Hello Fiends,
Is the album format dead?
We all know that the music business is changing and that means the way musicians record and release music is changing as well. We have been hard at work on new Creature Feature material and have been throwing a few ideas around about how to finally release it the masses. In the past, bands would take a few years to record an album and release in stores, leaving a lot of dead time between new material, but now bands have the opportunity of recording music and releasing it instantly. Some people say the long format of the album is dead and releasing songs in little bursts as they are recorded is the new order of things. I could go on for hours about this, but what I really want to know is what you guys think.
Would you rather have full length albums every year or so, or would you rather get consistent 5 to 6 song EPs every four to six months as the music is recorded?
I am very interested in hearing your opinion, so please post it here as a reply to this blog and you could change the way we release our future album.
Hope all is well,
~Curtis Rx
87 Comments
I personally prefer to have full-length albums because I like to have hard copies of music. Maybe I’m just old fashioned.
Hey,
Thanks for the comment. I prefer to have hard copies too, but what if the EPs had hard copies as well? Just cheaper, shorter versions of the album, maybe 5 to 6 songs for somewhere around $4.99-$5.99?
Thanks again,
~Curtis Rx
Personally, I prefer yearly albums over EPs. They more often feel more as a whole; it seems to me like it’s been put more thought into making a full length album than is put into making an EP. And I feel like it’s worth paying for a nicely put together album with a booklet and a great number of tracks more than it is for an EP. Quality over quantity, so to speak.
Honestly, though, I think my view of EPs comes from being used to EPs consisting of: One track, some B-sides and a few remixes, though.
In the end, I will and do pay for EPs as well as albums, but I do prefer albums.
I think either way is effecient, i mean getting small samples like you said every 5 to 6 months kinda leaves you wanting the whole thing when it actually comes out, kind of works hand in hand, but also slightly expensive
Also, in a a couple decades those original albums may become collectible.
I, too, prefer full length albums and having hard copies to hold
i put all my music on my mp3. i never use the cds- after i get them. but i don’t like when artists release EP’s constantly Xp i like a full length album to listen to whether its hard copy or not. also! hard copy there’s album art which i love! my vote! full length album!! do what you feel is right because there are enough musicians and bands on both sides of this fence!
I prefer full-length albums too, it’s a more… satisfying feeling (?) to have a CD with maybe 15 tracks on it, instead of only 2-4.
Apart from that, I’m far too lazy too change CDs everytime I want to listen to a different song.
I Would rather have a full albums it the more content is worth the wait.
I think it depends on what an artist or band is going for. Like, let’s say the plan is to have a collection of songs/tracks with a singular coherent theme or message, then I say album formats are best, as it relates the collection to something like a book with each song constituting a chapter. It’s organized and artful, and not a format I believe to be dead at all. Conventional maybe, but not dead. It’s an option, as is the modern option of releasing one or a few tracks here and there in short bursts–it all depends on what best fits the band’s intention. Personally, I don’t have a preference. I love when bands release well composed and well thought out albums (AFI’s Decemberunderground & Brand New’s Daisy, for example) because they’re like little treasures I’ll pull out of my cd rack and relisten to from start ’til finish for years to come–but I also love when bands consistently release new material, because it kind of keeps you on your toes about them too. :]
Part of what makes an album great is the first time you get to hear the entire thing after waiting and waiting, and anticipating, and going out of your mind. IIt’s like Christmas presents.. You might THINK you want to know what they are or get a glimps of them early on, or open one of them the day before, but really you know it’ll be so much better if you wait till it’s actually Christmas, and you open all of your presents as intended. It makes all the waiting worth it, and it’s blissful.
)… but I feel like the first time people hear your new music, it should be all together, as a completed project.. Keep the magic 
And another great part of a cd (one of the most important things to me) is the flow of it, from start to finish, in their proper order. So if you hear some songs, and then wait a few months, then hear the rest of them, you’ll never get that magic of experiencing the flow of the entire cd from start to finish. Especially with you guys… I think the Greatest Show Unearthed tells a story, like a movie or a book (not that I ever read
haha Don’t ruin Christmas, Curtis!
i perfer full albums as well, they flow better and you can play it in the car the whole way though, while with eps, they’re short and having to change ep’s while in the car and whatnot. it’s a hassle.
plus it’s better for the enviroment cuz less cds are being used.
i vote full-length!
Hey,
Yeah, in the past EPs have just seemed like glorified singles and were never really perceived as a real release.
