How Important Is a Studio Album?

In this day and age, is the studio album what it once was?

My band has been together for 8 years. We have over 40 fairly-awesome, original tunes. We have our own "recording studio", nothing fancy but definitely effective. We play out, but due to our schedules, etc. we don't play out often, maybe 2-3 times a year at small venues.
As a band, we're substantial, but our resume is weak.

Personally, I feel like only the lucky few get to make an album. Making an album immortalizes you.
The other 3 guys don't want to put in the time to make an awesome album. They'd rather focus our attention on developing new tunes, etc.

We were on the verge. We started out to record 24 tunes and make 2 studio albums. But they bailed. The project was "too daunting". I'm devastated. I wanted an album.

Am I being too emotional? Are they being too shortsighted? Does an album matter as much as I feel like it does? Is this the age of the "single"? Should I lighten up?
What are your thoughts?
 
If you're a band playing originals, you need something to sell at your gigs. You want your audience leaving the venue with your songs still on their mind. A CD, download site, USB drive, etc, will keep your music going after the show is over. I do not know what the norm is but I say at least 5 songs.

As for full length albums, they are fun to do and something to be proud of, but few listeners are buying full length albums. Streaming and downloads are where it's at.
 
That helped, Chili, thank you.
I'm getting more comfortable with the idea of releasing singles for download, but I'm confused as to how you finish the product. An album has cover art, liner notes, packaging, etc. How do you package a single? Is cover art a thing anymore? Where do you put credits and lyrics?
 
I agree with Chili, HOWEVER ... if you guys are only playing out 2-3 times a year ... well, maybe its time to start a side project and record your own stuff.
 
I get the whole streaming singles thing...and that should certainly one option for fans...
...but there's no reason not to also churn out a studio album.

Sure, if you are going to make a CD, it's going to cost some, especially if you go for the full-tilt CD case with sleeves, etc, and you would usually get like the 1000 CD pressed & printed for the best pricing...though you can also opt for the "on-the-cheap, and use those "make-your-own" online options where you can get as few or as many, but it's just a typical CD burner copy and the printing is not like a commercial quality job.

While I do agree that everyone is into the single download thing...if you have a decent fan base, they might very well like the option of buying as physical CD at your gigs. You can still sell singles and even the full album in electronic format too, online.

I think for a home rec musician, the physical CD route is dead...but if you are regularly performing, there's still something about the physical CD appeal...something your fans get to take away from a gig, rather then be given a link to a website to download.
AFAIK...most cars still have CD players... ;)
 
So what if streaming and downloads are the current state of affairs.....

An album is an accomplishment akin to a writer having an actual book. Everyone can be a 'blogger', thats writing.
But you publish a book, that ends up in a coffee table, bedside table, etc, that makes you legit.

Same thing with music


There's just something rewarding about something physical that has your name on it.

I'd say go for it. Even better, do vinyl also. :D

One question however.(or a couple) You only gig 2 or 3 times a year because of time? How often do you rehearse? How can you be a good solid band if you're not constantly doing your craft??
 
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I agree with everyone that is is a "singles" market. But me, I have to do albums, I like the whole concept of a set of ideas/music wrapped into a package. Guess I am just too old school, but I think many artists think that way.

Even if you only get one play from the release, they could come back for more.
 
Whether a CD is important or not depends on the perspective of the musicians. Personally, I think it is important; it is something that you can hold in your hand and say "I did this". It is something to be proud of, and a record of achievement.

However, I do know of people who are simply not interested in recording. They enjoying playing, they are good at their craft, but the idea of recording their material barely skims their consciousness.
 
I agree with the others in saying that having both options, a physical CD as well as online streaming, is important to appease both sides of the spectrum. We are no longer in the era where vinyls and CDs were the only way to play your music, so a band today must adapt online if they want to survive. Still, having something physical can win over a few more fans.
 
Most of the folks I know doing CDs, or at least as common, EPs, have two concrete reasons, and they are to have some "merch" to sell at gigs, and to open some doors at venues that may have that as a kind of "check-box" on the list of things they want the acts they book to have. The latter is getting a little fuzzier with more and more folks accepting streaming as the main form for music distribution, but, still, the folks running the clubs may have some dated views, and it's their venue. (If you don't have a physical CD, a presence on iTunes, Spotify, et al, is still a good thing.)

Of course, there's often some internal motivation that doesn't have any consequence other than "it feels good" I suppose, but I probably wouldn't make that a driver if you're trying to get other folks on board since they don't seem to share that view so much.

Since you don't have a lot of gigs, having "merch" is probably not going to make a big impact, or possibly even pay for the cost of recording, so I'd really consider a lower bar, like a 6-10 song EP or single CD, depending on the length of your material, or, just streaming/download options of "finished" songs.

And, realistically, I think a half dozen songs is plenty, and then do another in a year, but consider getting some studio or live videos for promotion to get more gigs. Whether you/any of us like it or not, "social media engagement" is all about having video, or at least where it starts these days. (I don't think you can get most folks to listen to your music if you don't have a video first. And keep that video short, BTW.)
 
Albums are a hard sell if you are doing vinyl...I assume thats what you mean by album, vinyl with sleeve and the "classic" album thing.

