Very annonying!

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Aerosmith-3-0/dp/B005DTCL8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316208435&sr=1-1

First off, Aerosmith had TOO MANY damn hits collections when this originally came out about ten years ago. At the very least, it was a semi comprehsinive collection with a lot of their 70s material plus their comeback with Geffen (as well as SOME stuff from Columbia, where they had "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" and two albums that did OK). Anyway, this recent release is basically that same set only with a measly EP (which has ONE of two of the bonus tracks from...yet another hits collection!). But they did they same with other artists. I just saw the same with MeatLoaf and Whitney Houston (although hers was international). I think this is truly the begining of the end. The labels have lost ALL respect for those of us that are still willing to BUY music by releasing these crappy hits sets. Any thoughts?

Motown has been doing this for decades, and so has RCA with Elvis Presley. It's not a new trend. The companies make more money from their catalog than with new releases. K-Tel and Pickwick were known in the 1970's for hits compilations, and so was Rhino when they first started out. I think Johnny Mathis started the "Greatest Hits" trend in the late 1950's or early 1960's. His were a big hit and so all the other labels followed suit. Johnny also popularized the Christmas album.

I'm sick of 'Greatest Hits' compilations.Just remaster the original albums and call it a day There are numerous Rick James compilations,all containing the same songs.How about fresh remasters of his classic albums ('Throwin Down','Cold Blooded',etc)?

SoulAlive said:

I'm sick of 'Greatest Hits' compilations.Just remaster the original albums and call it a day

Some labels and acts were only known for singles, and some acts never released albums at all. I don't think there is a big enough audience that would want to buy a Leslie Gore or Chubby Checker album. But people will more likely to buy their hits. Look at The Eagles, Abba, & Queen. Their compilations way outsold any of their regular albums.

this practice has been going on for years. there is a good side to it though

these compilations aren't for existing fans, they are for new fans and casual listeners. 10 years is a long time, especially when you are young, and young people are more likely to get a hits set if it's a newly released or reissued one with the corresponding marketing campaign

they are usually reissued to coincide with something, to capatalise on potential interest, such as the dude from aerosmith on americans got x talent left, or a hit cover version, song in a movie, anniversary of something etc. the hits are a way for potential new fans to discover artists work and then checkout albums if they are intersted, especially for artists who may have a bunch of albums, but not a notable stand out one, such as aerosmith. if you want to discover the stones, start with the hits and then if you like it, checkout albums from the periods you like best

so the record companies get money, the artists get royalties, and music fans discover new music and the artists gain new fans. the existing fans don't need to buy them if they don't want them. if there is enough interest in the hits then the labels may remaster and/or reissue more albums. the hits test the waters for interst in deluxe editions

This shit's been going on for DECADES.

unique said:

the artists get royalties

Not in all cases. Some don't make any money at all, depending on what kind of contract they had originally, especially pre-1970's acts. Some never got any royalties. The labels paid them with cash, cars, women, drugs, booze, or jewelry. Lightnin' Hopkins got paid a flat fee for each song he recorded and/or wrote and nothing from the sales of records.

Yes, repackaging Best of and Greatest Hits packages has been going on for a long time. very annoying. Thank goodness for labels like FTG and Big Break who are giving the real fans what they want by reissuing the original albums.

kitbradley said:

Yes, repackaging Best of and Greatest Hits packages has been going on for a long time. very annoying. Thank goodness for labels like FTG and Big Break who are giving the real fans what they want by reissuing the original albums.

SoulAlive said:

kitbradley said:

Yes, repackaging Best of and Greatest Hits packages has been going on for a long time. very annoying. Thank goodness for labels like FTG and Big Break who are giving the real fans what they want by reissuing the original albums.

Especially the tendency to shorten and / or omit tracks. Just awful.

VinnyM27 said:

Very annonying!

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Aerosmith-3-0/dp/B005DTCL8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316208435&sr=1-1

First off, Aerosmith had TOO MANY damn hits collections when this originally came out about ten years ago. At the very least, it was a semi comprehsinive collection with a lot of their 70s material plus their comeback with Geffen (as well as SOME stuff from Columbia, where they had "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" and two albums that did OK). Anyway, this recent release is basically that same set only with a measly EP (which has ONE of two of the bonus tracks from...yet another hits collection!). But they did they same with other artists. I just saw the same with MeatLoaf and Whitney Houston (although hers was international). I think this is truly the begining of the end. The labels have lost ALL respect for those of us that are still willing to BUY music by releasing these crappy hits sets. Any thoughts?