Thanks for your input,
~Curtis Rx
I’d like EPs, as long as we could get them easily. But if my local Hot Topic/record store/whatever would be more likely to stock an album vs an EP, then go for the album. Unless you sold hard copies of EPs via internet, and offered like $1-2 shipping. Because honestly, the shipping for most things I buy on the internet is ridiculous. It does not cost $6 to stick three zines in an envelope and mail it first class.
I agree with everyone here. I don’t mind waiting for a full album because it gives me time to really get worked up and excited about it. So when I finally buy the hard copy it’s the highlight of my day, sometimes week, or month. For me it’s more about the ritual of anticipation and the emotional reward of finally having the cd. Plus, I also like the artwork and I LOVE it when artists include lyrics, because then I don’t have to look it up online. I probably could get used to eps though it might be nice to consistently have something to listen to.
Julia has a really good point! – just wanted to say that. lol
I’m with the majority and say that I’m much more for a full length album than an EP. To me it feels like much more thought and time is put into an album and therefor, the music is better (That’s not to say that songs on an EP are any less good than their album counterparts.)
Plus, the longer time between new material makes the eventual release that much more anticipated than it would be if it was a known fact that new music would come out in 4-6 months. You have to keep them begging for more!
I prefer full-lengths. It’s the aesthetic of having something to hold and get signed as well as providing the opportunity for said band to take intermittent breaks between records. Plus it gives us fans a tentative schedule. If we know a full-length is coming, we can assume a supporting tour will follow. With 5-6 song EPs, we never know if a tour will follow, another EP, what? Don’t get me wrong, new tunes are new tunes, and with so many bands falling apart nowadays, I cherish everything I get my hands on (even if it is digital). But you have my opinion: I like full lengths better. Keep rockin!
If I am a fan of a specific artist, I will support and consume whatever is available to me. EPs are good, full length albums are good. One song at a time would be a bit of a tease, especially if it’s only one song every couple of months. =\
I think I would prefer to have a full blown album every year or two, but if EPs are the only option, then that’s fine too… I thought the big discussion was how best release material electronically…
Full length Cd’s are much better. I prefer to have a full hard copy, rather than multiple smaller ones.
I like having the full length album. I might prefer EPs if you didn’t do all that nifty stuff in between like compose music for episodes or come out with new Tees.
If you were the kind of person to totally disappear from the map after an album came out, I would say EP….but you’re not.
So…Cast my vote for Albums
Full length albums show the time and dedication a band put into producing it, while an EP comes off more as something unfinished and put out simply for monetary gain. That’s not necessarily how it is, but the album serves as a sort of fan-service and I appreciate what it takes to produce a finished and refined product. Plus the anticipation that comes from having to wait for a new cd makes listening to it that first time all the more sweeter. Especially if there is a pre-order, because there is nothing better than listening to an album before anyone else. Also, nothing can beat album art, or having a band sign that cd you waited forever to come out. It’s the cherry on top, so to say.
Personally, I’d rather have a collection of full-length albums than have a bunch of EPs. The only time I buy EPs are when they contain rare tracks that can’t be found on any of the full-length albums. However, I will support whatever direction you choose to take, as not listening to Creature Feature is not an option.
I think it’s less a “hard copy/digital copy” question than it is a question of staying relevant and timely, which is the problem the industry’s having. People have gotten really bad at waiting- I don’t think I can think of a recent album that hasn’t gotten leaked, and when the average person’s attention span is 140 characters, you have to adapt. Also, I <3 vinyl and cds to this day, but digital distribution is what the majority of people are going to gravitate towards, simply because it's easier (no more switching CDs, woo hoo) and a lot of the time, cheaper. Even if you put out a whole album, you've got no guarantee that someone's going to get the whole thing or just buy one song off iTunes. So in a solely business sense, the EP model works better, no question. If you asked me straight up, "Would you like to hear new Creature Feature more often?" the answer is yes. But I also have to agree that albums can definitely be more rewarding not only for the fans, but in terms of artistic cohesiveness (I am a nerd and I love concept albums. Applies to any album though,really-most have a "feel" or emotion that the whole album speaks to) In terms of the "album" being totally dead, no, I don't think it is. There's something about the 12 or so song mix that really works, for the fans and musicians alike. Will it work well enough for artists that it can captivate/keep the attention of fans.. maybe that's another question. As far as CF goes, I don't know. Like you posted, hours of discussion could be had but I think clearly CF has a sound and vision that people are more than willing to wait for. Quality and uniqueness always trumps speed and quantity in the music business (even now, I think).
