Motown Releases ... Or Lack There Of

[longtimefan]

It seems that we have reached a low point for anticipating upcoming Motown releases. Over the past several years, there have always been reissues in the pipeline. Actually, on some occasions, numerous releases were looming.

Often, SDF fans post they they are blessed to have so very many reissues that they never dreamed of owning. Of course, I agree!!! However, as a customer/consumer, I miss the days when I could make purchases AND support a market that then offered even more.

Is this really about economics or are the advocates for the reissues evaporating? Harry and Andy cannot do it alone.

[marybrewster]

I am one of the fans that feels so fortunate to have so many reissues. Harry and Andy and the "team" have done such a remarkable job of giving us product that we never thought would see the light of day. But that doesn't mean I don't want more, LOL.

I am hoping that "Funny Girl" is finally released in 2014; through the years it certainly has been one of the most requested of all Supremes/DRATS related material. I'm still holding out for a physical release, even if it's "no frills". Something to put in my pocketbook is better than nothing!

I'm also looking forward to an eventual release of all of the Supremes "specialty" albums: Sam Cooke, CW&P, Liverpool.....and Disney?

And yes, I know the Supremes aren't the ONLY group that recorded for Motown, it just seems like consistently they end up selling the most. I'm sure Universal wants to go where the action is.

[Ngroove]

Actually for myself, Longtimefan....I'm pretty darn happy! As of the past recent years, alongside Motown and Hip-O Select [[well, the semi-affordable ones, anyways....) there's the Japan reissues, Tamla-Motown, whatever comes from ACE, Soulmusic, Funkytowngrooves...I'd say about at least 75% of Motown's artists [[counting all singers from 1959-1972 thanks to Complete Motown Singles) has at least one song in digital form now....still a handful left, but never dreamed I'd finally have a Susaye & Scherrie "Partners" CD finally placed in my CD library! Yes, probably more Junior Walker & the All-Stars has often been demanded of the people here, and who else is to be desired? I'd say, a better treatment for High Inergy!

[whitesoxx]

Of course I am also glad that I have so many reissues, but I can't understand how Universal Japan can release 100 Motown titles, priced at $10, within the space of 1 month in 2013 whereas Universal US can't manage to release more than a few. If Universal Japan is able to make a profit releasing 100 cd's that will probably not sell more than 1000 copies each at a budget price, there just has to be money to be made from US expanded editions that will sell at least maybe 5,000-10,000 copies worldwide at double the price.

I, for one, refuse to settle for digital downloads and would much rather prefer barebones physical releases like the Japanese ones. I am hoping Universal Japan will release another batch of Motown albums this year, I will pick up as many as I can as I have with 2013's batch.

By the way, a 6MB 256 kbps download will NEVER be the same quality as a 45MB CD track!

[mysterysinger]

I'm hoping there is some sort of strategy to the re-issue programme - I mean why is it that the same titles are always the ones re-released. Those latest Japanese releases are extremely welcome and at the price [[£5-£9 ish) in the the UK are hard to beat, but only one Originals - "Baby I'm For Real" - why not the others? Among them are the usual Diana Ross and Supremes suspects - I'm sure they are the best sellers of them all but most would already have these titles? Then the Jackson 5 and Michael releases all over again - they surely could do better [[ok there are some gems like Partners) - but what about Undisputed Truth, Jr walker, Four Tops Now! However, there are also the other labels that are issuing former Motown releases like Ace, Soul Music, Culture Factory [[mostly same old). It's not all gloom I suppose. Come on, more Originals please.

[marybrewster]

I, for one, refuse to settle for digital downloads and would much rather prefer barebones physical releases like the Japanese ones. I am hoping Universal Japan will release another batch of Motown albums this year, I will pick up as many as I can as I have with 2013's batch.

By the way, a 6MB 256 kbps download will NEVER be the same quality as a 45MB CD track!

Thank you whitesoxx; I couldn't agree more.

[daviddh]

I am grateful to Andy and the gang for all the reissues we have gotten over the years but I am disappointed that we get to the last two DIANA ROSS albums and everything stops. are they holding out the last two albums for a reason. I know part of it was a merger with universal music but I expected things to pick up by now.
I did hear there is a new release coming in march for dianas b day.....????but it is a download only. an announcement is expected soon////?????hopefully

[thomas96]

Is it a result of a diminishing market?

