Tim Almond

Wired has a good article about how some bands, for various reasons are holding out from selling on iTunes.

One of the reasons is that artists want their work to be enjoyed as a full piece of work, and not just a single track. I have some sympathy with this view.

There are lots of good albums made up of good tracks (like Achtung Baby by U2). But some albums are more of a complete work, where it feels like the tracks belong together. Not "concept" albums, but that the tracks seem to belong together.

Radiohead’s OK Computer is one of these. You can enjoy Paranoid Android or No Surprises as great records, but as a complete album it offers more. The whole is more than the sum of its parts. Play the tracks from Asian Dub Foundation’s Community Music. It doesn’t work. But together, in the order given, it’s great.

It’s very easy to skip to the tracks you like and miss out on the great tracks on albums, particularly if you’re using random play. The track order of album gives context. It takes you on a journey in terms of intellectual and emotional stimulation. Fitter, Happier on OK Computer only works because of what’s either side of it. Oasis’ Champagne Supernova or The Doors’ The End both work as the final climax of the albums. As a single track, you’d skip them for Wonderwall or Light my Fire.

So, give the whole album a go. Let it sink in and enjoy.

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Tags: Music, Business //