I guess by now, people sorta expect that any given CD will only have a couple solid songs. Industry is pissed that they can no longer sucker people into buying the whole album anymore.

There is NO devaluing of music going on. It’s the simple fact of changing consumer habits and the internet.

There have always been only a few albums that actually had multiple singles and a solid album. That has always been the case in music. But, now, because of downloading, we are finally realizing that.

It’s not a new thing.

Last I checked, that’s not how it works.

When album sales surpassed single sales in the late 60’s it was because albums were worth investing in. Pet Sounds, Sgt Peppers, Tommy… Then slowly but surely the labels went back to a singles mentality. Which isn’t a horrible thing, I thought Great Escape & Irreplacable were both great songs with killer choruses. But along with the singles mentality comes singles sales. And the labels wanted to keep selling albums. That’s not how it works. Eventually they took singles off the shelves, but STILL played the singles game. Shady!

Make great singles & we’ll buy singles. Make great albums & we’ll buy albums. It’s a simple concept. The album only came to prominence because of quality & the inevitable demand that resulted. The demand is gone, someone needs to ask him- or herself why that is.