The Importance of the Album Format

photo by tupton

Today I came across a fantastic opinion post called In Defense Of The Album, where Scott Perry makes a very compelling argument for sticking with the full-length album format over succumbing to the single mp3 download trend happening in today’s music industry.

His piece is mainly focused on the financial aspect, which I totally agree with. He makes the point that a single hot mp3 download may generate some quick sales at a $1 a piece, but they won’t generate large concert ticket sales or long-term fan loyalty.

Here’s a quick excerpt from the article:

I see the single (cover your eyes mom) as a booty call – sure, it’s fun, and you go back to it again and again until the novelty wears off, but if you want a RELATIONSHIP with the artist, then you get the album — you WANT to take that 45-minute journey into that band’s world.

Read the full article here.

The Creativity Angle

Taking the defense of the album format a step further – I believe it’s essential to realize a band’s full creativity in the form of a full-length album. 45 minutes or more of music can completely display the dynamic range of an artist’s voice, opinions, styles, and creative direction. You can’t tell the whole store in a single 3 minute mp3 – no matter how great the song is.

An album is an event. It should be painstakingly crafted from rough takes to the final mix. This extended effort is appreciated by fans – both new and old. A great album stays in heavy rotation in music lover’s iPods for a very long time. You can’t say that about a great single, which may be repeated for a month but then forgotten.

Related posts:

1. What to Call Your Release – Demo, EP, or Album?
2. Go-to Album Review: Elliot Smith, Figure 8
3. The Importance of Using Scratch Tracks in Recording and Music Production
4. Evolving the Sound vs. Sticking to the Formula
5. Recording Your Indie Album: a Pre-Production Checklist

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