Are 'deluxe' albums fair to fans?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7741552.stm

A "deluxe edition" of Leona Lewis's album Spirit has stormed into the chart at number one. But are fans getting value for money from these special releases?
Girls Aloud and Duffy are also releasing special versions of their albums, containing anything from unreleased interviews and demos to bonus DVDs, as Christmas approaches.

But should fans be expected to spend £15.79 (recommended retail price) again on the same material to get the extras?

"It's a two-finger salute to the loyal 200,000 fans who raced out to buy the original in its first week," says Yahoo! Music's chart expert James Masterson.

"Fans are being punished. If you bought the original, you'd feel incredibly stupid. If only you'd put your money in the bank and spent it now."

'New stuff'

The original version of Leona Lewis' Spirit has been bought by more than two million people in the UK since its release just over a year ago.

Now the repackaged release contains the same tracks as the original, but also has three new songs and a bonus DVD.

So what should people do with the CD they have already bought?

"Keep it!" said Leona Lewis in a recent BBC interview.

"The new stuff will be available on iTunes if they just want the songs."

But her cover of Snow Patrol's Run is not available as a single download until 1 December, two weeks after the deluxe edition album's release.

And fans miss out on receiving new artwork and the "making of" Forgive Me video, unless they buy the new version.

But Sony BMG says: "Deluxe editions are being led by fan demand."

"Leona hasn't done much new material in the last year. But there is a real hunger for new tracks from her."

'Bizarre situation'

So why has the music industry fallen in love with deluxe versions of albums?

The recent trend dates back to last year's special edition of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black, which contained live songs and her cover of The Zutons' Valerie.

"You had the bizarre situation of the limited edition charting at one position and the other version charting at another," the Entertainment Retailers Association's Kim Bailey says.

Record labels cottoned onto the wheeze and chart rules were relaxed in September, allowing deluxe and original versions of an album to count towards the same chart position.

Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad deluxe edition, which came out in June, also attracts the ire of Yahoo!'s Masterton.

Released more than a year after the original, which sold more than a million copies, the Reloaded edition had new artwork and three new tracks.

"Rather than getting her to record a new album, they just tacked tracks onto the back of the old album and re-released it," he says.

Universal UK's commercial director, Brian Rose, says: "If an artist brings incredible new content to us, we reserve the right to put it out and give the consumer more choice."

But he adds: "We will always aim to release the deluxe edition date on date with the standard edition."

Alternative approaches

Many artists are doing just that - releasing deluxe and standard editions of their latest albums on the same date.

Beyonce and Dido released different versions of their new albums last week and two editions of Britney Spears' Circus will be available from 1 December.

Some artists are taking alternative approaches.

Bloc Party released a digital edition of their new album Intimacy in August. Fans could pay £5 for the digital version or £10 to receive the digital version immediately and an extended version through the post two months later.

And Coldplay are releasing an EP, Prospekt's March, containing unreleased material from recordings for their latest album Viva la Vida.

Faced with a changing music market, labels are experimenting with different formats as they battle to win over record buyers.

Are deluxe editions here to stay? In the long run, fans will decide with their wallets.

Any thoughts?

This one is:

https://www.psychprog.com/img/imag20810.jpg

of course they're a huge scam but if the public are dumb suckers, you can't blame the record companies for trying to claw back some kind of profit while they still can. buying a "deluxe edition" on top of the regular one, in this age of individual downloads and the internet, is tantamount to sticking a huge KICK ME sign on your back.

e.g.

The Orb: UFOrb - Single Disc, £5, Deluxe 2CD w/ remixes, £14.

they saw what the dvd industry was doing and figured they could squeeze more bucks out of suckers. no surprise.

Will it last?

reissue repackage repackage reevaluate the songs

Some deluxe issues are pretty essential, like the Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison. Most most are huge, huge rip-offs and have ugly packaging

Who's to say what's a rip-off? I generally only get deluxe reissues of older albums pre-90s that offer improved mastering and bonus stuff. But even the Pavement reissues has tons of stuff that fans would find valuable. The main challenge is finding some of these for a decent price. Some are definitely overpriced.

