Posted June 25, 200817 yr Have you noticed how many greatest hits albums have been released in 2008 so far, especially by the old acts from the 50's and 60's. I presume it is the record companies that are behind this, as some of the artists are dead. I know there are always greatest hit albums, but every week this year there seems to be a different one released. This week its Herman Hermits. In the last few months I have noticed the following artists from 1950/1960 The Platters Bobby Vee Petula Clark Searchers Frank Sinatra Eddie Cochrane Billy Fury Dionne Warwick Joe Brown Temptations Jonnie Ray Zombies From the 1970/1980 Dolly Parton Neil Diamond Willie Nelson Paul Simon Osmonds Creedance Clearwater Revival Stylistics Kenny Rogers Tammy Wynette By any standards that is a lot, and I'm sure there are loads i've missed :) Just checked and in this weeks top 75 albums , 16 are greatest hits albums...thats more than 1 in 5. Do you feel this is preventing new,current artists making an impression, or do the oldies deserve the chart with their backlog songs ?
June 25, 200817 yr All these greatest hits albums in the charts, doesn't say much for sales of the newer artists' albums. Maybe it's a nostalgia thing or maybe down to the fact that so many of these so called older artists made good music that people still want to buy. Have to confess there's a couple on that list I may get, but the most recent album I bought was Weller's new one, 22 Dreams
June 26, 200817 yr Have you noticed how many greatest hits albums have been released in 2008 so far, especially by the old acts from the 50's and 60's. I presume it is the record companies that are behind this, as some of the artists are dead. I know there are always greatest hit albums, but every week this year there seems to be a different one released. This week its Herman Hermits. In the last few months I have noticed the following artists from 1950/1960 The Platters Bobby Vee Petula Clark Searchers Frank Sinatra Eddie Cochrane Billy Fury Dionne Warwick Joe Brown Temptations Jonnie Ray Zombies From the 1970/1980 Dolly Parton Neil Diamond Willie Nelson Paul Simon Osmonds Creedance Clearwater Revival Stylistics Kenny Rogers Tammy Wynette By any standards that is a lot, and I'm sure there are loads i've missed :) Just checked and in this weeks top 75 albums , 16 are greatest hits albums...thats more than 1 in 5. Do you feel this is preventing new,current artists making an impression, or do the oldies deserve the chart with their backlog songs ? In a word - Yes.... Compilations do have their place, but the vast majority of this lot have already had various "Best Ofs" and Compilations out before with pretty similar track listings... In a lot of cases it's new money for (very) old rope, and I find it quite objectionable, because it aint as if the previous compilations are no longer available.... I've often said that an artist should really only do one compilation per 5 studio albums, ie, do five albums, then compilation #1, then another five, then compilation #2.... If one looks at Radiohead as a modern example, they've only just got round to doing a "Best Of" after SEVEN albums in a career spanning 15 years....
June 26, 200817 yr maybe there should be chart rule that limits 5 compilations and then out. maybe they should record new songs
June 26, 200817 yr maybe they should record new songs A lot of them are dead though innit....? :lol: But yeah, I think the limit should really be five comps.... No reason for anymore unless you're still actually recording about 30 original albums in your career.... very few artists have done this, yet you seem to see endless amounts of compilations..... Sometimes MORE compilations and "best ofs" than actual original albums...... Dunno why they just can't re-market akready existing compilations, with maybe a bonus CD or DVD of extras....
June 26, 200817 yr Author Maybe there is a market, but the way they are releasing one every week is a bit systematic. I'm sure its just a money maker for the record companies, as newer albums sell less on cd's, so they are releasing these old ones specifically aimed at the 35+ age group.
June 26, 200817 yr With that 50 year copywrite thingy, in the last couple of years, there must have been hundreds of Elvis albums released by record labels. I love Elvis but I won't keep buying the same tracks on different compilations.
July 5, 200816 yr Morrissey Indeed "Reissue, repackage repackage......." It is very disappointing, but I guess it is easy money for Record Companies, after their King Canute style mess up fighting (Napster & co) instead of embracing download technology from the late 1990s until a few years ago, and with a world recession it is a lot more financially viable than trying to break new music acts. :cry:
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