“Prince’s promise of three albums in 2009 and he is in negotiations with “a major retailer” to distribute the music and a highly interactive website will also provide an opportunity to buy. ” (Los Angeles Times)
Prince also said he refocused on his playing while performing live dates with the singer Tamar Davis in 2006; with the spotlight trained on someone else, he could fall back in love with solos and riffs.
This is what I would like to see – more consistency and more albums from artists. Why wait 2 to 3 years between albums?
In fact, it was quite common for artists to release an album every year. As one commentator stated, “Neil Young, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin were relentess for years, and would have quality records out on a regular basis.”
Of course recording contracts have changed as well. Record deals use to be for a term of one year, with options to renew for additional periods of one year each. The artist was obligated to deliver 2 albums each year. This worked terrifically in the in the days when records were banged out like pankcakes. As Donald Passman says, every contract is a history lesson.
Releasing albums more frequently would benefit the artist and the label while keeping the fans energized. Also, it is easier and less stressful to release more albums frequently as many artists today are releasing records independently without contracts and stipulations.
What can we learn from the legends? More albums and more consistency.
EVERYONE put LPs out at the rate of two or three per year in the 1960s — the Beatles released 14 albums in seven years, bunched together more closely early in their career. Folkrockers Fairport Convention issued their three legendary albums in Jan, June and Dec, 1969 — and that year included the van accident which killed one member of the band and injured most of the rest.
By the time I was in high school and college, bands like Jethro Tull and Talking Heads were cranking out annual releases. The release was something you could look forward to, a way to build an ongoing relationship with the performer.
In 2008 if you are in high school or college, it is most likely that you will be a completely different person by the time a favorite artist gets another album out. No sustained bonds can be built.
I recall a Wall Street Journal article which blamed the slowing frequency of recordings on the rise of worldwide tours, which did not happen so much in the 1960s.
A great modern example would be someone like Ryan Adams – Putting out that many albums has made him somewhat of a cult icon to his fans.
Great point.
Another great example is Joe Purdy (http://www.myspace.com/joepurdy)
Prince is a monster, cant wait to hear his albums!! Always pushing the envolope!!
There’s no competition anymore. You don’t have the Beatles trying to top Pet Sounds with Sgt Peppers, and you don’t have the Stones trying to top Sgt Peppers with Their Satanic Majesties’ Request (which was the Stones being pushed pretty far outside their boundaries, but contains perhaps my favorite Stones track, She’s A Rainbow).
It’s a product of touring, as has been mentioned, & the labels’ terrible idea to sell records by making celebrities out of artists (which pulls the artists away from actual music & takes longer than it should). The combination is bound to take the steam out of the writing/recording process. And on top of that, label support is no longer based on faith, it’s based on finances, so there’s no room to build momentum for an act. It’s do or don’t.
I’ll never get over the fact that there was 5 years between Maroon 5’s first & second records.
And I still say the Rilo Kiley crew is the best thing going… if Rilo Kiley doesn’t put out a record one particular year, Jenny Lewis or Blake (the Elected) will, or Jonathan Rice. Even the new Whispertown2000 has some decent material on it. There’s a small feature on the “new Laural Canyon” in last month’s Rolling Stone that’s really great, about jam sessions that happen so frequently there & so on. I made the comment just today that the last Elected record is the best sounding record in years, & the new Jenny Lewis has some killer tones & amazing drums. Not to mention there’s fantastic songs coming left & right from that bunch. And Jenny Lewis, Rilo Kiley, & the Elected all slay live.
And that’s how it should be. Not celebrities in designer whatever riding around in limos drinking cocktails or whatever they do these days. That makes me want to support them less, not more.
Digtal distribution and inexpensive recording gear has made it possible for indie artists to release a ton of material. There’s no excuse for not releasing *at least* an EP every year. Full albums may be tough for some artists, but that’s what separates the men from the boys.