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Old releases outsell newer for first time ever

grillebilly

grillebilly

Empty Head
It looks like older albums are outselling new ones on Itunes for the first time ever.
http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/old-albums-now-outselling-new-albums-itunes-america/
Quoted from the article:
"One thing looks certain: it now only appears a matter of time – very possibly in 2015 – when catalog albums outsell new releases across all formats in a single year."
There is probably more than one reason for it. I'm betting the music buying public is getting older by the year, and buying music they can identify with.
There are some other stats to chew on in the article.
Feel free to speculate on the reasons, but if the only thing you have to say is new music sucks please resist the temptation.:nono:
 
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grillebilly said:
It looks like older albums are outselling new ones on Itunes for the first time ever.
http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/old-albums-now-outselling-new-albums-itunes-america/
Quoted from the article:
"One thing looks certain: it now only appears a matter of time – very possibly in 2015 – when catalog albums outsell new releases across all formats in a single year."
There is probably more than one reason for it. I'm betting the music buying public is getting older by the year, and buying music they can identify with.
There are some other stats to chew on in the article.
Feel free to speculate on the reasons, but if the only thing you have to say is new music sucks please resist the temptation.:nono:
Click to expand...

Kid 1 purchased New Release, rips, posts @ any number of trackers. Kid 2-1M DL (@ free). Platinum album release realizes total sales of $16.99. That's today's Music Marketing (Trafficing?) Report.
 
Old Guys like me now have the disposable income to buy LP's we grew up on...and after we have those, go for the audiophile pressings of the favorites we have purchased! :music:
 
The older you get, the older your music gets. I just scored some Jo Stafford ...

Columbia_Singles_Collection_Volume_1_Jo_Stafford_album.jpg


... which is interesting in that I wasn't even born yet when she was popular. Wazzup wit dat?? :scratch2:
 
A big reason also is that the kids aren't buying their new music anymore. Unfortunately, in this digital age music is sadly becoming more worthless. I have 3 kids whose entire music collections are on their computers and MP3 players and they haven't paid a single dime for it.
 
The music business is definitely morphing, changing and adapting. A lot of new music is given away. Official videos appear on youtube, free of charge and many people consume music that way through their macbooks, etc.

Punch Brothers are giving out download codes to anyone who buys a ticket to a show and nearly encouraging sharing with some of their nomenclature.

I'm older and in my perception, value music differently. I'm going to a Punch Brothers show but I bought mine on vinyl and received 10 downloads. I don't really care about receiving a code for the show but they are encouraging me to share it with someone else. I value their music way too much to just go to a show and take the .mp3 for free but that's me.

Times are still changing.
 
I didn't see anything in the article that specified what time period they considered as old. I know that much of the music I listen to is AOR. There is a flow to the album and groups thought about the track placement. I have quite a few albums where songs run into each other.

I don't think that philosophy has carried over to today's music, at least on the albums I've heard. The songs are more individual pieces than a unified idea. I'm not saying there aren't new albums out there that are AOR, I just haven't heard them.
 
There are a lot of pieces of this, as with all the issues facing the music industry today.
I do think the biggest thing is that we are moving to a post-album marketplace. Just as the LP (followed by the CD) created the album, its irrelevance (to the broader market) is going to create changes in kind.
Mostly, I think that-

fewer people are purchasing albums of any kind, on any format;
those that are purchasing albums are older, and buying older albums;
however people are listening to music- by the album or by the song- an increasing number are streaming.

It's mostly older people buying albums, and they're buying older albums. Younger people, though some may be listening to albums, are accessing it in other ways- mostly streaming, I reckon.
 
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Or maybe the internet is just simply working it's magic and raising awareness of older as well as newer music. When "older" means decades upon decades of stuff it's no wonder that older music is outselling new music. Modern technology has finally given it all the exposure it deserves. New and old.


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DJ G-Man said:
A big reason also is that the kids aren't buying their new music anymore. Unfortunately, in this digital age music is sadly becoming more worthless. I have 3 kids whose entire music collections are on their computers and MP3 players and they haven't paid a single dime for it.
Click to expand...

There will probably come a time when CDs are no longer sold in shops for this reason alone??
 
Mystic said:
Kid 1 purchased New Release, rips, posts @ any number of trackers. Kid 2-1M DL (@ free). Platinum album release realizes total sales of $16.99. That's today's Music Marketing (Trafficing?) Report.
Click to expand...

This makes sense.
 
I wonder about the hypothesis. I not long ago found my son has hundreds of gig of music downloads. Last time.Some years ago we talked about it I never heard any of the artists or music (if it is music). Now, other is mostly classical, opera, jazz and older vocals such as the Rat Pack. He said about a year or so ago he heard something I was listening to and suddenly he had an epiphany.
 
grillebilly said:
I've been buying some remasters as well, but they are considered new releases when they come out.
Click to expand...

That's a relief phew!! hey are you looking forward to the release of Physical Graffiti as I am? :banana::banana::banana:

I'm opting for the 3-LP Deluxe Edition!!!!! and I currently don't even own a copy of that in any format. (counting the days):no: :D
 
daza152 said:
That's a relief phew!! hey are you looking forward to the release of Physical Graffiti as I am? :banana::banana::banana:

I'm opting for the 3-LP Deluxe Edition!!!!! and I currently don't even own a copy of that in any format. (counting the days):no: :D
Click to expand...

The last few have been The Joy Division studio records ( London/Rhino, been out for a while) and The Chameleons' first studio record (Abbey Road remaster 2xlp on Blue Apple)
Also bought the Legacy remasters of the Uncle Tupelo studio records, which are all excellent, their first "No Depression" being my favorite.
Have yet to hear any of the LZ remasters but the buzz is they kick ass!
 
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