lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives...4/seeing-the-future/

He is loud, brash and annoying but check out Bob's interesting article.
What does everyone think about it?

Very good - yes, Bob often gets it right.

Like this bit...

Imagine if musical acts knew that no one listened to albums, they’d stop wasting so much money and time and release only great singles, or a constant stream of product, letting the public spread the word on what it decides is good…

Imagine if acts stopped trying to get on the dying Top Forty radio, sounding like everybody else, but were unique and built their own audience… THEN THEY COULD TOUR FOREVER!

Nice article with some good points I think we are in the age of the video blog
and this has replaced singles. Successes like Alex is down to the fanbase and label
with another agenda such as selling sponsorships or other merchandise.

This is the net result of the Youtube hit. Singles are now bona fide adverts so each
artist need to have some sort of merchandise plan. Whether they be dolls, perfume or
anything else that cannot be pirated on the net.

I totally agree with the unique angle. Artists need to be unique and not generic unlesss
they are attached to an production team in which case they are just glorified session singers
and the producers are the stars.

Further more I don't think albums should be ditched. I just think
they need to be a collection of killer songs and more fluid so people
can compile what they like from them.

I call them collections J&B. Others refer to them as Bundles; whatever their name, the old label concept from the 50s of one hit and eleven crap fillers is dead.

Was it the 50s JK? I thought the 50s was all about singles. Albums didn't become
de rigeur until the 60s-70s. The Beatles had a lot to do with the evolution of the album.
I might be wrong as I was not born during this time so I stand corrected if I am.

Well I turned 15 in 1960 J&B and remember being very into Albums of Shows before that; our house was crammed with Kismet, King and I, Salad Days, South Pacific - as well as Sinatra collections and comedy by Tom Lehrer... but it could have been early 60s when they really kicked in for me - Adam Faith, Buddy Holly, Pitney and Orbison.

re Albums: most definitely around in 50's as JK states.

Late 50's/early 60's pop LP's in the USA generally comprised 10 tracks (rarely 12): 1 hit, the rest fillers. UK was different: often no album at all!