Warner Goes E-Label (I'll Run It, Just Ask ..)

[Jason Tate]

Warner Bros. are starting (http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5841355.html) a new "e-label" where releases are all released via digital download. The article is a very interesting read on a new music-business model.

[tambo41187]

hmm interesting, although i would rather have a whole album and wait 2 years, then have 3 songs released every few months...but thats just me.

[littlejohn]

i like the idea, the only problem is that i download to try a cd out, unless its a band i already have high expectations for, and then i will purchase the cd from a store so i could get artwork and the actual cd in my possestion. This wont give anyone any insentive to buy the song other than the legality

[ACA]

This is interesting... I wonder how it will work. It's like an EP or CDM theory..

-ACA

[preppyak]

hmm interesting, although i would rather have a whole album and wait 2 years, then have 3 songs released every few months...but thats just me.

yeah, its gonna kill concept albums and other things that LP's have. It's an interesting idea, but I think its gonna be a fad thing that will work well for pop acts that only have three good songs on an album anyway.

[tambo41187]

i like the idea, the only problem is that i download to try a cd out, unless its a band i already have high expectations for, and then i will purchase the cd from a store so i could get artwork and the actual cd in my possestion. This wont give anyone any insentive to buy the song other than the legality

exaclty, thats why i would never buy an album off of itunes...i want the cd in my hands.

[SoL0ngSincerity]

I'd rather have the finished product, than just a few random songs from a band. Plus, how much would these songs be going for, and would you be able to pick the songs, or would it be like a pre-packaged type deal? I don't know, either way I don't think I'd really be interested...

[formyownheart]

this might actually be better for the bands, they wont have to recoup as much if the cds arent being released the regular way, packaging costs the band so much money.

[Sicx]

I would think they will release the album in stores, and through this 'e-label' so people could choose. But that would mean the iTunes Store is obsolete...or whatever. Maybe it will be like 8 bucks for a cd instead of like 10.

[jcmoney]

What is the advantage for the consumer here? Why would anyone chose this over iTunes? Why would I buy songs in a package of 3 when I could just pick out the songs I like? Unless these new songs are exclusive to this type of purchase, in which case it could be a major success for Warner provided the bands they sign can sell e-records.

[ebullientsoul]

this might actually be better for the bands, they wont have to recoup as much if the cds arent being released the regular way, packaging costs the band so much money.
While it might be financially better for groups to release recordings without some kind of temporal media on which you can play that recording, artists will continue to put out art and lyrics with those recordings to give them context. (That's my best Tycho of Penny Arcade impression. Try it on sometime.)

Anywho. B-sides may be easier released that way, buuuuuut, listening to a complete set of songs, no matter how good the other songs in that recording session are is more important to me than having all the finished recordings from a session.

Plus, album art is fun. I'm also deathly afraid of the day when recordings are just files or on a burned CD, because that kills the wonderful liner art. Do you look at Bad Religion's Process of Belief have been the same without the album art? I hope not. Or Bane's the Note? Or fucking London Calling?

And if you own any recent Lawrence Arms CD, I know you can't listen to the CD the same way if you have the liner notes...

Mostly I'm afraid, though.

[leafsacc]

I'm surprised that the label would let the bands keep the master tapes. Mars Volta really wanted those when they were singing with Warner, but the label wouldn't let them. The record companies seem very protective of the master tapes, i guess so they could rerelease them or put them on compilation later.