Blast from the Past

 

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In an otherwise unsurprising article from the AP lamenting the further decline of album sales, I came across this awesome little nugget of information:

Ironically, as digital downloads grew, vinyl album sales also climbed. In 2008, more vinyl albums were purchased (1.88 million) than any other year since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.

According to the article, the biggest offenders were Radiohead’s In Rainbows (guilty as charged), The Beatles' Abbey Road and, strangely, Guns N’ Roses' Chinese Democracy.

But what’s causing this surge in vinyl consumption?  As purchasing music without any type of physical form seems to become more and more the norm, it seems strange that the largest and least convenient format for playing music is seeing a surge. One somewhat obvious answer is that the group most likely to still purchase music in a physical form are its most devout fans: the record collector.  Casual music listeners are content to purchase via iTunes (or, much more accurately, download their tunes for free online), but the rock music faithful still seek out hard to find CDs and vinyl records that provide that soothing hum as it spins on the turntable.

Second, vinyl is hip. Even if you don't have a record player, vinyl albums make for great wall decor. Urban Outfitters has been selling record album frames for the past several years, and even Hot Topic is in on the action, selling new vinyl albums for a variety of bands (including the Radiohead LP).

And therein lies one major answer: even with the album collectors and hipster decorators, the truth is that vinyl is more available today than it has been in decades. More bands are releasing new albums in the antiquated format, and more stores--like the aforementioned Hot Topic, Urban Outfitters and numerous independent record shops--are offering these versions for sale.

Oh, and many of these vinyl albums come with an added mp3 download of the album. How about that for the best of both worlds? I, for one, am sold.

Axl Rose 1, Internet 0

[Originally posted August 28, 2008]

According to the AP, the blogger who leaked nine new Guns N' Roses songs on his blog back in June has been arrested. From the article:

A blogger suspected of streaming songs from the unreleased Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" on his Web site was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court, where his bail was set at $10,000.

FBI agents arrested 27-year-old Kevin Cogill on Wednesday morning on suspicion of violating federal copyright laws. Cogill appeared in court in the afternoon wearing a T-shirt; his girlfriend sat court and afterward said, "Rally the troops," but declined further comment.

Federal authorities say Cogill posted nine unreleased Guns N' Roses songs on his Web site in June. The songs were later removed.

In later posts, Cogill wrote that the FBI had questioned him and asked his readers if any of them knew a good attorney. He was represented Wednesday by a federal public defender.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cogill admitted to agents that he posted the songs on his Web site. Prosecutors said Wednesday the leak could result in a "significant" financial loss for the band.

“Significant” financial damage for the band? If Axl Rose and Co. were worried about financial damage, they would’ve released the damn thing years ago. At this point, nobody is going to be swayed to buy or not buy the album based on a few songs posted online (that were removed later, I might add).

Using the internet is a large part of music marketing these days, with many high-profile albums being streamed for free via MySpace and other similar outlets the week prior to release. Although these tactics may be more beneficial to smaller, lesser known bands, Guns N' Roses should be glad that people still care at all—especially after Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum were no longer on board.

Axl Rose should be thanking Cogill for adding to the Chinese Democracy hype when most people are over the delay drama. If they only had forced him to remove the songs, that would've made enough of a ripple--The songs really do exist!!--to give the band some press.

Did Cogill break the law? I guess. Does he deserve to be arrested? I think not. Most bands make the majority of their money touring, endorsements and in song licensing and placement, NOT on album sales. Guns N' Roses are not excluded from this. If I had numbers of how many people were able to stream the songs Cogill posted, I'd have a better idea of the so-called damage. But, seeing as the songs were only up for a short amount of time, I doubt it will have that great of an impact on the throngs of GN'R fanatics, 80's metalheads, burnt out rockers, ironic indie kids and just curious music listeners in general from hitting up Best Buy or iTunes the day the album hits stores.

Really, it just comes out to the fact that Axl Rose needs to get his everloving shit together and put out the long-awaited album. This wouldn't even be an issue if people didn't care. They do. He might as well give them what they want, and, after such a lengthty and somewhat periled hiatus, be lucky there's still an audience at all.

Besides, I know a few people who wouldn't mind a free Dr. Pepper.