There are two trends that Usher is following which I don't find hip or fun and I'm sure they will even piss off his fans. And he's managed to do two trends on one snazzy CD.

These are my "Confessions....reissue". The reissue of a CD that has only been out for a few months is just a joke!

Media Play is letting customers trade in their old "Confessions" for the new one if you give them an additional $4.99. Seems some what fair since you can't exactly sell the old one, used, for a lot now! BUt what are you getting for $4.99. A terrible cover! Now I'm not 100% sure but the picture looks just kind of lamer than the original (that might be for fans to judge). Now what definitely sucks if it appears on the cover is, printed on the cover, in the most bootleg looking font ever, "Special Edition" "Four New Tracks, New Album Cover, Poster Insert”. And in a very funky (not good funky!) border and in chunky letter is “Confessions”. I’m not 100% sure if this is on the cover since it appears in all the ads but the cover on online stories only shows his name and the pic. Could be its only one trend, the recent reissue trend, that he is following. Or could it be the rushed into production R&B ballad with another Clear Channel darling since there wasn’t another single trend that he is following (Patti’s re-releasing her album, which is a shame since only fans bought it the first time and will now buy it again, with a duet with Ron Isley…as only the second single!). Is this not the saddest stunt ever? It’s very recent too but I remember Janet did it as well with AFY (which was released in several versions!). I’m not sure if its worse since this album sold so well. Record companies are truly going to hell for this one! I mean, if I were an Usher fan, I’d rather spend five dollars or so for a solid single with the original versions and a few decent remixes. Shame!
[Edited 10/5/04 13:38pm]

Janet's actually came with a nice DVD, though.

VoicesCarry said:

Yeah, that was one re-release (which is now useless with the nicely priced "janet to Damita Jo"...why to rip off fans) and that didn't include the full album, which was edited to be clean and took off "Would You Mind" (well, hell, how would you edit that song). She (well, Virgin more likely) re-released it in about Jan of the next year (the DVD was in Nov! and the "orginal album was April) with ONE remix for SOAG...note even worth it for me. If you count imports (there was only one, as far as I know with a Japanese bonus track "Who", which rocked hard) and edited for content CDs, that's six different verisons! Nicely played, Virgin!
[Edited 10/5/04 13:37pm]

VinnyM27 said:

The other releases were not touted as "Editions" of any kind, however. The DVD Edition was unique in that respect. Virgin quietly replaced copies of All For You with the SOAG mix on shelves, and it's the only version available these days. Why they did it is beyond me - however, most fans didn't re-buy it for that one mix, which was available on multiple import maxis.

VoicesCarry said:

Still, I wouldn't be shocked if die hards bought up to four different AFYs. The original (edit or non-edit), DVD edition, Japanese import, and the SOAG replacement. Off all things to add on, an OK mix of SOAG, which divded many fans as a single choice.

VinnyM27 said:

I have three versions of AFY: the original version, the version with the added P. Diddy remix and the DVD edition.

this is too damn complicated for a guy who still listens to a copy of "fear of a black planet" on cassette.

JANFAN4L said:

The Diddy remix verison was a bit much, don't you think? I don't disagree with you for buying it but them for releasing it and taking advantage of completists.

Anxiety said:

Wow. You too?

I had the original AFY, then I dumped it when I bought the DVD edition, but now I don't have "Would You Mind" (not that it was ever my favorite). But now I do see a version of the original album with "Would You Mind" (of course) AND the SOAG remix. Should I buy it a 3rd time?

CinisterCee said:

I was ready to dump my regular edition event though I liked the pictures better until I realived a full track was missing "Would YOu Mind". I kept my AFY and now am dumping the DVD editon since I own "janet to DJ", the new DVD and frankly the remixes are nothing special. If you buy another AFY, go unedited and for the SOAG remix but do it online. Copies of DJ are barely selling on Ebay dirt cheap. so I'm sure AFY is going for a good price now. Amazon is really good for used stuff cheap.

CinisterCee said:

No. Buy the SOAG import single instead. The AFY with the SOAG mix on it is the "clean" version - so is the DVD Edition, inexplicably.

It all boils down to $$$ *yawn*

Novabreaker said:

Anxiety said:

That reminds me to go back and try to get all of P.E.'s albums on cd.

OdysseyMiles said:

The first 3 aren't hard to find at all, and low-priced as hell. "It Takes A Nation..." was reissued by Def Jam (along with EPMD, 3rd Bass, Slick Rick, Redman, etc) circa 2000.

CinisterCee said:

They reissued that one on vinyl too! but u want to update it to cd. nevermind

VoicesCarry said:

Wait. I think they sell the SOAG remix added CD in both dirty and clean verisons but don't take my word for it. Either way, these are Ebay/used purchases.

Anxiety said:

but we're bowie fans...we should be very familiar with this.