Is this progress?
Every few months or so, you'll see several articles laying out the latest raw data showing that music sales are down again, with digital downloads heading lower and with CD numbers taking the worst hit. The ultimate outcome is uncertain, but the general consensus seems to be that we're heading back toward consumption of music as single tracks, with the album being the latest casualty of 'progress.'…
Article comments
26 - Mat Brewster
I guess my point Glen is that really great albums have always been in the minority. The album as we love it has only been around for a relatively short while. But even during that period the single still had power. The masses are always going to love short pop songs.
But for all the mourning of the album it still seems to be around. True, really brilliant albums are a hard thing to come by, but that's been a problem for a lot longer than the mp3.
Does that make sense? Its like I keep hearing about the death of the album, and yet they are still being made. Every week new albums come out. Sure not all of them are great, most of them are crap. But name me a year when that wasn't true. Since the birth of the MP3 I for one have heard some really great albums and I don't see that trend ending any time soon.
27 - Tyler Brown
I'd give my standard answer: its not a matter of what's better, the album and the single are just very different things. Its also a fact that the album, by it's very nature, takes longer to fully experience and there is no doubt that time and attention spans are on the decline for most of us.
The fact that the delivery mechanism has changed and I am no longer forced to buy the record or CD for that one great single has to be a good thing no? By the same token, nothing about online digital music precludes the long form so I'm sure it will be around as long as there are those of us who love it ... and buy it.
28 - Mark Saleski
while this whole ipod/earbud/mp3 thing has influence labels to do bad things to their 'product' (gawd, so cringe-worth), i don't think that it influences musicians one bit.
you hear the sounds forming in your head and have a need to make them enter the world. no amount of technological hijinx at the delivery end is going to change that.
29 - Mat Brewster
Exactly. So why are so many people thinking that musicians are going to suddenly stop wanting to make albums? The power of the big record companies is getting less and less. Which means they have less influence over the final product. Which, to me anyways, means musicians are more and more able to create what they want. Surely some of them will still want to create great albums, not just singles.
30 - JC Mosquito
Sound quality? Phooey - you can't shine horsepucky is how I see it. Does The MC5 really sound that much better in whatever format? Didn't think so.
Anyways, I was just gonna say how I haven't listened to Joe Jackson's Night and Day for at least 10 years til you brought it up - I luvved it the and still do...... I think. I was just wondering how it's possible we forget about music we like?
31 - Mark Saleski
i try not to forget, which writing this thing helps with sometimes.
and hell, this isn't even my favorite Joe Jackson record, which is either Big World or Blaze of Glory...depending on the day.
32 - JC Mosquito
Go with Big World. Actually, the soundtrack for Mike's Murder is a nice addendum to Night & Day.
33 - Mark Saleski
i have a pristine copy of Mike's Murder on vinyl.
and i have to say that Laughter & Lust is probably in my top three.
34 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Well... This might be a little off point, but, on Saturday I visited an excellent Hi-Fi shop here in MA. and it was pleasant to see that end of the spectrum still alive and kicking. Getting the opportunity to hear an all digital system from Meridian(priced in at approx. $40,000) was a vision from the future. And, boy, you wanna talk about sound quality.
It really makes you realize that Ipods/Zunes/Whatever really aren't the pinnacle of digital engineering and that Mp3s aren't going to take over the world.
35 - Mark Saleski
what shop did you go to brian?
36 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Natural Sound in Framingham.
37 - Mark Saleski
ah, didn't know about that one. the last place like that i went to was Goodwin's High End. a friend of mine made an appt. to audition some Wilson speakers. i think the watt puppies.
anyway, man they have an incredible listening room there!
38 - Kit O'Toole
First of all, Mark, I commend you for mentioning Night and Day, an underrated album in my opinion. Second, your article reminded me of some recent conversations with friends. They were telling me how wonderful iTunes is because you can just buy the hits and skip the "lame tracks" on the rest of the album. Sure, we've all bought albums that had one or two good songs and the rest sucked. But as you said, I'd hate to see the album concept (or concept album) vanish. As you mention, how could anyone simply download "the hits" off Revolver? Certainly Sgt. Pepper should be listened to in its entirety. Also, some of my all-time favorite songs are album tracks and not the big hits. If I simply downloaded the singles, I'd miss out on some hidden gems.
I indeed hope that the album as an art form never goes away. Thanks for a thought-provoking article!
39 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Wasn't Goodwin's in Worcester? Well, Natural Sound doesn't have any flashy type listening rooms but their reference equipment is absolutely amazing.Plus, it's basically a house with a bunch of listening rooms which makes it that much more comfortable. Just ask for Peter Zagwyn. That dude knows his sh!t. Also ask to check out the Sonus Faber bookshelves
40 - Mark Saleski
goodwin's is in waltham. it's got a bunch of audition room plus one room that's an example of the room design service they have. here's a link to a photo gallery. the sound in that room was stunning.
p.s. i loooove my speakers
41 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Ahha... I thought it sounded familiar. I don't think I've been there. I used to go to Spearit Sound in Boston quite a bit. Natural Sound only has the pic on their company page.
Nice speakers, man and I've never heard of that company. Just goes to show that there are tons of speaker manufacturers in the audiophile world.
I have a pair of Jamo 707s. They don't make 'em like that anymore so that's the only info I could pull from the net.
42 - Mark Saleski
yeah, my sister had a set of jamo's many years ago, but they were bookshelf speakers.
my system is pretty much dialed in for all of the acoustic music i listen too. crossover-less speakers driven by a flea-powered (2W) tube amp. the sound is incredible....unless you put on heavy rock music.
43 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Yea, I love the small but powerful acoustic set-ups especially with balanced cables. My brother had one with some 1960 MacIntosh tube amps (one for each channel) that he refurbished on his own with a just a CD player and some Mirage bookshelves.
That's the great thing about most high end systems, you can basically build a system to perform how you want it to, maybe spend a little more but it usually lasts quite a long time.
My Jamos are set up for just about any kind of music as long as it has good source material. I use a Yamaha RX-V3200 that I picked up about 9 years ago and I have a KX-Sub1 by DCM that helps with any low end that the downward firing 8"s in my Jamos can't(especially DTS movies). I also have the Jamo Bi-poles and a center as well.Still, I wish I could spend the cash to set up a McIntosh integrated with some Sonus Fabers. But, i feel that my system still does a damn good job and I'm in no financial position to upgrade.