Ginormousthumbs
Go on, geezer.
I guess it’s all a slippery slope. I wonder if the record companies are loving this?
Pre-Order Thread
- Thread starter Captainfog
- Start date
Russ I
Well-Known Member
Until they drive this phase into the ground.
eatdogs
Well-Known Member
No I did not...
TheThinWhiteDuke
Well-Known Member
If the "bubble" does burst and say, 60% of the major players stop pressing/promoting vinyl, then there are going to be a ton of boutique and preferred pressing albums that would instantly skyrocket in value due to being forever out of print.
This shit ain't Beanie Babies, people in 30 years are going to be listening to the music we do and CB and KG deadwax I think one day will be incredibly sought after
Russ I
Well-Known Member
I think you're right about this being different than Beanie Babies, and people still will be listening to music in the future, but how much of today's music will stand the test of that time? My guess is that there will be plenty of stuff that's "limited" and expensive on the aftermarket now that no one will care about 30 years from now. And that's the stuff that will sit beside the Beanie Babies in the thrift stores and antique shops.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
Wait....so you you're saying I shouldn't have just spent my entire retirement account on a beanie babies collection on ebay.....
I have to go make a call....
MikeH
Well-Known Member
On the topic of limited vs open run pressings...I'm a big fan of the Qrates model or what bandcamp has done a bit. TSwift did a similar thing...and can obviously be improved...
But you have an open run of a press for 30 days or so. Vulfpeck does this for every record they make. Make it unique, whether a color, labelled as first press, number it...whatever ya want. Then also sell a black pressing at record stores. I know some people would complain about the wait times to get the records since they pre-order then press...but I have put in orders for albums from Qrates and gotten them way before VMP preorders placed at a similar time. The "limited" versions still hold value for the collectors while everybody can get the album on black vinyl if they want.
But you have an open run of a press for 30 days or so. Vulfpeck does this for every record they make. Make it unique, whether a color, labelled as first press, number it...whatever ya want. Then also sell a black pressing at record stores. I know some people would complain about the wait times to get the records since they pre-order then press...but I have put in orders for albums from Qrates and gotten them way before VMP preorders placed at a similar time. The "limited" versions still hold value for the collectors while everybody can get the album on black vinyl if they want.
Russ I
Well-Known Member
Wouldn't be surprise if some were doing that 20+ years ago, and that's the point!
Ethos99
Well-Known Member
Let's not forget, even though it may be hastening the bubble, alot of artists are doing special releases, variant colors, limited boutique runs at sometimes outrageous prices simply because they cannot tour. Not every artists is raking in high royalty checks for their album deals and streaming.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
This isn’t aimed at artists. We all want them to earn a fair crust. I don’t buy that they receive significantly more from a major label for a super shiny edition than they do a standard and this shit has been going on since long before COVID. It’s the industry exploiting a fans want for a thing.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
I was gonna say, none of this would exist if it wasn't for the consumer........we tend to create and nurture the "problem"
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I was gonna say, none of this would exist if it wasn't for the consumer........we tend to create and nurture the "problem"
I mean they would die if we didn’t buy them BUT we don’t manufacture scarcity or create FOMO situations, even if we can be guilty of feeding them.
Ethos99
Well-Known Member
It's not just major labels doing super shiny editions. A lot of artist self publish now. Decemberist, Gillian Welch, Sturgill Simpson have all released live, reimagined, lost songs from the archive recently.
Just adding theres more to the story than the greedy music industry.
Edit: and don't think when you see "only available at the artist website" that they aren't getting a special chunk of that release.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Agreed, but once that ball starts rolling it's not like the "majority" of us have the strength to say no.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Well, I think what's happening with a lot of artists and maybe more as time goes by, is just that, why the hell should I let the label make all the money? I can't remember who the artist was, but he was pressing his own albums and charging out the ass for it because it was going to be a limited run and he felt his "art" was worth it. Not to mention, he saw what flipper prices were and decided that this was the way to combat it.
I don't know, I think there's enough blame to go around. I like the "shinny" versions when I can get them at launch, if the aftermarket isn't 10x the cost I might even still try and pick it up, but honestly, if I miss out on the LE's, I'm ok with it as long as they release a standard black version. I mean, just recently with McCartney III, I logged into his shop and was in the process of checking out with the Red version and it sold out during check out, so I started looking around for what else was available in the "limited" variety, and they started popping up everywhere, to which I said, fuck it, and just picked up the standard black off his site.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
Should we have to? Should we have to say nah I don’t want this?
It's not just major labels doing super shiny editions. A lot of artist self publish now. Decemberist, Gillian Welch, Sturgill Simpson have all released live, reimagined, lost songs from the archive recently.
Just adding theres more to the story than the greedy music industry.
Edit: and don't think when you see "only available at the artist website" that they aren't getting a special chunk of that release.
Perhaps, perhaps there are also better ways to garner sympathy and support from your fans, who are also going through shit with COVID, than joining the shitty gravy train.
That guy isn’t an artist, he’s an exploitative fucking scumbag.
I bought McCartney on CD, his voice is fucked, he’s not worth vinyl money, never mind limited vinyl money. He can still throw a tune together so I would like to hear.
Ethos99
Well-Known Member
I'm sure someone is doing the right thing or will soon, but how else can they replace touring dollars? I certainly can't gofundme every artist that is not touring
Maybe what The Avett brothers are doing with their speedway concerts?
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
Nor should you be expected to. Also supporting artists where possible is hugely important right now, I think we’ve seen so much kindness from normal people during all of this that it almost makes up for do of the sociopathic behaviour of our governments.
That said do they expect that the coffee shop workers, the chefs, the retail business workers and owners, whomever else, all of whom have all seen their business and jobs ravaged, make up for their shortfall in touring income by paying exorbitant prices for special releases?
This is a difficult situation and the kindness of strangers has helped and will continue to help. It is not the answer though and it shouldn’t be exploited.