lul: Warner Brothers to SAVE MUSIC by... cutting albums in half.

[GilloD]

In the latest instance of big labels throwing comical life preservers at physical formats, Warner Music Nashville announced today that it'll experiment with releasing new music in multiple six-song installments, instead of in full albums. In other words: Congrats, major labels, you've discovered what EPs are again. According to Billboard, the first artist to get the "Six-Pak" treatment will be country singer Blake Shelton. He'll put out one six-song CD in March and another in August.  The report doesn't have any information on how the (sigh) "Six-Pak" will be priced, but it sounds suspiciously like a way to make people pay twice for the same amount of music and double the amount of chintzy plastic crap in the glovebox.

Seriously. WHo's in charge at major labels? They're like think tanks for BAD IDEAS.

[ManaByte]

People still buy CDs?

[jiji]

People still buy CDs?

More often than I actually buy music online (never).

[EmCeeGrammar]

why not have an artist work on 6 songs at a time and release those for super cheapo?  Its like if I didn't have a computer, but wanted a little from columns a and b, I would HAVE to buy both albums.  I think music in general just needs to focus on good selections and not so much album filler.

[Mr. Gundam]

People still buy CDs?

I go to the local independent record store on a weekly basis for CDs and 45s. I have never purchased music digitally.

[max_cool]

the last 20 or so albums I've bought have all been digital, no need for CD's anymore.

[Phoenix Dark]

I've bought albums at concerts but I usually just download. Should start looking for a good independent place near campus/downtown.

The underground/indie hip hop scene is doing pretty well, to the point where more artists are rejecting record deals. You can make more money in the long term as an independent artist than (most) mainstream artists now. Sure you don't get an advance, but you don't have to pay large amounts back and can do what you want. Unless you're selling ringtones, may mainstream rappers don't make much money. They don't cultivate a tour following and of course no one buys their album. Then they have to pay back their advance, and before they know it the second album has been delayed until any buzz you might have had is gone. Fuck that

[Joe Molotov]

Now I'll have to download two separate .rars to get an entire album. 

[Madrun Badrun]

Now I'll have to download two separate .rars to get an entire album. 

[Cormacaroni]

same shit, same container, different name.

[Diunx]

Now I'll have to download two separate .rars to get an entire album. 

This.

[GilloD]

A CD should be a free tester to get people going to concerts. And I think lots of artist already think like that.

Anyone who is in a band will tell you you make money on touring, not album sales. Digital Sales are changing that a little bit- Lower overheads and less of a need for corporate connections/promotion mean you can make a little scratch off the album. But it's always been this way

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

isn't it a little insulting to the type of people that buy Country music that they're piloting this program?

or is it entirely appropriate that they're testing this out on the types of people who buy Country music?

[Ganhyun]

isn't it a little insulting to the type of people that buy Country music that they're piloting this program?

or is it entirely appropriate that they're testing this out on the types of people who buy Country music?

insulting.

Its insulting to any music fan.

[Phoenix Dark]

country fans still buy CDs tho

[brawndolicious]

Wow, this is like that part in The Wire where the Barksdale crew was making higher profit by selling dope that was half as potent.

[Eel O'Brian]

all filler, no killer

[etiolate]

Part of the downloading problem started because labels were pushing one hit wonders. People could download a song and avoid paying full price for a shitty album. At six songs, if you can manage two decent songs that may be enough to convince someone to buy the album. And then once you establish that, the second six can be junk and still sell based off of retail karma from the first.

[Cormacaroni]

A CD should be a free tester to get people going to concerts. And I think lots of artist already think like that.

Anyone who is in a band will tell you you make money on touring, not album sales. Digital Sales are changing that a little bit- Lower overheads and less of a need for corporate connections/promotion mean you can make a little scratch off the album. But it's always been this way

It absolutely hasn't always been this way. Bands used to make so little money touring (because the promoters took most of the gate) that they basically toured only to plug their new albums. Now, the situation has totally flipped, and all the big bands that used to sit on their asses for 3yrs between CDs are all out there playing all over the world.