Lacuna Coil jump on the "rip off the fans" bandwagon...
Lacuna Coil, one of my favourite bands, has recently had their current album Shallow Life re-issued with a bonus disc of extra tracks and live performances. The same thing happened with their album Comalies but at least at that time you could buy the bonus disc from the Century Media shop if you had already bought the original album (Century Media being the bands record label). This time however there is no such option.
When I bought Shallow Life, when it was originally released last April, there were two versions available. A digipak version with a bonus track, Oblivion, and a standard 12 track jewel case version. I opted for the digipak version to get the bonus track (who wouldnt want more music from their favourite bands?). When I found out that a new Deluxe Version had been released I wasnt very happy. I bought the album as soon as it came out because I love Lacuna Coils music and couldnt wait to own it. Now I feel cheated because if I had waited nearly a year I could have had bought the Deluxe Version instead of one of the standard versions. Many of the extra tracks in the Deluxe Edition are cuts from the Shallow Life recording sessions so would have been available at the time of the albums original release. Why didnt they put them out on a Deluxe Version back then?
Stonesour, P!nk, Disturbed, In This Moment, Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Destinys Child, Foo Fighters, Atreyu, Deathstars, Miley Cyrus So many artists and bands have done this over the years and it is an insult to us, the fans. The fans should be able to have the choice from day one as to whether they should buy the Deluxe Version or the standard version. Chances are it isnt entirely the bands decision, its more likely than not down to the record label and management. Either way it still doesnt bode well for the fans, who have to shell out more money for an album they already have just for a few extra tracks. YES I want the extra tracks but NO I dont want to have to buy the album again to get them. Why would I want 2 copies of the same album?
It seems that this is what happens when a band gains more popularity. The record labels decide its a good idea to screw their fans for as much money as they can. After all of this they still wonder why people download illegally. Any true fan of a band will buy the album when its first released. They wont wait on the off chance that a Deluxe Version becomes available.
Many albums are available from the original release in Deluxe Edition and standard edition so why cant they all be the same? Why do some bands feel the need to rip fans off by releasing additional content for a premium at a later date?
I quite happily got the latest Depeche Mode, Rammstein, Children of Bodom, and Creed albums in the Deluxe Edition and was able to do so on the original release dates and not nearly a year later. No wonder the world of music is a mess. Its no longer about the music and creativity instead, as with everything else in the world, its about money, money money!
In 40 years time what modern day music is going to be as influential and popular as the music of the 1960-70s? Which of todays artists and bands will have a legacy as great as that of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Elvis Presley? Not many, if any.
Lacuna Coil, one of my favourite bands, has recently had their current album Shallow Life re-issued with a bonus disc of extra tracks and live performances. The same thing happened with their album Comalies but at least at that time you could buy the bonus disc from the Century Media shop if you had already bought the original album (Century Media being the bands record label). This time however there is no such option.
When I bought Shallow Life, when it was originally released last April, there were two versions available. A digipak version with a bonus track, Oblivion, and a standard 12 track jewel case version. I opted for the digipak version to get the bonus track (who wouldnt want more music from their favourite bands?). When I found out that a new Deluxe Version had been released I wasnt very happy. I bought the album as soon as it came out because I love Lacuna Coils music and couldnt wait to own it. Now I feel cheated because if I had waited nearly a year I could have had bought the Deluxe Version instead of one of the standard versions. Many of the extra tracks in the Deluxe Edition are cuts from the Shallow Life recording sessions so would have been available at the time of the albums original release. Why didnt they put them out on a Deluxe Version back then?
Stonesour, P!nk, Disturbed, In This Moment, Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Destinys Child, Foo Fighters, Atreyu, Deathstars, Miley Cyrus So many artists and bands have done this over the years and it is an insult to us, the fans. The fans should be able to have the choice from day one as to whether they should buy the Deluxe Version or the standard version. Chances are it isnt entirely the bands decision, its more likely than not down to the record label and management. Either way it still doesnt bode well for the fans, who have to shell out more money for an album they already have just for a few extra tracks. YES I want the extra tracks but NO I dont want to have to buy the album again to get them. Why would I want 2 copies of the same album?
It seems that this is what happens when a band gains more popularity. The record labels decide its a good idea to screw their fans for as much money as they can. After all of this they still wonder why people download illegally. Any true fan of a band will buy the album when its first released. They wont wait on the off chance that a Deluxe Version becomes available.
Many albums are available from the original release in Deluxe Edition and standard edition so why cant they all be the same? Why do some bands feel the need to rip fans off by releasing additional content for a premium at a later date?
I quite happily got the latest Depeche Mode, Rammstein, Children of Bodom, and Creed albums in the Deluxe Edition and was able to do so on the original release dates and not nearly a year later. No wonder the world of music is a mess. Its no longer about the music and creativity instead, as with everything else in the world, its about money, money money!
In 40 years time what modern day music is going to be as influential and popular as the music of the 1960-70s? Which of todays artists and bands will have a legacy as great as that of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Elvis Presley? Not many, if any.