HIP-O Update from Andrew Skurow on Facebook

[marybrewster]

I'm still crossing my Press-Ons that "Funny Girl" gets a physical release.

It perhaps is the one request that has dominated the message board for YEARS. A simple search on SDF alone brings up dozens of threads.

I clearly am behind the times, but I have never purchased a song via Amazon or I-Tunes. I do not own an MP3 player or an I-Pad.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the artists of today; like Taylor Swift, Beyonce', One Direction, Bieber, Miley and Gaga probably do a HUGE business via digital download. But look at the audience they are catering to. I think it's a huge misstep to try and release a "seasoned" artist, or perhaps more importantly, a "botique" release such as an Expanded Edition. Look at the audience that's purchasing those. It's certainly not the "teeny boppers". More like the "old teenagers".

That's just my two cents.

[vgalindo]

I'm still crossing my Press-Ons that "Funny Girl" gets a physical release.

It perhaps is the one request that has dominated the message board for YEARS. A simple search on SDF alone brings up dozens of threads.

I clearly am behind the times, but I have never purchased a song via Amazon or I-Tunes. I do not own an MP3 player or an I-Pad.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the artists of today; like Taylor Swift, Beyonce', One Direction, Bieber, Miley and Gaga probably do a HUGE business via digital download. But look at the audience they are catering to. I think it's a huge misstep to try and release a "seasoned" artist, or perhaps more importantly, a "botique" release such as an Expanded Edition. Look at the audience that's purchasing those. It's certainly not the "teeny boppers". More like the "old teenagers"

That's just my two cents.

I agree with you 100 %... I also do not download digital music. Never have and never cared to. A few years ago Almighty released the We love Diana Ross mixes. I never did download this album. If it were a physical CD there would have been no way I would have not bought a copy. I own every Diana Ross and every Supremes album ever released.

[calvin]

Did anyone who wrote to classic.motown@umusic.com get a response? I didn't.

[blueskies]

I'm still crossing my Press-Ons that "Funny Girl" gets a physical release.

It perhaps is the one request that has dominated the message board for YEARS. A simple search on SDF alone brings up dozens of threads.

I clearly am behind the times, but I have never purchased a song via Amazon or I-Tunes. I do not own an MP3 player or an I-Pad.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the artists of today; like Taylor Swift, Beyonce', One Direction, Bieber, Miley and Gaga probably do a HUGE business via digital download. But look at the audience they are catering to. I think it's a huge misstep to try and release a "seasoned" artist, or perhaps more importantly, a "botique" release such as an Expanded Edition. Look at the audience that's purchasing those. It's certainly not the "teeny boppers". More like the "old teenagers".

That's just my two cents.

Those my two cents, also. Only interested in the physical CD. Ok...I'm out of the loop and fast approaching the bedside commode community...and that's the way it is.

[westgrandboulevard]

My feelings, too.

A download, instead of a CD, is the equivalent of possessing an abbreviated, hurriedly composed email, instead of a handwritten letter from a loved one.

[tamla617]

Good one Westgrand!

[sophisticated_soul]

Good one Westgrand!

Ditto _

[ejluther]

A few years ago Almighty released the We love Diana Ross mixes. I never did download this album. If it were a physical CD there would have been no way I would have not bought a copy. I own every Diana Ross and every Supremes album ever released.

That's too bad you're missing them on principle - there are some fun tracks on it. And while I absolutely understand and appreciate the love of the physical product, one can easily burn downloaded tracks onto a CD that's playable in any CD player. And digital music as a format is making audio quality progress that is leaps and bounds beyond what CD "redbook" quality can offer listeners. I've gotten to the point where I don't mind good/high-quality digital downloads as long as there's artwork/deluxe options available but to each his/her own...

[RossHolloway]

Well I prefer a physical cd to a download, but I'm also a realist. Just look at the current trends in the music industry, just last month when Beyonce released her album/cd, she first did it on iTunes, and a physical cd was not released until the following week or so. But by the time the physical cd was released she had already sold over 800,000 downloads- which is an incredible number. It's not the amout of cds that were shipped to retailers, but over 800,000 copies actually SOLD. Sure fans have the option of downloads or hard copies, but the future of the industry is thru downloads. When push comes to shove- would you rather have an album via download or no release at all?

[tamla617]

I understand what you're saying Ross but Beyoncé is followed by a majority [[ I do mean majority) of people that never had or bother now with buying a physical copy or its "the everyone wants to be first" attitude. If it was a case of "would I rather have it via download or not at all"......I'll cross that one if it happens. I'm not going for the 1963 un released download. That should be a future cellarfull release, for me anyway. its all about copywrite protection and cock all to do with fans. So no history or interesting notes on each track.