Ideally, every CD should come with an encrypted key that would be your license. As long as you have that key and backed it up, but lost or damaged your disc, you should be able to download the songs for free, replace the packaging/artwork for a small fee of $3-$4, or get updated or deluxe versions for $5 or so. In a fair world. Not that the industry is interested in that.

the John Martyn deluxe versions are really good (I listen to the bonus discs more than the original discs), and the Steve McQueen one is indispensable for the unplugged tracks...

Yeah, The john Martyn reissues are great and I don't begrudge that, but reissuing an album thats still in the chart 6 months down the line with 3 new songs is just asking people to turn to downloading.

Yeah, I don't think this article's about the swank reissues of classic albums.

That said, this:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51h0XcPAnrL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

is indispensable.

just release EPs rather than re-release an album that was out a year ago. but i suppose that wouldnt count under the old albums sales.

You know, there's actually a perfectly reasonable argument from the label side why you'd do this -- you put a certain amount of money into releasing a record, and then when that record takes off, and the public shows substantial interest in it and turns it into a valuable pop-culture item, you proceed to offer up a grander version of same. (This model exists for loads of other goods, really, and is not particularly different from selling enough of a car that you start selling it with extra seatwarmers and cupholders.)

Maybe, Leona Lewis cover of Snow Patrol is still horrendous though.

See, good old coldplay, isued their new e.p. separately, and as part of the 'deluxe' edition of Viva la vida etc.

You know, there's actually a perfectly reasonable argument from the label side why you'd do this -- you put a certain amount of money into releasing a record, and then when that record takes off, and the public shows substantial interest in it and turns it into a valuable pop-culture item, you proceed to offer up a grander version of same. (This model exists for loads of other goods, really, and is not particularly different from selling enough of a car that you start selling it with extra seatwarmers and cupholders.)

nabisco's argument is skillfully presented, but the abtract (emphasized above) remains.

abstract

love the fleetwood mac ones for tusk and rumours!

Keep in mind i'm the biggest whore/sucker for deluxe editions out there, especially for the more canonical stuff from the 70s and 80s. The Universal Music Deluxe editions just look so visually appealing, even if some of the choices (e.g. Melissa Ethridge) would never make me a completist about them. It's no secret that Columbia's Legacy Editions and Rhino's Collectors Editions try to ape the packaging of the former.

The most fair UMG Deluxe edition has to be The Who's Live At Leeds. It sucks that there was already an intermediary single CD deluxe edition.. but if you're a fan of live Who, you just need that 2CD Deluxe Live At Leeds. No question.

On the other hand, while all the other Deluxe Marley studio albums are GREAT, the Legend 2CD is just pointless. (CD 2 are 1984 remixes of same hit songs.) The Deluxe Velvet Underground & Nico is almost as useless -- but at least there are those hyper fans who really get into the mono vs. stereo thing.

ok I don't think there are many Tears For Fears fans here, but the Deluxe Songs From The Big Chair contains most of the 12" remixes (the best ones anyway), all the B-sides, and lots of previously unreleased stuff.. definitely one of the most useful and complete Deluxe editions to date.

The most fair UMG Deluxe edition has to be The Who's Live At Leeds. It sucks that there was already an intermediary single CD deluxe edition.. but if you're a fan of live Who, you just need that 2CD Deluxe Live At Leeds. No question.

except that the second CD sounds like complete shit and you're better off looking for a bootleg of same

Yeah, I don't think this article's about the swank reissues of classic albums.

Indeed, it is about "Is it fair that albums that are only out for a year or less and then get reissued with bonus stuff?"

Ha, Mackro, two things:

- technically that's no more "abstract" than the stock market -- people's demonstrated willingness to buy a record establishes its value

- that actually is part of how pop music works, in terms of popularity driving further popularity, ubiquity driving sales

But maybe another way around my point is that if a label put out a low-profile record they didn't expect to blow up, and it unexpectedly became a pop-culture sensation, they would still obviously rush to repackage it in some more expensive value-added format -- i.e., "the public has confirmed/conferred some value here, which means we can enhance and prioritize this product in the future"

(Also the reverse is true -- if some high-profile release turned out to be a complete stinking unsellable bomb, the label would be unlikely to put money into pressing up deluxe packages later.)

