Is the concept of an "album" dying?

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johnnydawg68

johnnydawg68

Chairperson, People's Front of Saint Domingo
RFUS's thread on 5 star albums made me think about this...how many of us actually sit down and listen to an entire album all the way through anymore? Has the rise of mp3s and going a million miles an hour impeded our ability to sit down and actually spend time with an album and get to know it?

I'm aware this is only directed at people who ever did it, which isn't everyone. The portability of music has changed the way I listen to music, and I'm not sure for the better. Everything used to revolve around my record player, and then the Cassette deck and then the CD player. I used to physically go to a store. Listen to it on the way home (in the case of cassettes and CD's) and then continue to listen to it at home for days. It was like a project. I find myself struggling with the sheer amount of music available to me instantly to get through it all and give things the proper attention they deserve.

For instance, my fondest memories are of bringing home a record, sprawling out on the floor and reading the lyrics sheet while listening to something I just bought. It was an experience that I don't get anymore since I mostly download everything and listen in my car or on my ipod.

Anyone else think about stuff like this?

P.S. here's an article that touches on this about Interpol.

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/article_5c560699-aeb6-5077-a6c9-03718a5e2740.html
 

johnnydawg68 said:
RFUS's thread on 5 star albums made me think about this...how many of us actually sit down and listen to an entire album all the way through anymore? Has the rise of mp3s and going a million miles an hour impeded our ability to sit down and actually spend time with an album and get to know it?

I'm aware this is only directed at people who ever did it, which isn't everyone. The portability of music has changed the way I listen to music, and I'm not sure for the better. Everything used to revolve around my record player, and then the Cassette deck and then the CD player. I used to physically go to a store. Listen to it on the way home (in the case of cassettes and CD's) and then continue to listen to it at home for days. It was like a project. I find myself struggling with the sheer amount of music available to me instantly to get through it all and give things the proper attention they deserve.

For instance, my fondest memories are of bringing home a record, sprawling out on the floor and reading the lyrics sheet while listening to something I just bought. It was an experience that I don't get anymore since I mostly download everything and listen in my car or on my ipod.

Anyone else think about stuff like this?

P.S. here's an article that touches on this about Interpol.

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/article_5c560699-aeb6-5077-a6c9-03718a5e2740.html
Click to expand...



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Hahaha ...

J'Dawg .... My Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamnnnn ...!!!

High 5's Fellow Musical Aesthete ,....
 
I just recently (within a week) listened to these albums all the way through.

Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Rush - 2112
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon
We're From Japan - Now Breathe
God is an Astronaut - All is Violent, All is Bright
Ours To Alibi - Beacons

So my answer to your question is no, well at least for me. Whenever I buy/download a new album, I'll listen to it all the way through. However, I do put my ipod on shuffle a lot.
 
spikeman said:
I just recently (within a week) listened to these albums all the way through.

Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
Rush - 2112
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon
We're From Japan - Now Breathe
God is an Astronaut - All is Violent, All is Bright
Ours To Alibi - Beacons

So my answer to your question is no, well at least for me. Whenever I buy/download a new album, I'll listen to it all the way through. However, I do put my ipod on shuffle a lot.
Click to expand...

Good point about shuffle. I do that a lot. I like putting my entire ipod on shuffle sometimes. It's like a really cool radio station programmed just for me.
 

Not for me, personally.

I always start albums from track 1, and never skip. I listen to albums, not songs, if you know what I mean.

I only ever use shuffle/playlists for bands/albums I'm incredibly familiar with. I don't mind shuffling Radiohead, The White Stripes and so on, because I know their library inside out. However for everything else shuffle and playlists are a sin for me! :P




Now, speaking objectively (because I realise most people aren't as obsessed with music as I am), I think the answer to Jdawg's question is a firm yes. In fact, I'd say in the mainstream they're dead already, for the most part. People hear a single on the radio, and then go and buy the album, and 9/10 times its full to the brim with filler. One or two catchy singles will sell an album on their own.
 
RadioFriendlyUnitShifter said:
Not for me, personally.

I always start albums from track 1, and never skip. I listen to albums, not songs, if you know what I mean.

I only ever use shuffle/playlists for bands/albums I'm incredibly familiar with. I don't mind shuffling Radiohead, The White Stripes and so on, because I know their library inside out. However for everything else shuffle and playlists are a sin for me! :P




Now, speaking objectively (because I realise most people aren't as obsessed with music as I am), I think the answer to Jdawg's question is a firm yes. In fact, I'd say in the mainstream they're dead already, for the most part. People hear a single on the radio, and then go and buy the album, and 9/10 times its full to the brim with filler. One or two catchy singles will sell an album on their own.
Click to expand...

The problem with most of todays music.
 
Ironically, this is how music started out. The concept of the "album" is really a phenomenon of the 60's and beyond. So it's a bit of a full circle thing.

I will say this. I'd rather someone put out an EP with all killer, than fill up an album with a bunch of place holders.
 
RadioFriendlyUnitShifter said:
Not for me, personally.

I always start albums from track 1, and never skip. I listen to albums, not songs, if you know what I mean.

I only ever use shuffle/playlists for bands/albums I'm incredibly familiar with. I don't mind shuffling Radiohead, The White Stripes and so on, because I know their library inside out. However for everything else shuffle and playlists are a sin for me! :P




Now, speaking objectively (because I realise most people aren't as obsessed with music as I am), I think the answer to Jdawg's question is a firm yes. In fact, I'd say in the mainstream they're dead already, for the most part. People hear a single on the radio, and then go and buy the album, and 9/10 times its full to the brim with filler. One or two catchy singles will sell an album on their own.
Click to expand...

See I like to get creative with playlists. I make mixes for friends and it's a lot of fun. I get to create using a many different bands and try to fit different songs and genres together into one cohesive piece.
 
johnnydawg68 said:
See I like to get creative with playlists. I make mixes for friends and it's a lot of fun. I get to create using a many different bands and try to fit different songs and genres together into one cohesive piece.
Click to expand...

I do that with music I'm familiar with, it is indeed fun and quite personal.

But always with new bands, and for the most part with most music, I'm a track 1, track 2, track 3 kind of guy. I treat albums like films; I don't skip to my favourite scenes, or change it around.

Some albums work best like this, but admittedly others don't. Muse are a good example. I love their debut album, it's my favourite of theirs, but most of my favourite songs are on Absolution, OoS and Black Holes (their 2nd, 3rd and 4th albums). My Muse playlist is dominated by these albums, but I keep Showbiz separately, because it's got its own sound and flows really well as an album. I hope that makes sense, although for once I'm finding it hard to effectively express what I'm talking about! :P
 

Speaking of albums, when you're listening to a record you know well, am I the only one who starts hearing the next song before it actually plays?


I love that, and that's one of the reasons I avoid playlists for the most part :P
 

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