Do you still buy them?
Once upon a time, boys and girls, for The Curmudgeon, a new single by an artist or band I "followed" was something of an event. And with good reason, too. Often CD singles were released in two parts, and with that meant..
1. Cool limited packaging (fold out digi packs, tins, 3" CDs).
2. Bonus tracks, which could be new songs, cover versions, live tracks..
Back In The Day (ugh! I do apologise) these bonus tracks could be better than the actual single itself, and when you added up the tracks from singles released you often had a full albums worth to enjoy. There were often three tracks (or more) on each single. Like I said - CD singles could be something very special indeed. Hell, take Prince - his "Cream" and "Gett Off" maxi singles weighed in at over 35 minutes each.
Changed days now, though. The incentive purchase of tins and posters and whatever else they packed along with the single are now banned. Also, a 3 track single is now known as a "maxi" single, but can still only be less than twenty minutes long or its not eligible for the charts. The other part of the single can only be two tracks.
Basically, then - less songs for the same money. I can't help but think we're being ripped off.
It's probably a sign that the majority of the new music that has come out over the last year or so has not been to The Curmudgeon's liking, but I've bought very few CD singles. Or maybe its the fact that I grudge buying the odd CD single now for the title track and some tatty, worthless remix. Which is basically what you're looking at in CD singles nowadays.
And now there's downloading, which is becoming more and more popular with each coming week (more and more acts are charging into the top ten on download sales alone). So the very nature of the single - title track you bought the thing for, and undiscovered rarity that comes with it) will soon be gone forever. Record companies aren't going to waste time with B-sides if they don't need to. "What's that? Give you another song when we don't need to? No no - you download the one track and we'll charge you for this other one".
It's a sad, sad state of affairs. So what about you then, Dweller? Are CD singles still important in YOUR life?
2 comments:
Christ, that's something I never even THOUGHT about. What if your entire music collection is soley on your PC, and then your PC dies?
Consider THAT another part of my arguement in the future.
Ugh, the sheer horror that is The Rap Single.
1. Album version.
2. Clean version.
And that's usually it. Failing that, some sorry-ass remix or laughable "accapella" version.
I'm into a lot of rock bands, but of the "metal" variety I could only say I'm really into Marilyn Manson, Slipknot and Korn. I have no idea if those are "metal" or nu-metal or whatever you want to call it. And there singles, more often than not - suck. Manson has the odd genuine B-side on his singles, but Korn's and Slipknots have always been woeful mixes. Which is why I have most of the Korn albums, the three Slipknot albums and none of the singles.
After reading your post Ben, it just convinces me more and more that singles are going to become a thing of the past. All of the things on that maxi single, video's, live tracks, new songs - or just the one track for the same money. Which do you think the record company is going to prefer?
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