Comments on: What Happens To An Album’s Pre-Release Cycle In An Era Of Leaks, Low Sales, And Dead Magazines? http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:57:17 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Lax_Dangerhouse http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920812 Lax_Dangerhouse Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:02:17 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920812 This was really interesting- especially revealing as to how much variance there is in terms of whether a leak is welcome or unwelcome. This was really interesting- especially revealing as to how much variance there is in terms of whether a leak is welcome or unwelcome.

]]> By: Hometapes http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920691 Hometapes Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:27:20 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920691 I should clarify our "Stars" approach. We don't really promote the fact that it was available digitally already. We just put it up there. The people who wanted to support the record, did. The writers didn't know it was already available online. The only people we promoted the digital release to were die-hard fans of the group on forums and myspace, and they'd been waiting years for a new release. It leaked within the hour and was everywhere, but the record has sold consistently in both physical and digital forms since then. It still got lots of good online and print coverage. And most importantly, the group and fans were happy. I should clarify our “Stars” approach. We don’t really promote the fact that it was available digitally already. We just put it up there. The people who wanted to support the record, did. The writers didn’t know it was already available online. The only people we promoted the digital release to were die-hard fans of the group on forums and myspace, and they’d been waiting years for a new release. It leaked within the hour and was everywhere, but the record has sold consistently in both physical and digital forms since then. It still got lots of good online and print coverage. And most importantly, the group and fans were happy.

]]> By: bg5000 http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920591 bg5000 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:13:02 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920591 There already might be something like this out there (i find it exhausting trying to keep up with efforts to combat leaks) but what if albums were sent out digitally in a Divx like format, where the files could only be played a certain amount of timesor for a certain period of time? Or maybe labels could set up a Muxtape-like site and send out time sensitive passwords. This way it's cheaper for labels, print gets the lead times it wants and you cut down on leaks. I know the guy from Magnet said that digital distribution doesn't get as much of a response as regular CDs, but that seems like it's because that's what people are used to. There already might be something like this out there (i find it exhausting trying to keep up with efforts to combat leaks) but what if albums were sent out digitally in a Divx like format, where the files could only be played a certain amount of timesor for a certain period of time? Or maybe labels could set up a Muxtape-like site and send out time sensitive passwords. This way it’s cheaper for labels, print gets the lead times it wants and you cut down on leaks. I know the guy from Magnet said that digital distribution doesn’t get as much of a response as regular CDs, but that seems like it’s because that’s what people are used to.

]]> By: Lucas Jensen http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920471 Lucas Jensen Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:50:32 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920471 @<a href="#comment-920401" rel="nofollow">iantenna</a>: I think so, too. It's amazing that big indie or major releases still get covered with less lead time, but indie stuff needs to be sent out four months in advance. To be fair to Mark, Matthew, and Charles up-top, they were three of the more flexible editors I dealt with. A lot of the people who do this are small magazines that have some mistaken notion that they will compete with online in terms of timeliness. @iantenna: I think so, too. It’s amazing that big indie or major releases still get covered with less lead time, but indie stuff needs to be sent out four months in advance. To be fair to Mark, Matthew, and Charles up-top, they were three of the more flexible editors I dealt with. A lot of the people who do this are small magazines that have some mistaken notion that they will compete with online in terms of timeliness.

]]> By: juiceandgin http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920411 juiceandgin Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:12:33 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920411 @<a href="#comment-920281" rel="nofollow">2ironic4u</a>: That would make too much sense. @2ironic4u:

That would make too much sense.

]]> By: iantenna http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920401 iantenna Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:12:11 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920401 i always thought lead times were just a cop out way for magazines to tell us they weren't gonna review our records. wait, no, i still think that. also, almost every label i work with in a distribution capacity doesn't give a shit about street dates. in this day and age a sale is a sale and if you've got product a month before street date, they just want that shit in the stores. i always thought lead times were just a cop out way for magazines to tell us they weren’t gonna review our records. wait, no, i still think that.

also, almost every label i work with in a distribution capacity doesn’t give a shit about street dates. in this day and age a sale is a sale and if you’ve got product a month before street date, they just want that shit in the stores.

