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[benn600]

I am still trying to figure this out.  I'd like to hear from record label people if possible--or anyone who knows info on my question.

1. Why are so many side CDs created?
2. I thought pressing a CD cost a lot of money so they would want one CD--and then make tons of copies of that??
3. I have found many studio, pressed CDs that have some live recordings, new cover art, etc...   Where do singles come from?
4. Do singles come from the concerts only?
5. Why do they sometimes re-release a CD, call it an import on Amazon with a few bonus tracks, and then charge $15, $25, $30 for it?
6. Also, how are singles chosen?
7. Before a CD is released, how do they know which songs will be most popular?
8. Radio...how do they know?  Do they play every song right after the CD is released and then just keep getting requests for the "commonly considered greatest" song?
9. Why do they put EP on a CD?  I have a Howie Day live CD that says EP on the front.  Wasn't that for records only?
10. Do certain artists get to release live CDs because they are so popular?
11. It really sucks when you like an unpopular artist and they don't get the chance to make live CDs, etc.
12. Special editions--they also get me and make me angry.  Especially if you already own the normal edition.
13. Live CD's and then DVD's?  This confuses me as well.  Some artists release a CD with the live concert but they also release a DVD.  Whatever.
14. MUSIC VIDEOS.  Why the HECK do they go to all the trouble to make amazing pieces of video and then hold them tight?  Can someone tell me how exactly music videos work.  I understand they are played from time to time on television.  You can watch them on AOL Radio, etc.  But the quality online isn't that amazing, either.  Why don't they include music videos more?  I do have a few CDs that either have a DVD with a music video or a really low quality version included on the CD.
15. First of all, I have purchased CDs ONLY because of how powerful the music video is.  I can't recall going, yuck...bad video, I'm not buying the CD.  I also don't understand why I shouldn't get a copy of the video for free with the music--one that I can store.  I think you should at the very least be able to buy music videos on DVD.  I would love to have a music video feature in MC where you would name music video files the same as .flac, .mp3 files or whatever and then MC would automatically find the video and play it if you want.  Better yet, allow you to link the .flac audio with the video.  Often, the audio quality is terrible but is the exact same recording as the CD has, so I like to play the video with my flac music.  MC could offer the ability to add a prestart for the video so it either started .2 seconds before or after the audio.  This could be stored in the tags of the video.-----Unfortunately, this would require better music video abilities -- such as being able to buy them.
16. iTunes didn't help matters, either.  I don't want to be locked into iTunes.  I want a standard, non DRM video--as long as I've purchased the CD.  I wouldn't mind buying music videos but I want them on DVD so I can easily rip them and get them into MC.

This is only a touch of my questions, issues, complaints, suggestions, etc. that I have been thinking of for the past while.  I hope I get some good answers.  THANKS!

[BartMan01]

Don't be surprised if you get little response to your questions.  Many of these decisions seem to be made in a vacuum based on the whims of the controlling interest.

1) The music industry is extremely fractured.  How things are licensed varies from country to country.  This (along with the draconian licensing rules) is causing major headaches for podcasters, and is a major driving factor in the 'pod-safe' music explosion.

2) AFAIK, all legitimate CD's are 'pressed'.  Too many issues with -r and -rw media across the board  (both in compatibility and reliability when compared with pressed CD's).  The initial master is expensive, like making a mold.  Once that is done the rest can be mass-produced cheaply from that master.  From Wikipedia:  Replicated CDs are mass-produced using a hydraulic injection mold, where a glass master disc is created and used to make "stampers." Small granules of raw plastic are fed into the barrel while under heat and increasing amount of pressure melt the plastic and force the liquified material into the mold cavity. Equipped with a metal stamper, with the pattern of pits (for pre-recorded discs) the mold closes, allowing the plastic to cool and harden. Once opened, the disc substrate is removed from the mold by a robotic arm, and a 15 mm diameter center hole (called a stacking ring) is removed.

5) If it is called an 'import' in the U.S. then it was created for distribution/sale in another country.  Many times the U.S. market CD differs from the CD created for a different market.  This is based on what the powers that be think will 'sell' in those markets.  In many cases this leads to changes/additions/exclusions.  In some cases, the CD's that I have purchased overseas are identical to those sold here in the US.  In others the content is very different.  My UK Queen's Greatest Hits (1981) is a prime example.  Again from Wikipedia:  In 1981, Queen released Greatest Hits worldwide. However, there was no universal track listing or even cover art. Each territory's tracks were dependent on what singles were released there, and what tracks charted. In some cases, despite the band's popularity, not enough songs were issued as singles to fill a compilation album, and a few album tracks were used as filler. Some examples of these were "Sweet Lady" and "Love Of My Life", neither were released as singles in any country, but appear on some regions' 1981 Hits release. In the UK and the US, where solid numbers could be collected, the standard was raised again by only including top twenty Hits.