[bradsupremes]

Is it a result of a diminishing market?

I don't think so. The problem is promotion. Universal doesn't promote. Can't bring in a profit if you don't spend a little to get the word out there.

[smark21]

The new Babyface/Toni Braxton album out today is on the Motown label.

[thomas96]

I don't think so. The problem is promotion. Universal doesn't promote. Can't bring in a profit if you don't spend a little to get the word out there.

You'd think with Motown the Musical being such a hit that the market would even increase. You may be right about the promotion, not sure why Universal wouldn't promote though...

[danman869]

I have to agree with Bradsupremes--the biggest problem with the Universal/Hip-O releases is a lack of promotion. You can't be disappointed in your profits if you haven't promoted the product. There has to be more promotion so that the "general public" will start being aware and hopefully buy the product. We know WE will buy to enjoy the product and support future releases.

And, to be perfectly blunt, I would much prefer having a physical CD any day over a digital-only release. Universal may not promote their product properly, but they DO put out a hell of a Expanded Edition CD! The care, class and attention to detail with the look and contents in the Expanded Editions is very noticeable and much appreciated as a customer of Universal's.

If someone from Universal/Hip-O Select were reading this, I'd want them to know that they can't stop releasing Expanded Editions in CD format. This type of product calls out for a physical product with a deluxe booklet that tells the story of the release and gives detailed information. Please continue the Expanded Editions and please don't stop releasing physical CDs!

[honest man]

Maybe more publicity wouls help the course of releases[i need more unissued].I see our own Midnite Johnnie has added a few of the Motown Anthoogies to his You Tube remixes great advertiement i think,Cannot thank the people who have laboured on these reissues over the years you are stars,BUT i need Fantastic 4 expanded anthologies along with JJ Barnes,Edwin Starr,Ivy Joe Hunter for starters,i know im asking too much,if you don't ask you won't get.cheers.

[MrTopCat]

Promotion does wonders for a CD release. When the Motown Anthems CD came out in the UK in Nov 2012 there was a brilliant TV ad that ran on TV for the duration of Nov and Dec [[ aka the Holiday Season) and this release was super successful. You can go check out the reviews and all on Amazon.

[marybrewster]

I'm still not sold on a digital Supremes release.

I look at it this way: imagine Marvel decides to re-release their classic comic books in a collectors series. Fans buy them at $50.00 a piece, with the assumption that the series, eventually, will be completed. Now, halfway through the series, Marvel decides that one of them, the rarest of rare, will be released as a Kindle-only version.

I know there was never any promise or guarantee that we'd eventually get EVERY Supremes release as an Expanded Edition, but as some of these were promoted as "Limited Edition", I also never thought that once I started purchasing them, that I'd never be able to finish the collection in physical form. In regards to "Funny Girl", if you scour the various message boards, this single release has probably been the most requested for the last DECADE or longer, and it's NEVER been released on CD.

[soulster]

By the way, a 6MB 256 kbps download will NEVER be the same quality as a 45MB CD track!

Amen! If someone would just make lossless available, like Rhino did a couple of years ago, all would be good.

I'm not happy because Universal almost never reissued Motown that I want, aside from some Teena Marie, DeBarge, and a few hi-rez albums on HD Tracks. I wanted more Rick James and Switch.

The problem is that the Universal people come in here and only hear the yelling of the Supremes crowd. If they could have just ignored the Supremes nuts for a bit...

[marybrewster]

Amen! If someone would just make lossless available, like Rhino did a couple of years ago, all would be good.

I'm not happy because Universal almost never reissued Motown that I want, aside from some Teena Marie, DeBarge, and a few hi-rez albums on HD Tracks. I wanted more Rick James and Switch.

The problem is that the Universal people come in here and only hear the yelling of the Supremes crowd. If they could have just ignored the Supremes nuts for a bit...

Do you know how well any of the Teena Marie or DeBarge sets did? I don't, but I'd be curious to know. I say that if only because I've read several times that the Supremes sets sell the best. With that said, it makes sense that Universal only puts out what customers buy.