If its a album/ CD then yeah its a lot of work and for a band I would pay someone to do it if you want it done and completed.
Most bands flitter around and never agree on the mix or sounds and get pissed off at each other...and the CD never gets completed because theres no time rush and money isnt wasted in a home studio. Paying someone puts the band focus on the music and getting it done is forced by $$, so its taken more seriously...and the final product can be the Band vs the Mix Eng, not the Band members vs the other band members...lol

before doing the CD though, a home demo and hashing out parts would be wise before paying someone studio hours $$.
ideas and all that can be worked out at home. but I think theres really something worth the money to having other "ears" and help mixing and editing.

Ive had opportunity of hindsight of doing it wrong...ahah
 
Well I gotta chime in on this one because this very subject has been heavily on my mind lately. I'm a home recording "one-man band" so to speak, who has retired somewhat from doing live shows. I quit gigging because trying to keep a band together for any length of time was getting near impossible. But I do enjoy writing and creating music and my humble studio equipment serves me well.

The Internet has a huge amount of resources for marketing music, but from what I'm observing, it's more and more difficult to get folks interested in complete albums. Nobody seems to have time these days. My last album had a few songs that got some attention, but the album as a whole generally tanked. I've got a casefull of cds collecting dust in my closet (they sure look nice but I doubt I'll ever break even on that project!)

So.....what about singles? Seems like a lot less of a struggle to produce and market. And anyone who doesn't have 3-4 minutes to check it out is just not interested. And it just makes logical sense that stretching out the releases of a series of singles would keep the interest level higher.

Does any of this make any sense?
 
Well I gotta chime in on this one because this very subject has been heavily on my mind lately. I'm a home recording "one-man band" so to speak, who has retired somewhat from doing live shows. I quit gigging because trying to keep a band together for any length of time was getting near impossible. But I do enjoy writing and creating music and my humble studio equipment serves me well.

The Internet has a huge amount of resources for marketing music, but from what I'm observing, it's more and more difficult to get folks interested in complete albums. Nobody seems to have time these days. My last album had a few songs that got some attention, but the album as a whole generally tanked. I've got a casefull of cds collecting dust in my closet (they sure look nice but I doubt I'll ever break even on that project!)

So.....what about singles? Seems like a lot less of a struggle to produce and market. And anyone who doesn't have 3-4 minutes to check it out is just not interested. And it just makes logical sense that stretching out the releases of a series of singles would keep the interest level higher.

Does any of this make any sense?

Sure it does, once again, the concept of an album is just more or less what we are use to. But that doesn't mean it can't be redefined. Like you said, instead of a play sequence, you launch a release sequence. Why not? If it is a concept album, release in a sequence you want, get them playing the tune, release the next.

While in the past it was an all or nothing deal. Now, there are other options. But, it doesn't take away from the idea of an album (I use that word more conceptual than literal), just another way it gets distributed. One song at a time!
 
Hm.

So.. I have released a lot of records over the years.. and things have changed.

That said, the group I am with now- we released a full length album last year.. and I was surprised--it is still a thing.

As far as physical copies go - we printed 50 CDs, and 50 USB cards (the buisiness card thing?) and pacaged them like CDs. we sell them at shows, and on CD baby.
The digital release was more important, of course. . . and the 'community' in our genre (Eastern bloc stoner/doom) is still into full-length albums. They stream them on you tube as one video. We pretty rapidly got 10k listens there on some other guy's channel... which is now monetised in a traditional radio-royalty scheme. If you get spins, you get paid. A little bit.

It was refreshing, actually. I had no expectations. I replaced their other guitarist, and took over the mixing- which they were paying some guy to do a peice at a time...and I thought it would go nowhere.


td:lr- records are still real in some genres. If your music is worth listening to--make a record.
 
I get more enjoyment out of listening to full albums...

BUT...I would also rarely listen to a full album of a band I knew nothing about.

So I would say if gaining a big following is your goal, than singles and digital is probably the way to go. But if you just want to create art, and an album is what you envision (which I agree is an awesome goal)...then go for it! And like someone said above, try writing a solo album if you have the means to.
 
In this day and age, is the studio album what it once was?

My band has been together for 8 years. We have over 40 fairly-awesome, original tunes. We have our own "recording studio", nothing fancy but definitely effective. We play out, but due to our schedules, etc. we don't play out often, maybe 2-3 times a year at small venues.
As a band, we're substantial, but our resume is weak.

Personally, I feel like only the lucky few get to make an album. Making an album immortalizes you.
The other 3 guys don't want to put in the time to make an awesome album. They'd rather focus our attention on developing new tunes, etc.

We were on the verge. We started out to record 24 tunes and make 2 studio albums. But they bailed. The project was "too daunting". I'm devastated. I wanted an album.

Am I being too emotional? Are they being too shortsighted? Does an album matter as much as I feel like it does? Is this the age of the "single"? Should I lighten up?
What are your thoughts?

I know people are all over the map on this one, but probably 95% of the time I listen to music, it's in studio album format. Sure, I have the compilations and official live albums and bootlegs and certainly have access to iTunes shuffle and streaming radio, but I rarely do it that way. For me, the format itself is still very relevant.

As for actually recording a full album in a professional studio with a producer and engineers, I can see how that might not be for everybody. If your band is just a bunch of people who enjoy sitting around and playing, I can see how the recording process might suck the joy out of it. They may not be eager to put money into it.

That being said, there's no reason to stop recording glorified demos and making artwork for them and calling them albums.
 
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