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[TheFathomist]

I was reading an article in Rolling Stone (don't get on me for it, I was at the doctor's office skimming mags) the other day about how CD sales in 2005 overall were down, and how online music sales are exploding. It said that this would lead to a return in the music industry of singles as a way of making money, and a smaller empahsis on full length albums. It also noted that an number of indie artists who had embraced online music distribution were some of the most popular to download. I was wondering everyone's thoughts on this.

As a musician, I think Itunes, Myspace, and their brethren open up worlds of new ways to get music to people. I think it is only a matter of time before we see an artist become famous for web released tunes. The return of the radio star in the form of the web star.

The downside to this is that I also see an explosion of fluff acts. With an increased empahsis on singles, and labels less willing to spend big bucks for an album, I fear for a stream of one-hit/one album wonders, such as the endless Beatle copycats of the 60's or the mass of hair bands in the 80's. The last thing I want is to see albums go out of fashion. They are the basic artistic statement today in music. Anyone can write a decent 3 minute, 4 chord ditty with proper foucs and practice. But to make an 40+ minute musical experience is what seperates the men from the boys, live act be damned. It would be a pity to see albums become raritites because of market trends and restrictions put on by labels.

[Aram]

Well, what you said is true, but in reality, this has been coming since the days of Napster. People still buy albums, even though they could easily download them. I don't think that the release of full-length albums will fall that much, since the means to download albums has been available for a few years now, and still bands are producing albums. Quite a few people think that downloading music is wrong.
But on the subject of internet sales, those are a convinience for everyone, but I don't think that just because you can buy something online, everyone else will drop everything and start selling everything online. There are a -lot- of songs that aren't made into singles, and most of them I personally like better. I can't speak for the entire population, but I think that I'm right in saying that.

[nescience]

The album has really only been the listeners' standard since the mid '60s or so.  I don't really have a problem with going back to a predominantly singles-oriented listening culture-- I'd actually be interested to see what happens.  Of course, I'm pretty certain that the return to such a culture would violate every music-ethics bone in my body, but hey, I'm a huge cynic.

[sjbrot]

I think the appearance of albums at all is an interesting thing. It seems pretty cut and dry now, but looking back at how something like the first full-length Kinks album was handled, the record labels were really just doing it because they could. It's kind of evolved from their to the point where I think albums are an essential form in modern music.

I love singles, and I own plenty of albums that I wish were just EP's. I'm also finding myself buyign more and more singles and EP's. I still think that it would be a shame if the traditional album was killed by digital music and commerce.

[TheFathomist]

Well, what you said is true, but in reality, this has been coming since the days of Napster. People still buy albums, even though they could easily download them. I don't think that the release of full-length albums will fall that much, since the means to download albums has been available for a few years now, and still bands are producing albums. Quite a few people think that downloading music is wrong.
But on the subject of internet sales, those are a convinience for everyone, but I don't think that just because you can buy something online, everyone else will drop everything and start selling everything online. There are a -lot- of songs that aren't made into singles, and most of them I personally like better. I can't speak for the entire population, but I think that I'm right in saying that.

I agree with you that I don't think albums will disappear, or that all music will be sold online in the not-to-distant-future. I like tons of songs that aren't singles either, but the people who control distribution of those songs don't make nearly much money off them, so they are less willing to spend money to make them. I worry that labels will not give artists the time or freedom to make great music, becasue after all, the album is just going to tank, so why not just crank out a single and slap it on the Net? And if you do buy an album online, how does that affect it? Knowing that your work is likely to simply be shuffled onto someone's Ipod playlist as opposed to being heard as a seperate and unique entity?

