Elizabeth Lee Wurtzel believes the Internet has ruined music and movies. An excerpt:
In the era of the online music store -- even if you buy from iTunes rather than stealing from LimeWire, the problem is the same -- no one knows how to listen to a complete album anymore. Everything is slanted toward the hit single. This means that the music industry is oriented toward one-hit wonders rather than consummate musicians, and talent development is just not worth the trouble.
2 comments:
I've thought the exact same thing as your quote.
Most new bands have a short shelf life these days.
Our generation had the gift of time to sit with that LP cover in our hands and spend time with an album. At least I did as a curly headed (among other headed) teen.
So we got to know and have an affection for the bands we grew up with.
Not any more. Too bad. Everything changes.
I disagree. I am led to recall when I purchased the Dire Straights album with the 'hit' song "Money for Nothing" in the 80's and found that it was the worst song of the album. All the rest was much better and a very different style. I was led to the group by a 'hit' and explored them further.
Rather than the internet ruining music, it is highlighting the poor talent foisted upon the market by the record company process. You like to the 'hit' then explore other songs and find that there is nothing there. $20 is a steep price for a single.
Perhaps there are some groups who can write and plan a series of songs that tie together such that the 'album' format might enhance the collection, but these are a very few. Even among "classical" music you find that listeners prefer the 'hits.' I doubt very many people think of their favorite symphony as more than a single movement.
Post a Comment