people get such a buzz out of saying things are dead that are clearly NOT DEAD? :confused: :laugh:
     
  8. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    I agree that albums that are and were released merely as a vehicle for a big hit single are rife with fillers usually. Those albums started out problematic, and hold little interest for me. They are released by large corporate interests and artists who are mostly only interested in what sells...over and over.

    But smaller label, indie artists (and often on their own label) who often have to ask fans for funds to even record their next work, are assuredly interested in the whole album...no filler. After all, it will be the music that sells them, not a mega advertising campaign. And album artists like Sufjan Stevens, or John Prine or Sun Kil Moon or Leonard Cohen (I don't believe Leonard ever had a single released).

    For the serious full album artist, the track order is as important as the tracks themselves, with each song anticipating the next.

    Often times there is a theme, if only in mood or instrumentation. True appreciation and listening pleasure of say Illinoise, or Forever Changes, or Admiral Fell Promises is only achieved by listening to the WHOLE album. I understand shuffling while occupied with work or other chores, but to be unable to have the attention span or desire to give a whole album ones full attention is just sad (I am being very subjective and personal here). It makes me wonder if those who say albums are dead can read a complete novel or short story or even a great poem without yawning; even a poem requires a dedicated attention span for each line.

    For me and many here the only true joy is to become completely immersed in an album's art, music and purpose, whether it has a message or just a great musical theme start to finish.

    Yesterday it was Sun Kil Moon's "Admiral Fell Promise". Today it may be Gene Clark's "No Other" or Annie Gallup's new album "Bookish"...
    and I plan to get immersed. I have over 800 LPs (which of course require a full listen, at least to one side), and thousands of albums in my iTunes library.

    Albums are not dead. Not on my island.

    :tiphat:
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2019
  9. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    True, so true.
     
    ARK likes this.
  10. Time Is On My Side

    Time Is On My Side Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Albums are not dead. The problem is that most listeners only care about the hits, hence why they sign up for streaming instead of buying the album. Instead of thinking albums are mostly filler, sit down and listen to it and give it a chance.
     
  11. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    He’s the guy who thinks only elitists listen to monaural recordings right? Maybe I have him confused with “Modern Dad”? I don’t think his views are that unusual, and frankly, people are entitled to their opinions. What’s crazy is younger people seem so intent on making him understand their views or convince him he’s wrong. That will not happen, and if he’s like others, he will just get more defensive.

    Don’t attack the guy. Just listen.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2019
  12. Gaslight

    Gaslight ⎧⚍⎫⚑

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    There's probably a lot of trolling going on. But if the comments in this thread are true, and they could be, then who cares? My wife is pretty much the same way and I'm sure a lot of people are. These are the same people that bought only 45's back in the day or just purchased single songs off iTunes. Now they get to make giant playlists of whatever songs they like.

    Been doing some culling lately and part of that is finally going through some CD's, LP's and digital files where I might like one or two songs and the rest is just filler. Why am I keeping these? Keep the songs I like, donate or trash the rest.
     
  13. PRW94

    PRW94 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Southeast
    But I've done that for 50 years, when streaming was a dream in some science fiction writer's eye. And while I'm not going to use a bludgeon like the dude that's pissing everyone off ... although IMO he's on target more than he is off target ... I'll freely admit that if something bottom line doesn’t entertain my ears, I'm skipping it. I did it with vinyl, cassettes and CDs and I do it with streaming.

    Case in point, I hate with the intensity of a thousand suns the Beatle song She's a Woman. I gave it a chance and I still despise it and have skipped over it in various formats for a half century.

    I do think the album as "a profound statement to the world" is dead because few people today are interested in great, grandiose outpourings of one artist's perceptions of the human condition. Flame away.
     
    schnitzerphilip and pig bodine like this.
  14. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    Oh brother...
     
  15. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    My dear sir, I realize that it is the artist's job - nay, the artist's responsibility - to transform the fetid effluvium of everyday existence into the pungent perfume of possibility, in turn lighting the way for the wretched, lost masses who are not blessed with the poetic gift. However, the vast majority of those who make music are little more than carnival barkers and rodeo clowns, and only a rare few carry the artistic vision of, say, ZZ Top or Toto.
     
  16. PRW94

    PRW94 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Southeast
    It was hyperbole, OK? :)
     
  17. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    OK. :righton:
     
  18. Yes, they e been replaced with deluxe boxed sets.
     
  19. jeffrey walsh

    jeffrey walsh Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, Pa. USA
    Man do I envy you, been a while since I’ve purchased four new release titles in the same month and Loved them.
     
  20. Babysquid

    Babysquid Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    If people are still making them and people are still buying them they’re not dead.
     
    Buddybud likes this.
  21. Devin

    Devin Time's Up

    Actually I tend to agree that many new albums are comprised of just a couple of good songs amidst a load of filler.

    But I have to say that the strongest contender I've heard in years for disputing the "album is dead" theory is Billie Eilish's album. It's a near perfect collection of catchy and memorable dark modern pop tunes. What did you think of it Modern Dad?
     
  22. Evethingandnothing

    Evethingandnothing Forum Resident

    Location:
    Devon
    Whilst an album full of great songs is a great thing to have, I may perhaps balk at streaming playlists where every song is great, not because I don't want every song to be great, but that I fear if I were listening to great songs all of the time that some of that greatness will be lost without the comparative annoyance of having to listen to something less than great once in a while. Surely filler is there to make you enjoy the great stuff that much more?
     
    schnitzerphilip likes this.
  23. Babysquid

    Babysquid Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    I’m in agreement with that. It’s an excellent Lp.
     
    Devin likes this.
  24. schnitzerphilip

    schnitzerphilip "Modern Dad" Unlocked Award

    Location:
    NJ USA
    Yes, but that's me alone with my headphones in "edit" mode. I'm talking about when I'm in my car driving or hosting a swanky party with my posh beach house friends.

    "No Duds" mode = Enabled.
     
  25. schnitzerphilip

    schnitzerphilip "Modern Dad" Unlocked Award

    Location:
    NJ USA
    You can tell yourself that, but it's not true. Modern Dad is just a slightly different form of audiophile than you're used to. He went to rehab, He went through the 12 steps, He's 5 years clean at this point.
     
    Gaslight likes this.
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