"Contrary to popular belief, the island is definately NOT sinking!" -Terry Jones as King Arnulf, Erik the Viking

The market will get what it wants from the producer.  If the producer does not give what the market wants...the producer will go outta business.  So...if all along the YOUNGER generation wanted was bunches of songs but JUST put up with album formats, then the way of the album is dead.  OR IS IT?

Remember 45's?  They were reasonably priced...had just one song plus that horrid B'side!  (Kids, we're talkin' about vinyl here...go back to your tiger beat magazines and wait until we're done!) and they went the way of the Snow Leopard.  They tried single discs and single cassettes but they just didn't work.   Wonder why that is?

I think it's because A/R folks tend to release CRAP.  So the only thing available on singles is CRAP.  Thus, no one buys them...or did anyone really want JUST one song by The Pet Shop Boys?

So, maybe the answer to breathing life back into the albums is...

Record companies must stop mass producing records, allow artists time to work up new material instead of pumping out one good record and then squeezing three more records of crap.  This will mean that the record companies must withstand a massive reduction in revenue.  In other words:

We're doomed, Charlie Brown.

I think everyone who takes issue with this state of miserable music should pick up an instrument and make your own songs. 

Love,

PRH