This has been said before, but if the fans REALLY felt like they were unfair, they wouldn't buy them.

I purchased both iTunes and physical copies of all 4 of The Cure's new singles, the remix AP, and 4:13 Dream because I wanted to hear them the day they came out and knew I wasn't going to have the opportunity to hit the store, but I also wanted physical copies in case something catastrophic happened to my hard drive. I don't feel cheated or slighted in the least.

Deluxe versions of albums that have recently been remastered with bonus tracks are usually a scam. Instead of releasing a zillion versions of the same album, they should make sure to remaster albums that haven't been remastered since the 80s.

"except that the second CD sounds like complete shit and you're better off looking for a bootleg of same"

what do u mean? i have that and it sounds great, except that the "single version" of everybody wants to rule the world is no different than the album version and they left off The Conflict.

That said, this:

("I Want You")

is indispensable.

I believe that one is the only "classic" Marvin Gaye album that has never been remastered other than the Deluxe Version. Which makes it more needed than the deluxe versions of "What's Goin' On" and "Let's Get It On".

They are "fair" inasmuch as there is a demand for them. Simple as that.

Among the most devout fans, there is a demand for whatever is being put out by their favourite act.

In that case devout fans = suckers.

Of course in the old days if you had new or spare tracks, you issued them as stand alone singles.

As things stand now you're better off just downloading than being expected to pay over the odds for the same goods twice.

And record companies still wonder why they're going to the wall.

Well, that's just it:

For years, Napst and Audiogal was the only way of getting downloads of any kind.

Now there's loads of legit ways, but funnily enough, they tend not to have the 'extras' that are worth having. If an album is up, it's the original basic version. and if there's a CD2, forget it. (Not always, but often)

There's a 170 track Paul Weller at the BBC download only thats £60. My mate refuses to buy it as he bought the 4xCD. You can buy the tracks at 79p each but there's 100 of em he doesn't have..

As things stand now you're better off just downloading than being expected to pay over the odds for the same goods twice.

And record companies still wonder why they're going to the wall.

As it is now, the ones who (re)buy old albums that they already have are probably more likely to buy CDs than the kids who buy new music. So no wonder the companies make those rehashes, as they are way more likely to sell than something new by a new and young act. :)

With Good Girl Gone Bad the three extra tracks are all available from iTunes so where's the incentive to buy the album again?

HMV keep bleating about how they're going to put downloading stations in their shops but where are they? If they don't get with the programme, or if their downloading stations work as well as their listening stations do (i.e. 90% out of action at any given time), then they'll go the way of Woolies.

They used to have d/l stations, "burn yr own CD" but who wants to hang around on a 'user friendly well we like it and here's a bunch of tracks we think youd like based on your previous choice...' interface choosing tracks, then changing yr mind, then entering a credcard, then waiting..

.. assuming no-one's in front of you in the queue. Which there never is.

A bit like going to a restaurant and they give you the ingredients to cook yourself.

Alright, so you've been to a Mongolian Barbecue. Still...

Or Clever Wally's Pizza in Chiswick...

On reflection re. downloading stations it's a bit pointless when you can actually burn yr own CD on yr own computer (or do it in the internet cafe if you haven't got a CD burner).

So the HMVs of this world either get in a better, wider range of stock or resign themselves to depending on the dwindling band of Fifty Quid Men going through the same old boring 2 for £10 loss leaders. Out of business in six months if they do.

HMV and co would rather stock dvds than decent back catalogue and different genre cds

Could that be because more people buy DVDs than decent back catalogue and different genre cds?

They don't have much choice.

They did at one time, but obv. there weren't enough of them for HMV's liking

Back Cat took off when CDs were du jour for 'archive' formats.

But, and it was bound to happen:

1) Saturation - we got enough thanks.
2) e-bay - let me buy that one you don't want, without you going to a carboot and stand there while it rains on yr otherwise pristine stock
3) downloading.