[Aram]

Well, what you said is true, but in reality, this has been coming since the days of Napster. People still buy albums, even though they could easily download them. I don't think that the release of full-length albums will fall that much, since the means to download albums has been available for a few years now, and still bands are producing albums. Quite a few people think that downloading music is wrong.
But on the subject of internet sales, those are a convinience for everyone, but I don't think that just because you can buy something online, everyone else will drop everything and start selling everything online. There are a -lot- of songs that aren't made into singles, and most of them I personally like better. I can't speak for the entire population, but I think that I'm right in saying that.

I agree with you that I don't think albums will disappear, or that all music will be sold online in the not-to-distant-future. I like tons of songs that aren't singles either, but the people who control distribution of those songs don't make nearly much money off them, so they are less willing to spend money to make them. I worry that labels will not give artists the time or freedom to make great music, becasue after all, the album is just going to tank, so why not just crank out a single and slap it on the Net? And if you do buy an album online, how does that affect it? Knowing that your work is likely to simply be shuffled onto someone's Ipod playlist as opposed to being heard as a seperate and unique entity?

Not to start a pyramid or anything, but..
The artists have some say in this as well. They make the music because they like it, and they'll continue making albums. Regardless of online purchasings, people put albums on their computers. The same question should be asked of CD players, and other things. The labels will give the artists time, because unless the artists are at least somewhat content, nothing gets done. In the -extreme- case, which is highly unlikely, albums would decline, but not be eliminated.

[KharBevNor]

I cewrtainly know no-one would listen to my music but for the internet

so woo

[Spartan Pho3nix]

Wow. That'd be awful. I couldn't handle that. Albums are an artists defining statement, not songs. One hit wonders aren't well known for a reason.

And I exclusively listen to albums. I almost NEVER listen to songs, so I don't know how I would survive.

[MilkmanDan]

If you look at any dance genre's (Drum n Bass, Breaks, Techno, Dubstep, Grime, House, whatever. I mean dance music that is actually aimed for clubs and dancing, not dance music in the vague 'anything electronic' sense), it still is a single orientated. Albums are definatly the exception, not the rule. Also, as previous people have said, albums weren't around at all before the 60's. So there's no reason why albums should be the standard.
That being said, I'm in no rush to see the death of the album. I think it's more likely that they'll simply become less ubiquitous, rather than stop altogether. Artists that still want to make albums will, but those aren't so bothered will feel less obligated to.

[Aram]

The problem is, most people think artists make albums because they -have- to. They could just release singles, and if they wanted to, they would have a long time ago.
The Dance genre can't speak for every single artist.

[penpen17]

I know this makes me a horrible person, but I listen almost exclusively to playlists on shuffle.  I know that I've already been affected by the computerizing of music sales, but there isn't really anything that I can do about it now.  Albums are just too inconvenient to listen to, and our instant-gratification culture has cut my attention span to the point that I would get bored listening to an album.

[TheFathomist]

The problem is, most people think artists make albums because they -have- to. They could just release singles, and if they wanted to, they would have a long time ago.
The Dance genre can't speak for every single artist.

Good points on keeping artists happy and that they don't have to make albums. I guess I got carried away with thinking about the "big oppressive bossy label" on the first point. And I sincerely doubt people like Britney Spears give a shit if they ever put out another album, so long as they are able to keep making money. It also takes the pressure to have an album out every two or three years off of a less prolific artist.

I know there are plenty of great songwriters out there who for various reason, just aren't as good at crafting an album, and online music really gives them a leg up. Me personally though, I listen to albums, and anything that equals fewer albums of outstanding quality, to me is a bad thing. Most dance music lacks depth to me, and is meant to be forgotten as soon as it is over.

[Thrillho]

I hope this doesn't happen. I like CDs, and I only have MP3s for necessity really. MP3s are fake, files are not music as far as I'm concerned. If I've not got the record/CD/tape/whatever in my hand, it ain't music.

[Aram]

I can agree that for single songwriters and the like, the rise of online sales is helping.

[Kai]

eath of full albums pretty much means the death of concept albums, which would make me sad.

[Storm Rider]

Man, think of what would happen to Ayreon.