Full album streams

[jimmy behan]

Just noticed Type Records have all their albums available on their website as full album streams using Soundcloud.
As I listen to nearly all my music at my computer, I've always been a bit wary of making my material available as full streams, seems a bit over generous.
Not sure if it would encourage me to buy the CD more if I'd heard the whole thing already unless it was something I really wanted to own.
When I buy something, I like that bit of a surprise when I first hear it and a few short previews is usually enough for me to know if I'm going to like it or not.
Maybe with filesharing so bad now and things like Spotify becoming more popular, is this the inevitable outcome?

Anyone with any thoughts on this?

[s_hamann]

I find that while I check out a lot of music on full-streaming sites like Bandcamp and Soundcloud, for some reason I don't enjoy listening to music long term through a web browser. Possibly because the flash players for those sites don't have volume controls, possibly because I do most of my music listening these days while away from a computer, possibly just some kind of mind trick.

I think part of it is not only that filesharing leads to these kinds of streaming services, but that it increasingly becomes difficult to get heard/noticed. There is so much music available in any given style it isn't easy to rise above the fray. And using Soundcloud/Bandcamp/etc lets bloggers embed tracks, which may be a useful promotional tool.

[jimmy behan]

Yeah I'd agree with all of what you say. I use soundcloud and bandcamp (very useful) myself.
I'm just wondering if full streams help or hinder sales, or if it's just become a necessary evil.

[radere]

I personally find SoundCloud to be a very useful service for getting your material out there, sharing works in progress and collecting feedback...that sort of thing. As a marketing tool, however, I don't really see the point in streaming full albums. A track or two, sure, I get that; but I'd never sit through an entire Type album in that interface, for instance. It's just so uninspiring! I do wonder if it contributes to any sort of cannibalization of digital or CD sales...as they all converge on computer-based listening.

[taylordeupree]

i'm with jimmy... i like the surprise of listening to an album for the first time when i know i want to buy it. for example, when the new Great Lake Swimmers album came out last year, i intentionally avoided listening to the first single on iTunes, or even buying it... as i didn't want to spoil the intended whole-album experience.


i do believe these sorts of streams are the way of the future though.. and, as i've gone on record saying before, will ultimately be the end of music as we've come to know it. i still believe that when all music is free, quality music will be hard to come by... but that's another, depressing, thread i don't want to get into!

[The Green Kingdom]

i'm with jimmy... i like the surprise of listening to an album for the first time when i know i want to buy it. for example, when the new Great Lake Swimmers album came out last year, i intentionally avoided listening to the first single on iTunes, or even buying it... as i didn't want to spoil the intended whole-album experience.

I'm with you on this Taylor, I've avoided listening to the new Four Tet album as much as can (other than what I've heard on mixes, etc.), if it's something you're really looking forward to, the surprise is always nice. I do think it is kind of nice to have a track or two available to listen to for things you're not familiar with though.

Hopefully there is another new GLS album this year

[gjhardwick]

i've started using Soundcloud on the Low Point website to allow people to preview releases, which i think works really well.

I agree with the previous points of presenting a whole album as streaming audio is counter-intuitive - why buy it when it's already there for you to listen to?

[billygomberg]

i've started using Soundcloud on the Low Point website to allow people to preview releases, which i think works really well.

I agree with the previous points of presenting a whole album as streaming audio is counter-intuitive - why buy it when it's already there for you to listen to?

I love soundcloud it's very cool for track previewing.

I've never listened to a full album stream - the one or two tracks most label/distro/artist sites offer is usually enough to influence my decision.

[wixel]

i don't oppose to full album streams. but neither am i of the opinion that all albums should be made available for streaming..

what i do think is that most money in the music industry is and will be made from shows and licensing, and from that perspective a full album stream cleary has an advantage over any 2 track preview or less. so in my humble opinion, performing artists & bands - especially those who have a big enough audience to warrant frequent touring - should and will make their latest album available for streaming. i think that's unstoppable, money is always an important motivator. it's an "industry" afterall ...

obviously there are always ifs and buts. a band like sonic youth won't benefit from a full album stream, i doubt album sales would benefit from a full album stream (unless it's an unknown band), ...

too me it does say a lot more than a few snippets. maybe i'm already used to full album streaming, as in the netherlands you have "luisterpaal" a website that always streams about 20 new releases. (legally!) (http://3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/) right now including four tet, jaga jazzist, lindstrom, richard skelton, ... at work I always go through most of the releases available, just playing an entire record instead of a few songs.

[jimmy behan]

i don't oppose to full album streams. but neither am i of the opinion that all albums should be made available for streaming..

what i do think is that most money in the music industry is and will be made from shows and licensing, and from that perspective a full album stream cleary has an advantage over any 2 track preview or less. so in my humble opinion, performing artists & bands - especially those who have a big enough audience to warrant frequent touring - should and will make their latest album available for streaming. i think that's unstoppable, money is always an important motivator. it's an "industry" afterall ...

obviously there are always ifs and buts. a band like sonic youth won't benefit from a full album stream, i doubt album sales would benefit from a full album stream (unless it's an unknown band), ...

too me it does say a lot more than a few snippets. maybe i'm already used to full album streaming, as in the netherlands you have "luisterpaal" a website that always streams about 20 new releases. (legally!) (http://3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/) right now including four tet, jaga jazzist, lindstrom, richard skelton, ... at work I always go through most of the releases available, just playing an entire record instead of a few songs.

Yeah this is true.
What worries me is that the "industry" (ie. the majors) have seemed to given up on using sales as an income and will increasingly give the artists' music away for free as a way of promoting the artists' shows and profile.
That's why I hate things like Spotify.
Bigger acts who tour a lot can afford to do this, but it sets a precedent where younger folk will grow up assuming music should be free and instantly accessible and won't appreciate why smaller labels/acts still must charge for their product to survive.
I hope all smaller, more leftfield labels don't get sucked into this model and let the "industry" dictate how music should be provided.

[Koda]

i do believe these sorts of streams are the way of the future though.. and, as i've gone on record saying before, will ultimately be the end of music as we've come to know it. i still believe that when all music is free, quality music will be hard to come by... but that's another, depressing, thread i don't want to get into!

This is why packaging is more important than ever! Something to entice the consumer into owning something different. I find that I am more attracted to one-off, handmade packaging as more and more mp3's eat up bandwith.

[steinbruchel]

This is why packaging is more important than ever! Something to entice the consumer into owning something different. I find that I am more attracted to one-off, handmade packaging as more and more mp3's eat up bandwith.

exactly!

that's why i think it's totally wrong that type is smashing there cd's out in cheap jewel cases with a shitty printed cover (even if i still buy some of them because i like the music). but it totally shows that they take lots of care to the vinyl format and are not really interested in the rest...

[gjhardwick]

i'm almost certain that John from Type has gone on record stating that his format of choice is vinyl, with cd being a 'third choice' after mp3/download, so it's perhaps understandable that the Type cds might not be of the highest possible standard in terms of presentation. (though saying that, the only Type releases i own are all on vinyl, which all look and sound great)

I quite often wish that Low Point could more vinyl releases, but the cost and available storage space soon puts a stop to my plans...

[Orphax]

I myself find these players really useful. I am one of those people who really checks them out and skips through music this way to see if I want to buy it (Type is an exception though, I just buy the albums without hearing them...)

For my own label I did put up bandcamp players with all releases and I like to keep on doing so. People can at least get a glimpse of what is coming.