Two of pop culture’s reigning blonde music-makers are out this month with reissues of their big hit albums: Taylor Swift’s repackaging of Fearless is available today, with six new songs and a bunch of behind-the-scenes videos; Lady Gaga will send her Fame Monster to stores on the hella-crowded Nov. 23 — it’s got eight new songs and will be available in a $114.98 superdeluxe format that includes an “artbook” with photos, posters, paper dolls, and a lock of the Lady’s hair that doubles as a bookmark. Seriously.
But with artists having such a difficult time finding ways to monetize their new content (if not their hair) in today’s hyper-internetted music industry, are fully-packaged re-releases of relatively recent material really a worthwhile enterprise? Or (as long suspected) are they a crassly commercial, increasingly futile attempt to wring more cash out of loyal fans? The existence of iTunes changes the game here somewhat — you could skip all the extras on Fearless 2, for example, and download only the new songs that interest you for $1.29 a pop. But since both of these women are veritable founts of creativity, why not just rhyme up a few more diary entries (in the case of Swift) or have a couple more fever dreams (in the case of Gaga) and put out a whole new album? Why insist on making those of us who still value physical product rebuy the stuff we’ve already purchased in order to get to the fresh morsels? You tell me, Mixers. Who’s buying?
More from EW’s Music Mix:
Bruce Springsteen’s Hall of Fame performance still on after tragedy causes Kansas City cancellation
CMJ Music Fest: ‘next big thing’ bands do NYC
Warpaint: The Music Mix recommends
‘Once’ more: The Swell Season’s Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Photo Credit: Swift: Jill Bednar/PR Photos; Gaga: Robin Wong/PR Photos
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thanks to Limewire, not me!
I can’t stand reissues. It feels like a ploy, and it’s punishing loyal fans who actually bought the album the first time around, and now they have to buy it again (or buy the songs indpendently). I wish the artists would just rerelease a new album. I know it’s hard to make money on albums for the music companies, but these reissues feel wrong…they feel like they’re taking advantage of the honest and loyal fans.
I have always felt this way about reisusses: You are punishing your biggest fans, the ones who rushed out and bought your album the first week. Extra/new/bonus materials should be available ad-hoc.
Why hasn’t Slezak posted Adam’s CD cover? He is all over Kris Allen and is ignoring Adam – what gives??
My guess is Slezak wants to confirm that glittery abomination is legit before posting it.
In the case of GaGa, I don’t understand why she didn’t write and record 2 or 3 more tracks and release a new album. Even with Swift, she could have released an EP (remember those?)
Gaga wanted to release a whole new album, but her label wanted her to keep releasing singles off her album, so she had to compromise.
Cynical, fan-soaking cash-ins. Tacky.
The “Fame Monster” side of GaGa’s reissue is basically an album, mini conceptualized and everything (each track symbolizes a “monster” she’s faced in her life over the years). GaGa’s reissue seems more fully realized regardless (new cover shots, two discs), where Taylor’s just seems like a studio rehash to milk some more money out of her incredibly popular album (six new track, intermixed with her old stuff). In that spirit, I’ll be buying GaGa’s “Monster” (mainly because I think she’s the future of pop music), and skipping out on Swift (I do think “Fearless” was one of the best albums of the past year, regardless of genre).
In most cases, it’s out of the artist’s control as music is often owned by the label/publishing house and the label releases music when and how they please to make more money (i.e. Tim McGraw’s latest hits cd that went unapproved by McGraw). Musicians make money touring, the record companies off albums. So instead of blaming Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, blame the money-grabbing record labels (Big Machine and Interscope, respectively).
They’re both ok I guess. I’d really like for the both of them to make a little Harry Sandwich if ya get my drift.
I picked up the Taylor Swift one, it had some really nice content and I’m a big fan. 17 bucks is pretty cheap.
I hate reissues for the same reasons already expressed. I understand some artists are basically forced into releasing them, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be forced into buying it.
Luckily I got The Fame as a gift, so this is really the first time I’ll actually buy a Lady GaGa album.
It’s crass! If artists/record labels/execs cared about the fans, they would do what Sugarland did: release the “special edition” a week before the regular version came out. That way, no one is forced to decide whether to buy 2 copies of essentially the same disc. Another reason I love Sugarland!!