]]> By: Narrowcast http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920371 Narrowcast Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:46:31 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920371 I kind of feel like the whole lead time thing is reliant on an idea of 'anticipation' that doesn't exist anymore, at least not in the music industry (although the movie industry still seems to be doing alright w/ trailers and other advance ad campaigns generation genuine early excitement). I still look forward to albums from artists I like, and mark down release dates (although only really soon ones, because if it's 3 months away I know it'll change, especially if it's on a major label). But ultimately I only really care about one thing: either I can hear it now, or I can't. If I can't, I'm not going to listen to every leak and read every interview I can get my hands on and try to imagine what it <i>might</i> sound like...I'll just wait, and in the meantime listen to what is already available. What writers and magazines and sites need to do is admit they have no advantage, time-wise, over the reader, and need to justify what they publish with the quality of their content, not whether it's a scoop. I know using <i>In Rainbows</i> as an example is kind of taboo around here and it was kind of a unique situation, but if people like a record, they'll still be talking about it and listening to it a year after the release date, regardless of whether they had that release date on their calenders months beforehand. Great post, btw, I hope I can find time to read all of it later. I kind of feel like the whole lead time thing is reliant on an idea of ‘anticipation’ that doesn’t exist anymore, at least not in the music industry (although the movie industry still seems to be doing alright w/ trailers and other advance ad campaigns generation genuine early excitement). I still look forward to albums from artists I like, and mark down release dates (although only really soon ones, because if it’s 3 months away I know it’ll change, especially if it’s on a major label). But ultimately I only really care about one thing: either I can hear it now, or I can’t. If I can’t, I’m not going to listen to every leak and read every interview I can get my hands on and try to imagine what it might sound like…I’ll just wait, and in the meantime listen to what is already available.

What writers and magazines and sites need to do is admit they have no advantage, time-wise, over the reader, and need to justify what they publish with the quality of their content, not whether it’s a scoop. I know using In Rainbows as an example is kind of taboo around here and it was kind of a unique situation, but if people like a record, they’ll still be talking about it and listening to it a year after the release date, regardless of whether they had that release date on their calenders months beforehand.

Great post, btw, I hope I can find time to read all of it later.

]]> By: 2ironic4u http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920281 2ironic4u Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:45:32 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920281 Here's an idea for all these jackasses: Rather than getting all bent out of shape about reviewing/featuring an album BEFORE its release date, why not feature it slightly after the album is released? That way, if someone reads about it, reads the interview, is interested they can go BUY it rather than do some research, find out it's not out for another 3 weeks, and grab the torrent file. Enough with this 4 month wait after an albums finished. If you have people interested and your product is ready to be sold, why not just sell it? Here’s an idea for all these jackasses:

Rather than getting all bent out of shape about reviewing/featuring an album BEFORE its release date, why not feature it slightly after the album is released? That way, if someone reads about it, reads the interview, is interested they can go BUY it rather than do some research, find out it’s not out for another 3 weeks, and grab the torrent file.

Enough with this 4 month wait after an albums finished. If you have people interested and your product is ready to be sold, why not just sell it?

]]> By: raycummings http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920231 raycummings Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:26:51 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920231 wow. i had a lot of sympathy for PR people before, now i actually have even MORE. *no snark* wow. i had a lot of sympathy for PR people before, now i actually have even MORE.

*no snark*

]]> By: Lampbane http://idolator.com/5216231/what-happens-to-an-albums-pre-release-cycle-in-an-era-of-leaks-low-sales-and-dead-magazines/comment-page-1#comment-920221 Lampbane Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:25:50 +0000 http://idolator.com/?p=5216231#comment-920221 @<a href="#comment-920201" rel="nofollow">Lucas Jensen</a>: Now you're just asking too much. @Lucas Jensen:

Now you’re just asking too much.

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