It's been all downhill since Rudy Vallee.
Posted on 08/05/2012 1:17:42 PM PDT by Olog-hai
… In the first half of 2012, catalog albums—the industry’s term for discs released more than 18 months ago—sold 76.6 million units. New albums tallied 73.9 units. It’s a narrow victory, but the margin will increase slowly, steadily over time. New will never top old again. …
There is a simple, straightforward reason so many catalog titles dot Billboard’s album charts this summer: price cuts.
Labels and retailers have slashed prices on catalog releases, making them, on average, $5 cheaper than new releases. This has had a dramatic effect. Phil Collins couldn’t be less hip, but last week, when Amazon’s MP3 store cut Collins’ “…Hits” to 99 cents, Mr. Sussudio popped in at No. 6, ahead of such contemporary stars as One Direction, Chris Brown and Maroon 5 on the Billboard 200. …
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
When I was in college and even for some time after, I thought “I will always love rock ‘n roll...”. Then came disco, grunge, rap and whatever passes for hit music today.
I have switched my allegance to Texas country - great music, great artists and great fans.
I still love rock, especially the old vinyl. Thanks goodness for yard sales and Goodwill for helping me replace many of the favorites that I tossed off of the back of the wagon during one of my many moves - easier to move those new fangled CD’s than vinyl.....
Two of my sons - both in their 30’s - are vinyl collectors. Much of theirs is of newer indie bands - plus you get cover art!
Ditto. It's been all downhill since the Kingston Trio.
It's been all downhill since Rudy Vallee.
I hear Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. regularly on my local "modern" rock station. I laugh when this call this stuff modern. It's 20 years old!
Anyways, I'm done with CDs and radio. I'm done with buying music. I've discovered Pandora and that's all I listen to. I type in the bands that I like and Pandora creates my own radio station (with not only the bands I selected but other bands that Pandora's "music DNA" have found to be similar).
There’s a guy on the lower east side that sets up a few tables on the weekend. I’ve never seen a collection of records like this. Several versions of the same record - who knows what they are. But he’s such a complete jackass that I don’t go there anymore.
I know a 12 year old kid who is really, really getting into listening to Electric Light Orchestra.
He is a pretty decent musician, and has listened to true “classical” music growing up, so this isn’t much of a stretch, I guess...but refreshing to see someone his age not buying into the Katy Perry-like crap.
Classic albums sell well because old geezers and their poor brainwashed children, who should be listening to good contemporary stuff, and there is plenty of it, if not on the charts, the geezers and their kids keep buying the old albums or their new remixed (read: louder) versions with bonus tracks, after they bought old remixed versions with different bonus tracks, and before that cassettes and before that quadraphonic mixes, and before that...
The kids are all right, and they don’t buy albums filled as always since the invention of 33 1/3 with filler, but singles, and now they buy without having to buy the B sides, which were on Phil Spector’s and Cameo/Parker (and many others’) 45s pure garbage, when they buy today from iTunes and Amazon, and that’s how the world should work.
Is Pandora an app?
“I always marveled at their work ethic. It was never fame. It was putting out the music.”
A lot of groups also did it to attract the woman. Many were on a ego trip, they did get the chicks. BTW what was your group name?
The Beetles (note the spelling), I was in it.
“The Beetles (note the spelling), I was in it.”
Did you record any singles? The reason I am asking is The Relic Rack in Hackensack NJ, put out a single by a group with the same name spelling, back in the late 70’s. It was a good doowop. I bought a few copies back then and recently sold them on Ebay.
I downloaded is as on app on my ipad but you can also log in to pandora.com from your desktop and listen to it there. There's a free version which plays a 30 second commercial after every five songs and a commercial-free (and supposedly better-performing) subscriber version for $3.99/month. I use the free version but I'm so happy with it I just might bump up to the subscriber version.
We did record three singles. They were local “hits” and went nowhere.
“We did record three singles. They were local “hits” and went nowhere.”
I believe, not sure, the song name was ‘Girl of my heart’ on the Quest label, nice uptempo tune. Black label with block or script, Quest, again not sure. They went for a good price on Ebay. Mainly to Beatles collectors who wanted it for their collection. Was that you? If so very well done.
I think the “best voice” might be Freddy Mercury or S Perry for Journey
I agree. The biggest problem is the trend to release albums where the only track worth playing gets played 20 times a day on the radio.
BTW best 21st century group IMO is Ladytron. Gravity the Seducer is one of those rare albums on which every track is good.
***One of the antique shops we walked into had 20+ boxes of old albums.***
I’ve been doing the same. I got lots of really good old records, most in perfect condition for 25 cents each.
Lots of SAMMY KAY, Henry Mancini, Percy Faith, and Xavier Cugat, Horst Jandkowsky, Martin Denny, Tommy Garrett, ect.
And lots of Classical operas and concerts.
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