6&7) Usually based on what is currently 'hot' and 'trendy' in that market.  It is what the record label thinks will sell.

[benn600]

I won't ever know all the answers to the questions because no one does.

[dlone]

The only thing I know about any of this is that about 10-12 years ago it cost the companies about 8p (uk) to press a cd from a master

[hit_ny]

1. What do you mean by many-side CDs ?

2. And they do just that, what makes you think otherwise ?

3. Singles come from tracks that a label thinks have mass appeal, these are the ones that get hammered on radio stations as hooks to get you to buy a forthcoming album. They also are used to promote material to DJs, who have no interest in albums but just want the tracks & various mixes of the same track by other artists to use in thier own mixes.

7. See 3

8. They don't, there is this thing called payola where the big labels get stations to play certain tracks more often than others, idea being if the track is played long enough you prolly will either like or hate it, but chances are more the former than the latter. How do they know, there are just hunches based on how the past catalogue from the artist did or based on other inputs, like media buzz etc.

9. EPs are collections a bit smaller than an album but larger than a single.

10. Artist release live recordings because they sense the fans demand it. A DJ mix is typically just that, some times its off a live recording or just studio mixed.

11. Depends how hard you look, if the act is edgy enough its possible they do mixes on the radio, thing is you have to hunt these down to specialist shows or they may just be starting out and just don't have more material (yet).

12. Collection of original album + remixes. In case you did  not get the singles these remixes are on. Possibly also unrelased material too risky to put in the orignal album. Just another way to re-package and re-sell. Same applies for live recordings made during an album tour. You might notice slight improvisations over the studio version.

13. See 12 cept this time you get to see them do their stuff.

14. Not sure bout this one, but i think the idea is to sell the band in a more visual manner, not really intended for sale per se. iTunes might change this. I;ve neer bothers with music videos as i like to do other things while listening to music.

[benn600]

I will start reading from hit_ny's response under dlone and then just put one response per line.

I mean (by so many CDs) that there are often a few "versions" of each CD--a regular, US version, an import, a special edition, etc.  Why don't they just make one with all the tracks--fill the disc up--and then they can make a bunch of copies of one disc.

How do they pick the "single?"  This is more a question about how humans work.  It seems like you can start liking just about any song if you hear it enough and possibly associate it with a happy thought or good movie/show/etc.  They seem to do a good job picking the best songs but I often find another 1-4 songs I really like, often liking them more than the single(s).

ic--thanks for that on EP's.  Makes sense.  The Howie Day live CD has only 8 songs or so..a few less than a regular CD.

'nother question: why do artists release greatest hits...(it's somewhat obvious) but also, why do they add a new song or two?  Is it just to make more money?  I hate it when artists do this.  I generally avoid greatest hits because they are for the people who just want the good songs where as I am more into collecting and prefer having a complete collection of an artist rather than just their best.

[dlone]

version, an import, a special edition, etc.  Why don't they just make one with all the tracks--fill the disc up--and then they can make a bunch of copies of one disc.

Because this gives them more sales - some people will buy more than one cd to get all the versions - all about the $$$


EP's - to be called a single the disc has to be under 20 minutes as far as I can recall -
anything over that and less than an album is called an EP

'nother question: why do artists release greatest hits...(it's somewhat obvious) but also, why do they add a new song or two?  Is it just to make more money?  I hate it when artists do this.  I generally avoid greatest hits because they are for the people who just want the good songs where as I am more into collecting and prefer having a complete collection of an artist rather than just their best.

There's a new track - it's why they put them on, because people will buy the album for that one new track - of course it's about the money, what's worse is that the extra track is usually a discarded song or a cover

[jgreen]

Benn--

Great question, goes to the heart of what we listen to.

#1.  There are record industry people (current and retired) who post on this site, and I hope they chime in with first-hand impressions.

#2.  While I have no first-hand info on the record industry, I did date a woman for a year who worked in A&R at a major label, and I can tell you with authority that there are a lot of enthusiastic personnel working in the record industry.

#3.  All the really important information is contained in #2.