Something I would find interesting that sort of solves all the problems would be "episodic" EP's- 4 or 5 EPs that all tie in together either in a narrative or thematically- keeps people waiting for more, and gets it to them quicker, almost like old movie serials or how they release game content now (expansions aplenty). Wall of text aside, I'd personally love a full album with a tour. Don't forget Orlando, ha.
Personally I’d rather have full length ablums. I’m old fashioned that way, and a bit materalistic, but I love owning cds!
It would be nice to have albums come out every 6 months but it would be better to have full length albums come out every year or so.
I particularly like how like how nine inch nails does (did:’( ) their LP releases. Aside from releasing on cd and download only. Trent released a vinyl with a download code to download the mp3s so you can listen on the go with a cd, ipod, ect. This is the way I love buying albums. The past 10 or so albums I bought were like this.
Oh and when are you coming back to Cleveland? Vintage Manifest misses you guys.
I totally prefer full lengths.
Well I don’t like the wait for full length albums, but I enjoy having a CD with 10+ songs. EPs are great because we get a taste of new music every so months. It you’re talking about Creature Feature/Rufus Rex, I’d rather have EPs
I definitely prefer full-length albums over EPs. With albums, the songs all sound related to one another in some way, but with EPs, it just makes the work more separated. I mean I would listen to the songs on the EPs a hundred times before anything else came out to go with it, so the EP seems to become a completely different collection. I do like the idea of coming out with EPs as hard copies though, if you decide to go with EPs. Kind of old-fashioned and interesting.
well… I can say that luv the both, cos I m a manic! =)
but maybe full. I dont now if you follow some crazy numbers or other thing.
if I was one singer… hum… I ll put just 7 and other with 7 ahahahha
cos I follow one fuck crazy obsession of numbers… my book is like it
“7, 10, 3″… but I think that is a great question my dear.
I have here the both of others bands. =)
luv you
xoxo
I’m with all the “full-length”ers, as I would rather have a physical copy of a full CD in my hands than a few randomly-downloaded songs on my harddrive. Then again, I’m old, so I still miss the A-side/B-side fun of records. I think the full length requires more thought, more planning, etc. Then again, in the CD age, a lot of bands feel (felt?) the need to fill the CD’s running time and resorted to lots of “filler”. Today’s EPs run as long as some old-school LPs (Reign In Blood, anyone?) For indie bands, I could see how the more frequent releases would work though: release the songs digitally as you go along, then if the demand is there, press them all on a “full length” CD down the road.
I think I like the few songs out every now and again just so we can keep listening to more songs instead of waiting a while. That’s just my opinion.
While I think a lot of the changes to the music industry are cool, I really am sad to see the album format possibly going. I love hard copies and I love the whole process of anticipation that eventually leads to getting out to the store and grabbing the CD. It’s a physical process I’ve come to cherish. A little while ago, the way I listen to albums began to change and these days, I often listen to full albums front to back. Every album is an experience.
That said, I’m not opposed to hard copies of EP’s. I prefer hard copies in general because it’s just much more of an experience than clicking a few buttons. You’re holding the music in your hands, you open it up, it’s got the case, cover, liner notes, etc. Plus, with the CD, you get the audi files, so you can put it on your iPod and get the best of both worlds. In the end, whatever way the music comes out, I’ll be right there, eager to buy it, but given my druthers, I definitely prefer hard copies of albums.
I only really download things if that’s the only way they’re available or if I want some song I heard on the radio by a band I’m not sure I’m particularly invested in yet. If my interest grows enough, I’ll go grab the CD.
I also like having whole albums on hand generally because you never know when your taste will broaden to encompass a song you hadn’t thought much of at first.
I’m invested enough in Creature Feature and your work generally that I’ll certainly buy albums when they come out, however they come out. Keep up the fantastic work!
I prefer full-length albums.
You never know what they’ll be worth in the future. : )
I would much rather have all the songs together – I’d die of suspense, waiting for new music, one song at a time…it seems so much more normal or natural to have it all together. It would also be a lot more convenient to have all the music together, instead of having to download a whole album, one song at a time. Waiting for one whole album is much more worth the wait – you get all the awesome goodness at the same time. Only getting one song at a time would get boring, and wouldn’t be as exciting. Although I prefer it to all be together, I love Creature Feature with all my heart, with every fiber of my being, so I’m happy as long as it even merely EXISTS…I just that I’ve never really liked MAJOR changes like this, or at least it’s MAJOR to me, and not as major to others…it’s just that this is what I’m used to, I grew up with music all being on one big, super awesome album…But ultimately, it’s up to whatever you decide to do. I’ll approve of whatever you choose.
I have no particular stake in the EP/LP debate, as long as the releases are consistent.