[RossHolloway]

I understand what you're saying Ross but Beyoncé is followed by a majority [[ I do mean majority) of people that never had or bother now with buying a physical copy or its "the everyone wants to be first" attitude. If it was a case of "would I rather have it via download or not at all"......I'll cross that one if it happens. I'm not going for the 1963 un released download. That should be a future cellarfull release, for me anyway. its all about copywrite protection and cock all to do with fans. So no history or interesting notes on each track.

That's too bad, you're missing out on some really great music by missing this download. Did you purchase any of the 1962 Unreleases?

[Jimi LaLumia]

once you download an album you can 'burn' it onto a high quality blank CD.. so you're missing the book, etc but can still have a 'hard' copy..

[jillfoster]

I'm sure Universal knows the numbers.

I've always feared that the numbers are not that great which is why there has always been the "stops and starts". It is probably a challenge to get them out. And the pricier the package, the weaker the sales.

I'd prefer the physical package. If it gets reduced to "digital", I hope that we can still have a booklet, even if we have to print it to read it. I'd be happy with that.

I think Baby It's Me is a "must have" and I would take it over anything else.

Rob, it's all just corporate greed and bullshit at work. Companies don't take PRIDE in their line of products anymore, they just want to churn out what makes the most volume, and rakes in the most money in the shortest amount of time. It doesn't mean something doesn't sell, or doesn't have demand, they just want HUGE demand, hence record labels not wanting to mess with an artist anymore if they only sell 50,000 albums. This is like a cancer spreading all over corporate america. In 2008 KRAFT disconintued Postum [[A coffee substitute) which had been on the market for 110 years, yes you read that right, 110 YEARS! IT wasn't worth their time because it sold a MERE 3 million units per year. And this was from a proudct that had not been advertized AT ALL since 1965. So this gives you an idea of the mindset we are dealing with.

[bradsupremes]

Rob, it's all just corporate greed and bullshit at work. Companies don't take PRIDE in their line of products anymore, they just want to churn out what makes the most volume, and rakes in the most money in the shortest amount of time. It doesn't mean something doesn't sell, or doesn't have demand, they just want HUGE demand, hence record labels not wanting to mess with an artist anymore if they only sell 50,000 albums. This is like a cancer spreading all over corporate america. In 2008 KRAFT disconintued Postum [[A coffee substitute) which had been on the market for 110 years, yes you read that right, 110 YEARS! IT wasn't worth their time because it sold a MERE 3 million units per year. And this was from a proudct that had not been advertized AT ALL since 1965. So this gives you an idea of the mindset we are dealing with.

Spot on, jillfoster!

[Lulu]

After the David Ruffin sets sold out in CD form, I went ahead and ordered the digital versions from iTunes. I did miss having liner notes but when the Mary Wells L&F and Jackson 5 "Rare Pearls" came out, I decided to buy them digitally as they now included digital versions of the liner notes. I guess this is somewhat of a compromise?!?

[soulster]

I'm still crossing my Press-Ons that "Funny Girl" gets a physical release.

It perhaps is the one request that has dominated the message board for YEARS. A simple search on SDF alone brings up dozens of threads.

I clearly am behind the times, but I have never purchased a song via Amazon or I-Tunes. I do not own an MP3 player or an I-Pad.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the artists of today; like Taylor Swift, Beyonce', One Direction, Bieber, Miley and Gaga probably do a HUGE business via digital download. But look at the audience they are catering to. I think it's a huge misstep to try and release a "seasoned" artist, or perhaps more importantly, a "botique" release such as an Expanded Edition. Look at the audience that's purchasing those. It's certainly not the "teeny boppers". More like the "old teenagers".

That's just my two cents.

Most music sales of all music types are through downloads now. That is a fact.

[soulster]

And digital music as a format is making audio quality progress that is leaps and bounds beyond what CD "redbook" quality can offer listeners.

Hi-rez, the format i've been advocating around this forum, but gets almost no enthusiasm, is the option. But, it's been around for years already. I just bought the entire Chic catalog in 24-bit/96kHz from HD Tracks before they yanked it off the site, probably for accidentally pricing it all for $16.98! So, I got the entire Atlantic/Warner Brothers collection with sound that is the equivalent of the studio master tapes for just over $2 a piece! Woo-hoo! I was going to post the info here but it got pulled right when I started to do so. So, now, all you get is the mp3 version.