#4.    The economics of the music industry are this:  you throw a fist full of rice at the wall and save what sticks.  There is no formula for popularity, although the common denominator is "promotion".  A "single" is a 'single" because a "producer"--that's a guy with a business card--thinks a particular track is "catchy" and goes around to "influencers" and "promotes" it.  In the old days that meant going to DJ's at radio stations or clubs and offering them drugs or money or both to play the song, although I'm sure that it's completely different now. 

All the same, the role of "influencers" cannot be discounted.  Just as fashion trends start at the downtown L.A. Saturday-night-only clubs (or at least did), so music trends start somewhere.  In my day that was NY, but nowadays that's probably Iowa, or somewhere close. 

#5.  The cost of the plastic media--vinyl LP's or plastic CD's--is almost insignificant.  A CD costs a nickel to press, less than the cost of trucking it to the record store.  The biggest cut of the pie--say, out of $15 for a CD--is the record store, which has to rent the square footage to display all those CD's attractively.  Call it $7 a CD, AFAIK.  BTW, this is why there's a real future in web-based music distibution, once they figure it out:  no plastic to truck around, and no record store to cut into the deal.  My prediction:  the internet is here to stay (you heard it here first).

The next biggest cost is "development", which AFAICT means buying drugs for artists, although you'll never find that as a line-item in Warner Bros' 10-K.  Next is "royalties", I believe.  In the old days an artist got $1 per album, although I'm sure that's changed.  Michael Jackson, who was the biggest seller of his time by far, got $1 per album, and made enough money to outbid Paul McCartney for the ownership of Northern Songs.  MC Hammer, who sold self-pressed CD's out of the trunk of his car, negotiated for $5 per CD, take it or leave it, a figure which has never been matched, AFAIK.  Of course, he went bankrupt later and is currently delivering sermons in Oakland, CA.

#6.  What is a "greatest hits" album?  It is a collection of songs for which the royalties are already secured (no variable costs) and which is missing at least one "must have" track, which you have to buy separately.  Therefore a greatest hits album is what you buy along with one other album, doubling sales for a producer and adding a buck for an artist.  As you've already discovered, anyone can have a "greatest hits" album, even if the've never actually had a hit.  Hillary Duff, I think, is the prize-winner there, with a "greatest hits" album, although I'm not sure if she even had an original album to begin with.

#7.  Okay, so what music is safe to like, given all this mercantilism?  Individual tastes will  vary, but I tend to go with what sounds good.  I recommend you start listening to stuff, and buy what you like.  These days it's never been easier, or more confusing.  But at least you haven't got somebody important running around loose in Manhattan.     

The important lesson here is that, just as money makes the world go around, money makes women in the record industry go around.  So go ahead:  if you love someone, set them free--just don't expect to ever see them again. 



       

[brainsoup]

OK... so here come's my thoughts on this... good topic by the way!

1. Why are so many side CDs created?
In the UK a special UK edition is always released to stop people importing a cheaper version from the rest of the EU. This usually involves adding a couple of extra tracks/remixes etc. I think the same thing happens in Japan.

2. I thought pressing a CD cost a lot of money so they would want one CD--and then make tons of copies of that??
CD's are manufactured by the bucketload and as someone said, they are very cheap to produce. If you know where to go in London there are plenty of shops that sell CD's for £1. these are just surplus stock. HMV and Virgin also clear out at £2.99 for quite a few CD's. Everyone must still be making money on these

3. I have found many studio, pressed CDs that have some live recordings, new cover art, etc...   Where do singles come from?
Singles are the songs chosen by record company execs that they think will push the album. In the UK there is quite a focus on the singles chart as it is usually a good indicator that the album will sell well, although there are always some artists that sell well without a 'lead single' and vice versa

4. Do singles come from the concerts only?
No... singles come from albums and promote these

5. Why do they sometimes re-release a CD, call it an import on Amazon with a few bonus tracks, and then charge $15, $25, $30 for it?
See #1...

6. Also, how are singles chosen?
See #3. There are usually between 3 and 5 singles for an album and the record company tries to showcase the artist through that campaign to sell as many of the album as possible.

7. Before a CD is released, how do they know which songs will be most popular?
They guess! Well... not quite but they genuinely don't know for certain. Most recently Robbie Williams (who is a huge success over here) released a simgle "Rudebox" to promote his new album. It tanked and has just about dropped out of the chart after 3 weeks... someone is going to be in trouble.

