How to Kill the Album
Music Business Worldwide has an interesting take on what’s killing the concept of the album. The music industry itself is screwing things up by its poor use of language and nomenclature.
We need to have a little word about your language.
The mainstream audience that the music biz so desires thinks that ‘curation’ has something to do with preserved ham.
A ‘playlist’ remains a relic they stuck onto a cassette in a bid to win the affection of their teenage sweetheart.
And as for ‘streaming equivalent sales’… well, let’s reserve some special ire for that particularly mindless semantic fiasco shortly. [THAT “fiasco” drives me nuts! – AC]
First, an earnest appeal: I am seriously concerned that this industry is starting to throttle its potential with a vocal addiction to nonsense.
As a direct consequence, it’s showing scant respect to its best and most lucrative product.
This situation is being exacerbated by hereditary commercial structures continuing to be measured in ‘albums’ – especially artist contracts and the archaic bonus structure of the industry’s big earners.
Ironically, it’s an attitude that’s doing great harm to the one format that still pays most people’s wages.