I archived the hi-rez versions, sample-rate converted and dithered the copies to redbook [[CD), and then made mp3 copies of those. I also embedded the artwork into the files and saves everything to six different hard drives and servers. This is what I do for all lossless downloads, CD rips, and vinyl record digital transfers.

I know you Luddites don't know about any of that, but a couple of you here will care what can be done today, rather than just buying a squashed CD.

[ejluther]

Well, I'm with you on Hi-rez audio, soulster, and have amassed quite a collection of it myself. I burn a lot of it onto DVDs so I can keep the 24-bit/96kHz quality and still put it on discs. I use a program called HD-Audio Solo Ultra to do that. My CD/DVD player will also play the DVD-Audio format [[as opposed to just "regular" DVD-Video format) and the program will burn either type of DVD so that's a nice option [[I understand DVD-Audio is the better choice). And good on you for the excellent deal!

PS: Here's the link to the maker of the program I mentioned
www.cirlinca.com

[tamla617]

That's too bad, you're missing out on some really great music by missing this download. Did you purchase any of the 1962 Unreleases?

No. I didn't know about the 62 until the 63 one was "released" ! I'd still want the info on these tracks. That's the way [[Uh Uh) I want them. Especially on the un released where there isn't any knowledge of them. The only clue is in the title, end of. what a way to keep the history alive.

[honest man]

No. I didn't know about the 62 until the 63 one was "released" ! I'd still want the info on these tracks. That's the way [[Uh Uh) I want them. Especially on the un released where there isn't any knowledge of them. The only clue is in the title, end of. what a way to keep the history alive.

Tamla a little lifeline if you go on CLASSIC MOTOWN SITE and click on 1962 releases you will get writing credits,not the best i know but it's some info , 1963 INFO NOT UP YET ......cheers.

[tamla617]

Thanks honest man!

[honest man]

Any news on releases,please.

[markdtiller]

once you download an album you can 'burn' it onto a high quality blank CD.. so you're missing the book, etc but can still have a 'hard' copy..

Plus on itunes you can do your own front cover art work

[lakedistrictlad1]

Most music sales of all music types are through downloads now. That is a fact.

it's not a fact Soulster. It's just what most people image things to be.

In 2013 digital downloads accounted for 40% and cd's accounted for 57%, with the rest made of of vinyl and cassettes in the U.S

In the U.K cd's made up two thirds of music sales in 2013.

So the cd aint dead yet.

[thisoldheart]

it's not a fact Soulster. It's just what most people image things to be.

In 2013 digital downloads accounted for 40% and cd's accounted for 57%, with the rest made of of vinyl and cassettes in the U.S

In the U.K cd's made up two thirds of music sales in 2013.

So the cd aint dead yet.

not that i don't believe you, but where are these figures from?

[RossHolloway]

I would imagine that all song singles [[ie 45's) are all digital.

[longtimefan]

not that i don't believe you, but where are these figures from?

This oldheart: Billboard reports that in 2013 "vinyl is now 2% of album sales in the U.S; digital albums comprise 40.6%; and the CD is 57.2% and cassettes and DVDs 0.2%."

[soulster]

This oldheart: Billboard reports that in 2013 "vinyl is now 2% of album sales in the U.S; digital albums comprise 40.6%; and the CD is 57.2% and cassettes and DVDs 0.2%."

Thank you. I was misinformed. The stats I read either got switch for CDs vs. downloads, or I got them reversed.

[calvin]

Thank you. I was misinformed. The stats I read either got switch for CDs vs. downloads, or I got them reversed.

You are both right, in different ways. Most music sales in the US are downloads, but many of these sales are just people downloading their favorite songs, not whole albums.

When it comes to sales of entire albums, cds have mostly exceeded download sales. You might hear the opposite because someone devised a "track equivalent album", which counts every 10 individual songs downloaded as an album [[even if it's the same hit song downloaded 10 times), and sales of downloaded albums plus TEA downloads have exceeded cds since 2011.

However, in the first weeks of this year, sales of entire album downloads [[not including TEAs) did exceed cd sales in the US, though only barely.

In any case, the cd is far from dead, especially for people who want to buy entire albums and not just their favorite song or two.

http://www.billboard.com/biz/article...ds-is-2014-the

[jobeterob]

CD Album Sales Fall Behind Album Downloads, Is 2014 The Year Digital Takes Over?
News /

By Keith Caulfield, Los Angeles | February 11, 2014 9:30 AM EST

CD Album Sales Fall Behind Album Downloads, Is 2014 The Year Digital Takes Over?

