Compilation albums: Classic or Dud?

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I have compilation albums for certain acts where I would not ever consider buying their other releases, OMD and Martin Stephenson & the Daintees, for example. Does this necessarily indicate less enthusiasm for the music, should the rarity of earlier releaes be the deciding factor and if you only buy a compilation album rather than seek out everything the artist(s) ever released, can you still call yourself a fan?

― MarkH, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

if you only buy a compilation album rather than seek out everything the artist(s) ever released, can you still call yourself a fan?

The standard ILM answer to this is "Of course you bloody can. Greatest Hits albums are the food of the gods". It might be predictable, but it's still largely true.

should the rarity of earlier releaes be the deciding factor

Wha'?? That's would be so bonkers it would be almost cool.

― Nick, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Buying a compilation, you're not engaging with the artist, you're making the artist engage with you, through an intermediary, unless the artist selected the compilation tracks themselves. So while you might reach an adequate understanding of the music equivalent to that gained by buying all their albums, you're still not a 'fan'.

― tarden, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

comiplations albums can be boody ace, if that means i'm not a fan, hey thats ok.

a good compilation album can introduce you to someone like, say, marcos valle, where i wouldn't have a clue where to begin otherwise.

comps can be shit, i mean, have you seen those compilation albums of The Fall? having said that, there is Hip Priest & Kamerads, which is essential

― gareth, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tarden sez: "Buying a compilation, you're not engaging with the artist, you're making the artist engage with you, through an intermediary"

I'm not sure how this is any different to regular lps, though, which are surely just as intermediated by band 'democracy', management, producers, and the record company. Short of the Vulcan mind-meld, I don't see how it's to be avoided. At least on compilation records, the intermediary is usually the massed forces of popular taste, ie how many hit singles they had.

― stevie t, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The 'appearance' of being unmediated is important to those who would consider themselves true fans. Also, being a 'fan' connotes a bit of exclusivity, so having your album sequencing dictated by popular taste cancels that out.

― tarden, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't know what makes someone a fan and what doesn't, but compliation albums are great, especially the various-artists kind with a bunch of people on it whose individual albums are useless. The more they take the cream off the top of whatever it is they're covering, the better - think Nuggets.

― Patrick, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Some compilations are fantastic and can prove to help listeners get into a genre or particular artist. On the flip side there are plenty that are acts of sheer greed on the part of the artist themselves, the record company or, more than likely, both. Something that could prove interesting is if anyone has any thoughts about *regular* albums that have proved, in effect, to be a great representation of an artists career a la the well thought out 'best of...' album.

― Add, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I agree, it means you're not a Fan. But - so what? Just buy the record if you want it, and let the Degree of Fandom get decreed by the Fandom Police.

Is that answer a bit too 'hey - let it all hang out!'?

― the pinefox, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

To think you would make do with OMD's 'Greatest Hits' is tragic seeing as nothing from their masterwork 'Dazzle Ships' was included on their most recent Singles Compilation.

― guy flower, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What about label compilations? Was there ever a thread on that? I always find them to be like traderooms for biz' - triumphantly showing off the showcasers (ie - the really big acts) and then slipping in the little known, obscure, or recently signed. I wonder if mp3's might number their days with immediate access to singles?

― Jason, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Can someone tell me if I should get the Only Ones compilation or the s/t album and Even Serpents Shine? Thanks.

I don't mind that I got the Go-Betweens 1978-1990 compilation and then bought the individual albums.

― youn, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But are the Go-Betweens' LPs really any good? I mean, they were, as we know, run by the Melody Police.

― the pinefox, Friday, 29 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Youn, if you're only getting one, get the compilation (The Immortal Story). It's got the best tracks from both the albums you mention AND "Baby's got a Gun" as well as the "Lovers of Today" single.

Of course you'll end up buying all three as well as the comp.

― Dr.C, Saturday, 30 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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