1) Saturation of the same old boring Radio 2 playlist muck morelike.

If you're not going to shift copies of some shitty "major artist"'s troubled third album then don't fucking buy so many in!

2) eBay - you no credit card, you no PayPal, you officially Unperson.

3) Downloading and we don't have much choice.

I don't understand this CDs losing to DVDs and computer games thing though. Surely you can download music, but you can download games and DVDs too. Finding a torrent for the latest Football Manager or Sims is no more difficult than finding a torrent of the latest Madonna.

CDs are much smaller files though

also, average consumers feel at home with mp3 tech, much less so with, say, divx files and overcoming anti-piracy software.

This has been said before, but if the fans REALLY felt like they were unfair, they wouldn't buy them.

I purchased both iTunes and physical copies of all 4 of The Cure's new singles, the remix AP, and 4:13 Dream because I wanted to hear them the day they came out and knew I wasn't going to have the opportunity to hit the store, but I also wanted physical copies in case something catastrophic happened to my hard drive. I don't feel cheated or slighted in the least.

― Black Seinfeld (HI DERE), mardi 25 novembre 2008 22:01 (2 days ago) Bookmark

OTM
As I get older, I tend to think that the one-price-fits all system is a bit antiquated. I'm more than ready to pay more for stuff I really want, like say multiple formats or bonus content, etc

i walked into my local fye, the other day.
the new coldplay ep was $13.
the deluxe edition album with the ep as a bonus disc was $15.
wtf?

The Coldplay album was released in June, and there are lots of us who have it already. Why should be buy the album once more for the EP tracks?

This^. Is why p2p was invented. I mean, I like paying for music. Really, I'm one of the only people I know who gets a kick -- a kick! -- out of shelling out a few bucks for an album. But as soon as Version 2 With Bonus Cuts! or like $100 More For The Deluxe Pack With Extra Album version comes out, it's off to pirate-land for me.

That Bob Dylan one was REALLY taking the.

The first bootleg series set came out on LP and CD straight off.. (I got the LP version)

The "not the Royal Albert" was on CD for ages, and fans had to petition CBS to get a 2LP set, which was somewhat 'deluxified' pressing and sleevewise (quality, not content).

This new set with 1CD, 2CD, the deluxe 3CD which is massively pricey, and the deluxe LP version which is also pricey but not as bad as the 3CD version... And there are Dylan freaksthat are more likely to buy all of them! It's not stealing pocket money, sure, but blimey!

(fwiw,I have most of the previous bunch on CD now, but this one can go bob)

i walked into my local fye, the other day.
the new coldplay ep was $13.
the deluxe edition album with the ep as a bonus disc was $15.
wtf?

The Coldplay album was released in June, and there are lots of us who have it already. Why should be buy the album once more for the EP tracks?

buy the double set for the extra 2 dollars and give the one you already had to someone else :)

no the point there is the EP is being valued at $13 and the album at $2

I guess they suppose most interested people have the album already, and rebuying it isn't worth more than 2 dollars. :)

was the ep an import?

This came out last year and it's already impossible to find for under $60. Now that's not fair.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Y-MkDPQkL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

Same with Thin Lizzy's Vagabonds Of The Western World.

Since 90% or whatever of music that these labels put out fails tremendously it's no wonder when something works they try to sell the hell out of it. The deluxe editions aren't as much a problem as a symptom of the problem. Don't stop buying those deluxe re-re-repackages though; if you do then record labels will be asking for their bailout.

I think if you're going to spent $15/$20 on a deluxe CD then you should be smart enough to be able to read the track listing and realize whether or not you have already bought these songs. If you feel like you're getting ripped off, download it instead.

I was sort of keen when I saw the Happy Mondays' deluxe editions were happening.

Then I saw them, and they were all the remixes I already had, apart from one which had all the videos I already had.

and each set was £18!

I still like the way Factory are doing it, the Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays ones all sound terrific. The design may be a bit too fancy though, in that it is almost impossible to tell which tracks are actually on the CDs. Particularly on CD2. ;)