[midnightman]

I wouldn't be cool with a digital only release either. Half the sales sold of albums are sold physically unless they really wanna mess the market, no point in time will everything be digital. And vinyl LPs are making a comeback too. As long as classic Motown is released, it will find a buying audience.

[vgalindo]

I'm still not sold on a digital Supremes release.

I look at it this way: imagine Marvel decides to re-release their classic comic books in a collectors series. Fans buy them at $50.00 a piece, with the assumption that the series, eventually, will be completed. Now, halfway through the series, Marvel decides that one of them, the rarest of rare, will be released as a Kindle-only version.

I know there was never any promise or guarantee that we'd eventually get EVERY Supremes release as an Expanded Edition, but as some of these were promoted as "Limited Edition", I also never thought that once I started purchasing them, that I'd never be able to finish the collection in physical form. In regards to "Funny Girl", if you scour the various message boards, this single release has probably been the most requested for the last DECADE or longer, and it's NEVER been released on CD.
I agree with you 100 percent. I am kind of heart broken because it will make my collection of the Supremes feel incomplete. I love everything Andy and the guys are doing for us and I know it is out of their control. But it still makes me sad. I am the type of person that if I don't have a case and artwork for a CD or DVD it feels like I don't even have a copy and I eventually go out and buy it just to have the original case.

[calvin]

In another thread, people said that they emailed classic.motown@umusic.com to voice support for new releases, etc. But I didn't read that anyone got a response. I also wrote, no response.

If Universal is unwilling or unable to release this music - including albums that have never appeared on cd by artists like Jr Walker & The All Stars, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Originals, etc - I hope they'll let another label like Ace go for it.

[longtimefan]

I do not believe that Ace had anything Motown related in the pipeline either.

[Methuselah2]

Newsweek Magazine, that ceased its print product at the end of 2012 for online only, is set to relaunch its print version next month. A favorable sign.

Oh, Olivia Newton-John, you were always so right:

"Let's get PHYSICAL!"

[calvin]

Ace, Soulmusic, BBR, Expansion, and some other labels have released several Motown titles in the past years, often some lesser-known ones that wouldn't seem to have huge sales potential. Yet these do continue to come, so I guess they aren't losing money on them.

SoulMusic recently released the Four Tops "Indestructible", originally an Arista release, and it seems to be doing fine [[despite the fact that it had of course already been released on cd years ago). So what is Universal doing with the ABC Dunhill albums of the Four Tops, some of which I would expect could outsell "Indestructible"? Wounded Bird released Jr Walker's "Back Street Boogie", originally a Whitfield release and not one of Jr's top albums. So where are the Motown albums, which I guess could outsell this?

Does Universal give other labels a chance to release the stuff that they are unwilling to, or are they holding some titles back for possible release by themselves someday [[which may or may not ever happen)?

How well does a title have to sell for the business suits at Universal to show some interest?

[Nothing But Soul]

In another thread, people said that they emailed classic.motown@umusic.com to voice support for new releases, etc. But I didn't read that anyone got a response. I also wrote, no response.

If Universal is unwilling or unable to release this music - including albums that have never appeared on cd by artists like Jr Walker & The All Stars, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Originals, etc - I hope they'll let another label like Ace go for it.

Perhaps Real Gone Music will be that label. They've got four of David Ruffin's Motown albums coming out on two separate two-fer CDs in March.

http://www.amazon.com/Whole-World-Ended-Feelin-Good/dp/B00HQ0BTS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1391635761&sr=1-1&keywords=david+ruffin

http://www.amazon.com/David-Ruffin-Rock-Roll-Here/dp/B00HQ0BTIY/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1391635802&sr=1-2&keywords=david+ruffin

At the beginning of April, Real Gone Music is releasing an Eddie Kendricks album that has never been on CD before. It's one he made for Atlantic Records after he left Motown.

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Keys-Eddie-Kendricks/dp/B00I4F0J3Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1391635882&sr=1-1&keywords=eddie+kendricks

I'm hopeful that maybe we can get some Junior Walker, Originals, Blinky, Fantastic Four, J.J. Barnes, etc. from Real Gone Music.

[calvin]

Let's hope so, Nothing But Soul. And thanks for the heads up on the Eddie Kendricks, I wasn't aware that this is in the pipeline.