I try to stay away from ones that the artist themselves have nothing to do with...Kind of like those "Playlist" series cds, where they slap an old picture on a gatefold cd and drop tracks on it, its basically like when u make a playlist of an artist for a cd or ipod except in this case the record company benefits from it 100%, there is almost no overhead, it costs nothing to press them and they can grab the casual customer by offering low list prices. iTunes is infamous for this now, i typed in Rick Springfield the other day and found 40+ compilations that he was on whether it was Jessies Girl or Love Somebody and they were tacked on to these "label-less" compilations, im sure half are not even legal. I mean there is very little "regulating" going on at iTunes, i had to blow the whistle on a fake a-ha release from their last tour that someone taped direct from the simulcast on the bbc.

They repackage EVERYTHING these days. I read an article just a couple weeks ago that said catalogue releases account for 70% of all major label sales right now. That's why they're going to fight giving back masters in the next couple years.

Cerebus said:

They repackage EVERYTHING these days. I read an article just a couple weeks ago that said catalogue releases account for 70% of all major label sales right now. That's why they're going to fight giving back masters in the next couple years.

that is very true and the number is going up and up, I remember last year in an interview with Julian Lennon, he was talking about how he was basically done with labels and was releasing stuff on his own label and terms, but he pointed out how labels today are nothing more than catalog sellers. They really dont make anything off the new stuff because they spent it all on marketing and HYPE, it costs nothing to re-package aerosmith or journey or elton john and rake in some cash holiday time.

Cerebus said:

They repackage EVERYTHING these days. I read an article just a couple weeks ago that said catalogue releases account for 70% of all major label sales right now. That's why they're going to fight giving back masters in the next couple years.

These days? They've been doing it since the '60s.

Timmy84 said:

Cerebus said:

They repackage EVERYTHING these days. I read an article just a couple weeks ago that said catalogue releases account for 70% of all major label sales right now. That's why they're going to fight giving back masters in the next couple years.

These days? They've been doing it since the '60s.

Sure. But it used to be it would only happen with older albums/artists. These days there's often a repackage of a succesful album six months to a year after its initial release (see: Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Kesha, Rhianna, etc). Being a "catalogue artist" used to actually have a meaning behind it. That's not really the case anymore. Also, it wasn't as widespread. It was just the biggest sellers what would regularly have an album repackaged or a greatest hits released. Now its freakin' EVERYBODY.

^ That's only because the industry's artists that are being promoted are so stale in their resources from the music itself to the promotion but people don't wanna hear that they don't have game (meaning the labels). The only real reason the hits sets are still bringing money is because of the consumers.

Timmy84 said:

^ That's only because the industry's artists that are being promoted are so stale in their resources from the music itself to the promotion but people don't wanna hear that they don't have game (meaning the labels). The only real reason the hits sets are still bringing money is because of the consumers.

The thing is that like touring, the same artists still bring in the cash, now they not only bring in the Ticket they once again are bringing in the cash off their catalogs.

Now with the other point in reference to "newer" artists, YES the idea is to milk every cent out of something that is already making cash. I can guarantee you that Rihanna's lable would rather her NOT do a new album but would rather this holiday season to do two new tracks and slap it onto a hits set, or inject some sales into the current record. The same i bet goes for Katy Perry, if she happens to have another hot track not released I BET that they will re-issue this record. A few years back (2007) to be exact this happend to Hilary Duff who had her best record called "dignity" but the label shyed away after the first single, Hilary then was on tour and had new songs written, she wanted to put out another record that same year, the label said NO give us the songs and we will take the best of this record and put it out again, she turned on them and said no my fans already paid once. A battle insued with HOLLYWOOD RECORDS she then turned over 2 tracks they packed it onto a hits record and remixes, and she was off the label.

I think the dramatic increase in this activity IS a new trend.

Therefore, I agree on the basic message for this topic.

DJK said:

I think the dramatic increase in this activity IS a new trend.

Therefore, I agree on the basic message for this topic.

Yeah i agree too, because what is happening is alot of these "PLaylist" cds, i mean i saw everyone with one of these, amerie, barry manilow, men at work etc...so the range of artist is WIDE , and then a new thing, with universal is the splitting of hits packages, Styx had a 2 cd set a few years back and now that has been broken into 2 cds sold seperate new packaging, a few others have that too, i forget what it was called, i think just "GOLD" if im not mistaken, but nonetheless stuff like this most of the time doesnt have to be cleared with the artist