How many songs are you putting on your CD album?

[Greg_L]

I guess it's the difference between having songs in the context of an album that would work as singles and just releasing singles.

Yes, exactly. I think if your songs can stand on their own, and work in a group, you're doing a good thing.

 

[miroslav]

Sequencing is probably the hardest part for me since I have a bundle of songs that comprise a suite amongst the rest and there's also a stylistic/sonic development chronologically that my mind insist should, logically, be followed.

....................

Interesting that Ido used the ME to sequqnce. I know they've often done this in the dim dark. How did it go for you Ido?

I think the first 3 songs are usually the ones that will 1.) grab & hold the attention of the listener, so the he/she stays for the remainder, and 2.) those 3 songs set the style/vibe/flow for the rest.

Which songs you pick for the first three and their exact order...is partly personal and partly pseudo-science. Some will say to put your strongest one first....strongest being the one that will have the greatest grab & hold effect.
Others will warm/ramp up to it, and stick it in the 3rd position.

I think it really matters who you are, and who your target audience is.
Like...if you are making CDs as vehicles to sell yourself or your music (or both) to some record company people....then put the best first. Most of them will not listen much past the first 30 seconds if that opening song doesn't really grab & hold them. IOW....put the song that you think will sell the best, 'cuz that's what they are listening for in most cases.
Having someone else (like the ME) do it....might be OK if you are not sure, since they hear a lot of music and will often be able to spot the better songs more objectively.

If you already have a pretty good fan base, and you're just releasing a CD for public consumption, then there's more room for personal/stylistic choices in the song order.

For the majority of home-rec artists self-releasing their CDs without direct pursuit of record company deals, and instead just putting them out for sale on the interwebs, I don't think it matter all that much what song order you choose AFA "selling" goes.
If anyone buys your CD, they will most likely hear the whole thing at least one time, and pick their favorite songs.
If they are trying to decide on buying or not, most interweb sale sites offer samples of each song, so people can click through them....etc....and decide that way.

Apart from trying to promote the CD to a record company....the order is mostly about setting a good listening experience from start to finish, and that can probably be done a few different ways...depending on the style of music and songs you are including. I don't think there's a real "wrong" way...just don't put your "weakest" 2-3 songs at the front.

On my last CD, I think I changed the order a few times...and it also changed as I progressed through the recording/mixing process. Songs kinda shifted their positions as I worked on them.

 

[RJMJ87]

I'm doing singles, but am collecting them into 10-song albums as I go along. I don't believe in fillers or somewhat decent songs; every song has to be a hit. As a consumer I despise buying an album in which only 3 or 4 songs are great and the rest (regardless how many) are crud. It's not a deal to get 7 or more awful songs. Make each song count and people will really not care how long your albums are, how many songs you have, or the order of songs or how they're released. Quality in this industry is severely lacking and that's what will make the difference and make your listeners happy. : )

 

[jokerone]

Min - 13
Max about 15.

If I can come up with 13 that sound good enough to bother with..

 

[RAMI]

You know what I've always wanted to do? Well, not always, but I thought of this a few years ago and forgot about it, but I want to do it on my next CD.

OK, what I want to do is this: Last song on the CD is only about 45 seconds long because it fades out either during the intro or just as the first verse starts. Then, the next CD you release starts with the rest of the song. It fades in and continues.

This would probably be more effective for an established artist where you know most people that follow you will get it. You could even call the song something like "To Be Continued". Or call the fist part "To Be...." and then call the continuation on the next CD "...Continued", but now I'm just being silly.

 

[jokerone]

I'm shooting for 14.

 

[Chili]

You know what I've always wanted to do? Well, not always, but I thought of this a few years ago and forgot about it, but I want to do it on my next CD.

OK, what I want to do is this: Last song on the CD is only about 45 seconds long because it fades out either during the intro or just as the first verse starts. Then, the next CD you release starts with the rest of the song. It fades in and continues.

This would probably be more effective for an established artist where you know most people that follow you will get it. You could even call the song something like "To Be Continued". Or call the fist part "To Be...." and then call the continuation on the next CD "...Continued", but now I'm just being silly.

That's a cool idea, linking sequential albums together. Too bad no one listens to albums anymore.

 

[awdur]

Since it'll be my debut album, I'm thinking about 15 songs, but some of them have less than 2 minutes.

 

[David Andrew]

I am all about doing ep's right now but you have to release material a lot faster like 2 a year

 

[Jr Omega Beats]

If you like 22 of your songs then you but 22 ? haha.. and if it 12 you have 12 no big deal. But i go for 16 tracks

 

[creativemindfra]

I usually do 8-10

The one I'm releasing next week I did a Go Fund Me for and raised like 500 dollars so I did 16 for that.
I figured if people were willing to pay for shirts and cds that I would spend the time to mix and make 16 halfway decent songs.