8. Radio...how do they know?  Do they play every song right after the CD is released and then just keep getting requests for the "commonly considered greatest" song?
No.... record companies send out "promo" singles (these are highly collectible!) and radio stations list them (A list, B list etc). A high profile song from a high profile artist will automatically enter on A list (heavy rotation) whereas others can build up from C list to B list etc...
Promo's are also sent out to clubs with remixes on so they can play them to lots of drunk people on a Friday night in the vain hope they will remember the song and want to buy it (this actually works!!)

9. Why do they put EP on a CD?  I have a Howie Day live CD that says EP on the front.  Wasn't that for records only?
In the UK there are very strict chart rules as to what can be considered a single and what is not. There must be 1 CD priced at £1.99, this can have 2 tracks (or 3 if there is only one other format). There can be two other formats (CD/DVD/vinyl) which cannot contain more than 2 more tracks or an unlimited number of the title track (remixes). If a release satisfies all of this then it is chart eligible.
Obviously, sometimes a band just wants to put some songs out there and doesnt care about the chart but they don't have enough material for an album. They release an "EP"

10. Do certain artists get to release live CDs because they are so popular?
This can be the case. Live CD's DVD's are tricky as they need to be recorded/filmed whilst the atrist is on tour. This often happens before or during a release and so the record company doesn't know how popular the album will be and hence no live CD recorded.

11. It really sucks when you like an unpopular artist and they don't get the chance to make live CDs, etc.
Yes this is a bummer!

12. Special editions--they also get me and make me angry.  Especially if you already own the normal edition.
See #1... I take it you also mean when an album is re-released with another CD. This is usually to hook people who have been holding off buying the album if it has been out a while and the hardcore fan! It also stops the price of the album falling towards the end of it's campaign if the artist has gained popularity

13. Live CD's and then DVD's?  This confuses me as well.  Some artists release a CD with the live concert but they also release a DVD.  Whatever.
Yes... it's all about selling as much of their stuff as they can!

14. MUSIC VIDEOS.  Why the HECK do they go to all the trouble to make amazing pieces of video and then hold them tight?  Can someone tell me how exactly music videos work.  I understand they are played from time to time on television.  You can watch them on AOL Radio, etc.  But the quality online isn't that amazing, either.  Why don't they include music videos more?  I do have a few CDs that either have a DVD with a music video or a really low quality version included on the CD.
Most CD singles have the music video on them nowadays. Most successful artists will release them on DVD at some point or as you say, include a bonus DVD in the album (becoming more popular!)

15. First of all, I have purchased CDs ONLY because of how powerful the music video is.  I can't recall going, yuck...bad video, I'm not buying the CD.  I also don't understand why I shouldn't get a copy of the video for free with the music--one that I can store. 
As I said, they usually come on the single in .mov format which MC handles very well (I have all mine stored this way, much like a video jukebox). Also Itunes sell them and 7digital.co.uk

And on to greatest hits....
They usually have a few new songs on for a number of reasons. Firstly the artist needs radio play to promote their 'new' album, therefore they need a new single (very few songs get played that are not singles). Also as someone has mentioned they need to get the person who has all of their stuff already to buy the hits CD...

[benn600]

I do have a cousin working in the record industry.  She tells me a lot about how things run and she is quite enthusiastic.  I wouldn't mind pursuing a career there if I wasn't in to computer science.

Hilary Duff does have a CD--Metamorphosis...don't know about the greatest hits you described.

I do hate how they release a CD and then later a CD+DVD.  One example I can think of right now is the Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way.  I didn't really follow the Dixie Chicks a whole lot (I have their CDs, though) until I heard about their scandal (first heard about it a few days ago! and then watched lots of interviews, stuff, etc, on YouTube and now am up to date) but the point is that they made a great CD--especially the song Not Ready To Make Nice and the music video is amazing, too, so I'll have to buy the CD again.  I wish they would include more songs on the combo.  Even worse (great example!), they have a Best Buy exclusive CD (from Wikipedia) that has a bonus song.  I went to Best Buy's web site and the track lising doesn't even show the extra song!  Also, Amazon supposedly had it for a while (that doesn't make sense) but they don't now.  I can't find it on eBay, either.  Reviews say the extra song is the best.  I cannot believe how neat it is when you can know you own every song by a particular artist--but you can't unless you got the EXCLUSIVE Cd from Best Buy--AND iTunes has A different exclusive track.  Screw downloaded 128Kb!  Everything I have is FLAC!