Hip-O-Select - Under Construction

[superlou]

Just clicked on the link and got a blank page that says "under construction." Anyone know what's going on? Will Hip-O be coming back with a bang?

[luke]

I think someone posted this awhile ago. I don't understand why they just don't tell us what's going on. Odd; such a loyal fan base here. You'd think they'd communicate more.

[144man]

I've never worked out whether there's a deliberate policy to be secretive, whether they can't do it without authorisation, whether they don't think it's important, whether they're too busy, whether it's in no one's job description or whether they just can't be bothered.

[Bluebrock]

I fear they have shut up shop never to return and it is a crying shame. I miss my hip-o-select cd's with wonderful mastering and informative sleeve notes.

[soulster]

This should give you all a hint:

"Physical product has dropped to the bottom of the landscape...

• CD's - $494,800,000 - down 31.5%
• LP's/EP's - $221,800,000 - up 52.1%
• Music Videos - $23,700,000 - down 19.4%
• Vinyl Singles - $4,200,000 - up 21.8%
• DVD Audio - $2,400,000 - up 453.5%
• SACD - $400,000 - down 11.9%"

"The use of streaming services has soared during the first half of 2015 according to the RIAA, taking over second place from physical products for the music dollar. Permanent downloads is still the leader, accounting for 40% of the market, but almost every format lost share compared to the first half of 2014:

• Download Singles - $687,600,000 - down 9.4%
• Download Albums - $571,500,000 - up 4.2%
• Ringtones and Ringbacks - $28,000,000 - down 22.0%
• Music Videos - $7,300,000 - up 5.7%

Digital Subscriptions and Streaming are now in second place.

• Paid subscriptions - $477,900,000 - up 24.9%
• On-demand Streaming [[ad supported) - $162,700,000 - up 27.1%"

http://riaa.com/media/238E8AC7-3810-...DEB46A3C6E.pdf

[Bluebrock]

This should give you all a hint:

"Physical product has dropped to the bottom of the landscape...

• CD's - $494,800,000 - down 31.5%
• LP's/EP's - $221,800,000 - up 52.1%
• Music Videos - $23,700,000 - down 19.4%
• Vinyl Singles - $4,200,000 - up 21.8%
• DVD Audio - $2,400,000 - up 453.5%
• SACD - $400,000 - down 11.9%"

"The use of streaming services has soared during the first half of 2015 according to the RIAA, taking over second place from physical products for the music dollar. Permanent downloads is still the leader, accounting for 40% of the market, but almost every format lost share compared to the first half of 2014:

• Download Singles - $687,600,000 - down 9.4%
• Download Albums - $571,500,000 - up 4.2%
• Ringtones and Ringbacks - $28,000,000 - down 22.0%
• Music Videos - $7,300,000 - up 5.7%

Digital Subscriptions and Streaming are now in second place.

• Paid subscriptions - $477,900,000 - up 24.9%
• On-demand Streaming [[ad supported) - $162,700,000 - up 27.1%"

http://riaa.com/media/238E8AC7-3810-...DEB46A3C6E.pdf

Oh well. At least we now know for sure. No point in moaning. It's dead in the water.

[carole cucumber]

I wouldn't count on Hip-O-Select's re-activation, but I wouldn't give up hope for physical product. When cd's became entrenched as a viable music option, lp sales went into a downward spiral. If you look at what soulster posted, they have re-emerged here as as area again given a serious look by companies that had written them off.
Who knows, the next generation may re-discover CD's just as the current has re-discovered LP's.
And, as we know, the toll bell has not been sounded for CD's in other parts of the world such as Japan & the U.K.

[Bluebrock]

I wouldn't count on Hip-O-Select's re-activation, but I wouldn't give up hope for physical product. When cd's became entrenched as a viable music option, lp sales went into a downward spiral. If you look at what soulster posted, they have re-emerged here as as area again given a serious look by companies that had written them off.
Who knows, the next generation may re-discover CD's just as the current has re-discovered LP's.
And, as we know, the toll bell has not been sounded for CD's in other parts of the world such as Japan & the U.K.

Let us hope so Carole.

[mysterysinger]

That's amazing - so record companies can afford to throw away $495m a year away by not producing CDs? That doesn't make good sense to me.