For the third time this year -- and only the fourth time ever -- the year-to-date total sales of digital albums have exceeded those of CDs.


Related Articles

The Year in Music 2013: Digital - The Download Hits Middle Age


Business Matters: New Report Predicts Digital-Vs.-Physical Tipping Point That Already Happened


Digital Revenue Outstrips Physical in U.K. For First Time


According to Nielsen SoundScan, so far in 2014 through the week ending Feb. 2, a total of 22.99 million albums have been sold. Of that total, 11.18 million were downloads while another 11.10 million were CDs. [[An additional 710,000 were vinyl LPs and other physical configurations, like cassettes.)

Year-to-date sales of albums on CD have only trailed downloads in three earlier times -- and two of those were this year. Before 2014, it happened in just the first week of 2013 [[week ending Jan. 6).

While it may seem counterintuitive to some, digital albums have yet to consistently surpass physical album sales. Up until now, only when track equivalent album [[TEA) sales, whereby 10 songs equal one album, are factored in do digital album sales surpass CDs. Digital albums plus TEA first surpassed physical albums in 2011 when physical albums accounted for 49.7% of albums while digital albums plus TEA accounted for 50.3%. The market has yet to have a year where digital album sales without TEA surpassed those of CDs, but 2014 might be the year where it finally happens.

The divide between the two configurations has grown closer in recent years. Last year, CDs represented 57.2% of the album market, while downloads were 40.6%. In 2012, CDs were 61.2% of the pie, while in 2011, they were 67.6%. So far in 2014, CDs are 48.3% of all album sales, as compared to its 50.3% share of the market at the same a year ago.

Worth noting: when vinyl, cassettes and DVD albums are added in, physical albums account for 51.38% thus far in 2014 versus digital's 48.62%. Vinyl itself is nearly 3% of all album sales so far this year.

Additional reporting by Ed Christman.


Very interesting. Thanks for posting Calvin.

[soulster]

The physical media fans will resist.

[alanh]

In the UK the Entertainment Retailer's Association says that in 2013 the drop in physical album sales by value was less than half the decline in 2012. Physical accounted for 69.8% of the album market. It says "The [[music) industry is so keen to embrace a digital future that it is in danger of neglecting a format which still accounts for two thirds of the albums market". In 2013 downloading of digital individual tracks actually dropped by 1.7% and digital albums grew by less than 2012, up 7.6% compared t0 19.3%. Streaming accounts for 10% of the market.

So all is not lost for the CD quite yet!

[jobeterob]

It's too bad we don't have many stores to buy them from anymore.

[marybrewster]

For years, Supremes fans have been known to "share" rare tracks and bootlegs. Like [[probably) many on SDF, I have CD's filled with material. Because these were never released formally, I've never minded a CDR copy.

As some of these bootlegs have been released, I have ALWAYS bought the physical copy, I love the artwork and the liner notes and, simply, just having a "real" physical copy. I think many others likely do the same.

If we move into a "digital age" with some of these releases, such as "Funny Girl", what's stopping the fans from doing the same as we've done in the past? If there's no liner notes, no essays or pictures or artwork; no physical release to ever buy, what difference does it make if one fan buys it, and then shares with everyone else?

If everyone split the cost, so, 10 fans spend $4.00 each collectively to download a $40.00 album to share, aren't the record companies still losing out? Potentailly losing out even more?

Because I guarantee, this WILL happen.

[Jimi LaLumia]

they don't care..they're much more interested in streaming these days, Spotify, Beats music, etc.. you don't own ANYTHING... you just stream..

[ejluther]

You're right, Jimi - the streaming model is how media corporations will control/monetize all their product in the future; the physical/digital copy you actually own will always hang around but become more and more rare in the coming years/decades...

[Jimi LaLumia]

in fact, Mary Wilson's new release could be streaming right now if she wants it to, she does not have to be 'picked up' by a label for that to happen.. that is how things are working for myself and ChromeOrange at the moment..no problem whatsoever, if I can do it, surely Ms. Wilson can..

[jobeterob]

If she or her management are digital savvy enough, young enough, care enough to do it. They may be quite happy doing the various gigs she gets, the retirement homes, the schools, the oldies concerts she is a part of and the other concerts she appears at. At 70, the fact she works is remarkable.

[honest man]

Edwin Starr,JJ Barnes,Blinky,Ivy Jo hunter,Fantastic 4, Anthologies-Lost And Found .Contours pt2,Spinners pt2 please,Hipo, Ace anyone.please..................................... ...