I come from a very music-oriented family (between me, my father and my brother we have at least 5 terabytes of music on external hard drives), yet I can count the number of physical albums I’ve bought in the last two years on one hand. The CD format is on its deathbed, and you know what, I don’t much care. A vinyl LP release was an event because many artists put so much into the packaging that it was something truly desirable (Alice Cooper was great at this). But these days you get a couple of small pages with some liner notes, usually uninspiring art and sometimes lyrics.
I’d rather spend $10 to download the music I want instead of $15 for the music plus some plastic and paper that will ultimately end up as clutter. But, for the bands I love (like Creature Feature) I will buy it however it’s released.
I also prefer full-length albums. It’s so much harder to keep track of all the EPs and such.
Personally, I would rather have the yearly album. I mean, I love Creature Feature, and I love getting the new music, But I’d rather have the hard-worked on yearly album, then a few quickly put together songs every few months. I wouldn’t want the quailty of the music and songs to go down because they are being released so often. In all honesty, I could happily wait ten years if that’s what it took for a awesome album to come out. *I really hope it doesn’t come to that though*
I know many want full-length albums (at least the many on here) but there are also fans who, in truth, have no idea that this site exists, and may say otherwise. I say release the songs individually on EP’s, so more of your fan base might notice them, and then after about 6 months to year, releasing albums. ^^;
I say do the full length album. Personally I hate it when bands release just bits and pieces of music; they do it because their fans are so impatient. So I’d personally rather wait a bit longer and build up my excitement and all that jazz until you guys release a full length album.
Hm. Well. Much of my favorite J-rock bands consistently release ‘Singles’ [which, in actuality, are E.P.s, considering that they usually contain 2-3 songs] and treat their release like a full-length album. I’m always too excited to care which one ’tis, so it doesn’t really matter to me. You could go either way, and I would be satisfied. However, a full-length album would be nice, since it would be just one CD and would take up less space in my boxes. My only request would be to not release it digitally; I’m not a fan of that.
I prefer full albums to bits and pieces being released at once….It’s hard to keep track of all your music when you’ve got a million CDs that only have a few songs each.
So I would appear to be in the minority, but I actually really enjoy EP releases-it’s like having Christmas year ’round. It’s the same sensation of glee I feel when I see teaser trailers or behind-the-scenes featurettes of movies I really want to see; it gives me the assurance that the gears are working, and something great is on the rise. Anticipating a whole album release in an indefinite amount of time sends me spiraling into the abyss of going dreadfully insane until something happens.
As for hard copy v. digital copy, I like having the option of both, mostly because I like sampling the online streams via the myspaces and buying the tracks for on-the-go if I can’t get them out of my head, and only permit myself to indulge in actually buying the hard copy if I’m 100% in love with the artist or the material (hence why I’m pleasantly snuggled up with copies of the Fame Monster and the limited vinyl disc of Greatest Show Unearthed :3).
tl;dr–a hard copy EP of new Creature Feature material would make my life.
I like the albums. Grabbing a bunch of songs in one convent CD is better than spending forever downloading individual tunes. Besides, if something’s dead, all the more reason to resurrect it and wreak havoc!
i personally would prefer the full length album yearly, but it does depend on the artist. Either way you want to go ill be just fine, and i think the other fans would think so too. =) i hope to hear something from you soon!
I much prefer Full albums. It feels like more of an accomplishment to me. It says, yes we could have given you bits along the way but we preferred to give you a carefully completed project.
With full albums, the order of the songs always has an effect. It could tell a story or change the mood or just switch up the track your mind is on.
EP’s don’t have the same heart as a full album…it just doesn’t fill that need the music lover has when waiting on new music. EP’s to me, have been designed for new bands who aren’t as confident in their work. Who need that instant feedback to change into what they think the fans want. Creature Feature has no need of such nonsense =)
Fans will wait for the music they want to hear. New fans are going to want the full album to dive into. EP’s are only good for the impatient, and only to make a quick buck.
GO THE FULL ALBUM ROUTE!!!! ^_^
~Jenna
Hey I don;t know about you, but Casanova Cupcake is starting on writing our first album and we prefer to make a whole album, it keeps it’s own feel, like a chapter in a story… OOH! like all of your albums are like movies, which you can have giving them a certain feel, then you can have your EP’s with their own continuing story, like the television show adaptaions!! …if that makes sense…
I prefer to have a full album, EPs feel like an appetizer to me. When it’s a full album there is a full finished product that was worth the wait. The only EPs I like are B-Side collections.
Definitely a full album, so long as the wait is reasonable.