[jobeterob]

Physical Hip O is almost certainly finished I would think

[thanxal]

That's amazing - so record companies can afford to throw away $495m a year away by not producing CDs? That doesn't make good sense to me.

Its not so much that as the fact that the market that Hip-O serves is having Hip-o replacements and not spending as much on music as young whipper-snappers. Physical CDs will only die slowly and that $495 million will be increasingly concentrated on large, viable markets. Neither of which this audience represents, sadly.

[woodward]

Physical Hip O is almost certainly finished I would think

It seems as though ACE/KENT is still alive and kicking and producing CDs that appeal to Motown enthusiasts. We can all be thankful and appreciative for the effort that Keith Hughes is putting into their Motown authorized series. If it were not for him the well would be empty.

So be thankful and appreciative for Keith. He is absolutely terrific and so are the rest of the ACE/KENT management and staff.

[RobertZ]

It seems as though ACE/KENT is still alive and kicking and producing CDs that appeal to Motown enthusiasts. We can all be thankful and appreciative for the effort that Keith Hughes is putting into their Motown authorized series. If it were not for him the well would be empty.

So be thankful and appreciative for Keith. He is absolutely terrific and so are the rest of the ACE/KENT management and staff.

Not sure about the well being empty without ACE/KENT - Big Break, Soul Brother UK, Funkytown Grooves, etc all produce first-quality reissues. And the excellent retailer Dusty Groove is a constant source of reissues. So there is a market, it's just a niche market and production has to be budgeted accordingly.

[soulster]

I wouldn't count on Hip-O-Select's re-activation, but I wouldn't give up hope for physical product. When cd's became entrenched as a viable music option, lp sales went into a downward spiral. If you look at what soulster posted, they have re-emerged here as as area again given a serious look by companies that had written them off.
Who knows, the next generation may re-discover CD's just as the current has re-discovered LP's.
And, as we know, the toll bell has not been sounded for CD's in other parts of the world such as Japan & the U.K.

Sounds like a lot of hope and little sober reality.

[midnightman]

It's not over for CD's but it might be over for Hip-O.

[Laserdk]

Folks,

It must have passed the rest of you by but Universal replaced Hip-O Select with the more basic "Select" line a couple of years back hence the reason why the last two volumes of "The Complete Motown Singles" CD box sets covering 1972 just carried the label tag "Motown Select". The revised website can be found here:-

http://www.universalmusicenterprises.com/select/

Ivor

[soulster]

Folks,

It must have passed the rest of you by but Universal replaced Hip-O Select with the more basic "Select" line a couple of years back hence the reason why the last two volumes of "The Complete Motown Singles" CD box sets covering 1972 just carried the label tag "Motown Select". The revised website can be found here:-

http://www.universalmusicenterprises.com/select/

Ivor

Whew! Yes, I think I forgot about that. It came with the corporate restructuring that happened along with the acquisition of EMI. Good to see the Kiss singles box, too!

[johnny_raven]

Good to see the Kiss singles box, too!

Which was released nearly 3 years ago

[soulster]

Which was released nearly 3 years ago

Didn't know that! So, I guess we are wondering what the hell is going on at Universal.

[woodward]

Folks,

It must have passed the rest of you by but Universal replaced Hip-O Select with the more basic "Select" line a couple of years back hence the reason why the last two volumes of "The Complete Motown Singles" CD box sets covering 1972 just carried the label tag "Motown Select". The revised website can be found here:-

http://www.universalmusicenterprises.com/select/

Ivor

Very interesting. I was totally unaware of this change to the new revised web site. You would think that SOMEONE in the upper echelongs of Universal would have taken a few minutes to post a thread on the SDF telling members about this change. I guess if they had done this, they would have been bombarded with questions which they apparently want to avoid.

Does this make sense?

[soulster]

Very interesting. I was totally unaware of this change to the new revised web site. You would think that SOMEONE in the upper echelongs of Universal would have taken a few minutes to post a thread on the SDF telling members about this change. I guess if they had done this, they would have been bombarded with questions which they apparently want to avoid.

Does this make sense?

With all the stupid Diana Ross and Mary Wilson bickering that goes on at SDF, I don't think any of them want their names on this forum any more.