In all honesty, I haven’t purchased an album (or CD lol) in more than 12+ years. IMO a reissue works if there is new content, which Gaga has. I don’t blame her for the reissue – she’s been out for almost 2 years and it took the mass public almost 1 year to get into her…so why not reissue the original album, add some new songs, pics, and trinkets? More power to those people who can afford the $115 to buy it.
They just want your cash!
My boyfriend is a super huge Taylor Swift fan (in his defense he is a bit younger than I), but I went to both the local Best Buy & Target around dinner time this afternoon and was shocked that BOT stores were sold out of the “Fearless” re-issue. Now, mind you, I live in Philadelphia, & the Target & Best Buy in South Philly serve a large area…but seriously?! I am wondering if they just did not receive large quantities of the release, OR there are alot more Taylor Swift fans out there than I had thought willing to pay money for a year old cd with a couple new songs. I haven’t been that shocked in a while. But who knows til next week’s Billboard charts are released…but to everyone going remember when they released EPs? I have hated the concept of album re-issues since their inception, and but didn’t get overly upset until artists like 50 Cent and Fergie who both had already reached well past platinum status hit issued hit discs “The Massacre” and “The Dutchess”. I understand when labels started tacking on 1 or two new songs to a struggling album and re-issuing it, but now to re-release already platinum albums with a few new songs and a bonus dvd disc is just overkill. We all know the recording industry is taking blows year after year…but to continue working a year old album with a couple new tracks to keep it on the charts…I think they should just release new album or maxi singles like they used to with B-Sides. Kids today probably don’t even know what a b-side is! Fave b-side ever: Janet Jackson “On & On” from the “Anytime, Anyplace” maxi. I still pop that on every Spring/Summer. Sad its not going to be on her career spanning “Number Ones” next month.
Normally agree on reissue. Swift’s CD may be different. 19 songs, 6 new. 11 Video Features, 50 pictures and 24 page booklet.
Paid $13.98. Her last collector piece, if you can find it, selling for $25+ on Ebay sometimes more.
why would anyone still buy a CD (other than to have as a collectors item–like MJ’s Thriller?). don’t people just put the songs from the CD on their computers and then put those songs onto their MP3 player and then the CD never gets used again? do a lot of people still use discmans and boomboxes/stereos? just curious.
I like to own CDs. it makes me feel like I exist somehow. if too much stuff goes digital I start to wonder when we’re all just gonna up and disappear into the matrix.
lol. yes. but that’s what DVD libraries and books are for–they’re tangible. i will only buy a CD if it’s amazing, like a work of art–hence MJ’s Thriller.
They both should have been allowed to release totally new albums- I’m sure they had the material. But at least its better than most rereleases that add two songs
I think that some artists have a tendency to act lazy after a super successful album and not release an all new album after that. Both Taylor and Gaga could have released new albums even after all that touring in 2009 (Taylor writes a lot of songs–she could have released a new one on the 23rd and Lady Gaga oould have done 12 to 14 new songs of her dance pop with that ’80s influence and released it that same day). Don’t fool and rip off your fans; those reissues will make us gravitate to another artist’s music instead!
Definately GAGA! I wish I could afford the deluxe edition, only because that hair-bookmark sounds so ridiculous I have to experience it.
Everyone knows its just for the record companies to make more money! No one is dumb enough to buy re-issues or “deluxe” editions or whatever anymore. I’m sorry, but you’re basically buying the whole album AGAIN except there are two or three new songs. People are just keeping the original and then buying the handful of new songs off iTunes. >_<
For Taylor Swift–I think it’s an excuse to make her album Fearless 79 minutes long (I saw a whopping 19 (!) songs on the new one), something most country artists hardly do. And Lady Gaga could have recorded an all new album, not add 8 songs to the 14 of her original The Fame album. But maybe they’re attracting people that never got their original album the other 51 or 52 weeks, so they’re doing these reissues. Some people do wait a year to get an already successful award-winning album just to get a complete listening experience instead of a just the “hit” singles.
I am surprised at the flood of artists releasing their albums on November 23rd. They like to do that just in time for Thanksgiving and the Black Friday after Thanksgiving sales. Those artists want the big sales that first week instead of an anonymous week. Last year on Thanksgiving week didn’t have a glut of artists because of the recession. But this is big with Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert, Susan Boyle, Rihanna, Jay Sean and several other big names releasing on the 23rd!