Instant grats v full singles releases

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Instant grats v full singles releases

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vidcapper View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 06:20 AM Post #1
Paul Hyett Joined: 4 April 2006 Posts: 25,346 User: 364	I've never liked the idea of instant grat singles - to me they are the worst of both worlds - they rarely sell much, and the state of the album market surely proves they do little to promote the longer format! What was wrong with the old system - releasing new singles at reasonable intervals, allowing sufficient time to really promote them?


Bjork View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 06:54 AM Post #2
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 13 November 2015 Posts: 33,187 User: 22,665	people still release singles at regular intervals, I'd say everybody


richie View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 06:59 AM Post #3
Poet and Storyteller Joined: 11 March 2006 Posts: 6,753 User: 166	Once a record has been played on radio somewhere these days it will already have been ripped and uploaded somewhere by somebody. The act / label might as well release it immediately through the official channels and make money from it. If that's what you mean by instant grat singles?


Bjork View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 07:29 AM Post #4
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 13 November 2015 Posts: 33,187 User: 22,665	no, he means the Grats, instant Gratifications, songs given away when you pre-order the album


Dobbo View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 07:50 AM Post #5
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 4 November 2013 Posts: 30,513 User: 20,053	Agreed, instant grats were stupid IMO, made the Chart look like a joke with all those silly intricate rules like only 1 allowed to chart per album whatever.


vidcapper View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 09:05 AM Post #6
Paul Hyett Joined: 4 April 2006 Posts: 25,346 User: 364	QUOTE(Bjork @ Oct 20 2016, 08:29 AM) no, he means the Grats, instant Gratifications, songs given away when you pre-order the album Yes - I can't see they make any significant difference to album sales, other than front-loading them. If you're a fan of the artist, then you were surely going to buy the album anyway.


JosephBoone View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 09:09 AM Post #7
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,600 User: 13,530	Instant grats don't bother me, there's nothing really bad about them, they raise some extra hype for the album as websites will report that they have a new song out etc. I expect they encourage a few more pre-orders too, from people who were uncertain on the singles alone. It's not like it's having a negative impact on proper singles.


vidcapper View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 09:19 AM Post #8
Paul Hyett Joined: 4 April 2006 Posts: 25,346 User: 364	QUOTE(JosephStyles @ Oct 20 2016, 10:09 AM) Instant grats don't bother me, there's nothing really bad about them, they raise some extra hype for the album as websites will report that they have a new song out etc. I expect they encourage a few more pre-orders too, from people who were uncertain on the singles alone. It's not like it's having a negative impact on proper singles. But some artists seem to use them instead of proper singles - which IMO is partly why there are so few T40 NE's nowadays.


JosephBoone View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 09:22 AM Post #9
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,600 User: 13,530	QUOTE(vidcapper @ Oct 20 2016, 10:19 AM) But some artists seem to use them instead of proper singles - which IMO is partly why there are so few T40 NE's nowadays. Oh like the current Weeknd single (Starboy) which is available as an instant grat from the album of the same name? I really don't think it has any impact on the amount of top 40 entries - if people like a song they hear on the radio (Starboy is getting a single push on the radio and has a music video), they'll buy it, whether it's an instant grat via the album or a standalone single.


Bjork View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 10:15 AM Post #10
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 13 November 2015 Posts: 33,187 User: 22,665	since streaming, the impact of Grats is virtually zero, they help selling albums but don't think they trouble the charts anymore, cannot think of any Grat going top 40 since streaming became major... was more of an issue a few years ago especially cos of the bizarre occ rules


Tombo View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 10:17 AM Post #11
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 3 September 2009 Posts: 7,814 User: 9,543	I like instant grats, it is an opportunity to hear something from the album and enjoy it before the full album arrives.


JosephBoone View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 10:55 AM Post #12
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,600 User: 13,530	^ I agree! Although I don't tend to listen to more than one or two instant grats, cause I don't like going into an album knowing I've heard half of it already QUOTE(Bjork @ Oct 20 2016, 11:15 AM) since streaming, the impact of Grats is virtually zero, they help selling albums but don't think they trouble the charts anymore, cannot think of any Grat going top 40 since streaming became major... was more of an issue a few years ago especially cos of the bizarre occ rules Little Mix's Hair, Justin Bieber's I'll Show You and One Direction's Infinity & History all made the top 40 last year as instant grats you're right though, the impact is definitely smaller since streaming, which is no surprise I guess when the grats mainly act as a teaser for the fanbase and an incentive to pre-order the album rather than become hits in their own right.


richie View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 12:38 PM Post #13
Poet and Storyteller Joined: 11 March 2006 Posts: 6,753 User: 166	QUOTE(Bjork @ Oct 20 2016, 08:29 AM) no, he means the Grats, instant Gratifications, songs given away when you pre-order the album Ah I see, in this day in age though why on earth have pre-orders? Just stick an album out when it's ready!


Jessie Where View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 09:57 PM Post #14
Break the tension Joined: 7 March 2006 Posts: 88,912 User: 51	I see why they're done, but I've never been altogether convinced they actually make much difference to how the album performs.


lewistgreen View member profile	Oct 20 2016, 09:59 PM Post #15
BuzzJack Legend Pronouns: he/him Joined: 25 July 2013 Posts: 26,008 User: 19,585	I quite like them, especially if it's for an artist you really like as you get regular hits of the album to come rather than waiting around for ages for the full thing.