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Last Rites for the Single

 
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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 7646

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:32 am    Post subject: Last Rites for the Single Reply with quote

The other day Simon Mayo, persisting with Evans' Juke Box Jury thread, played Aimi Macdonald's new single Poison Prince, due to be released on 19th May Rolling Eyes (no April Fool, apparently).

However, since Zavvi have announced that they are no longer selling them, and HMV have relegated theirs to some forgotten corner, top 30 and a couple of new releases only, one wonders if there will be anywhere left to release it physically to come May 19th.

The demise of this once omnipotent format is surely imminent.
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iwarburton



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suppose the demise of the single is inevitable but it'll be the end of an era when it happens.

I've still got a reasonable number of my 60s singles, even though I hardly ever play them any more. Many more ended up in charity shops etc.

Ian.
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Ian Robinson
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Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 3608
Location: Chorley, Lancashire

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And seeing as the songs are played for months anyway and that's where the artist makes the money, the so-called 'release date' is even more irrelevant.
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Clive55



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 1336

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The future of the "single" is probably downloading.
If I want to purchase a particular track, or the latest single I heard on gthe radio or the net, but do not want to buy a whole album, I will download that single/track
.79pence to download a single/track
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Shaky Fan



Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 628

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I still buy singles though not as many these days (mainly for reasons of space)

What really p***es me off is the shops saying nobody buys singles any more - perhaps if they put them somewhere you could actually find them it would help! And bring them in in the first place. Last Monday I searched Belfast for the CD of the new Estelle single for my number 1s collection. This is the biggest selling single of the previous week and not 1 shop had a copy of it! And the prices are a rip-off! They have now made an attempt to solve this with 1 track singles retailing at 99p (a fair enough price at around 20p more for the download as you're getting a physical product with artwork. But Zavvi (formerly Virgin - crap name, crap store) are selling these at £2 each!

Ironically it is now easier to buy your favourite single on vinyl than on CD, in fact given the rapid drop in CD sales the 7" may soon be the most popular way to buy a physical single in future!
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Shaky Fan



Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 628

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh and great to see Amy MacDonald's Posion Prince being given a full release! I have the original on 7" and CD from last year!
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SantaFefan



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 11258
Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk

PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

err, I know I'm being really thick here.. but do I gather that you can still buy a 7" vinyl single record - for a record player?? ( honestly, I don't know Razz )
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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 7646

PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apparently, in the same way as there is still a niche market for 12" vinyl in dance/urban music there has been demand from the younger end of the spectrum for the 7" version, mostly for indie and unsigned (to major labels) artists.

Aimi's album has already sold in quantity (SM quoted 750,000) so I'm not sure whether this new single, which sounds very like Mr Rock and Roll, will do very much.
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Lord Evan Elpuss



Joined: 10 Dec 2006
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Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back in January, I was at a gig which included The Parlotones. I got a package of goodies which included a vinyl single, all for about £10.
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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As a remembrance of my plooky youth I still possess a load of 60s and 70s 7" singles. Those that weren't subsequently duplicated by their inclusion on albums I bought I recorded onto CD-R with a hifi CD recorder (in the days before you could do it more easily with a PC), but I have been reluctant to part with any of them. Although they're still in good condition very few are rare and wouldn't realise much these days, either for me or a charity shop - I just prefer to leaf through them now and again and recall what I was doing when I bought them. Sad, am I not?
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Lord Evan Elpuss



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PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At least our generation can do that, and the CD generation could too, but I just don't see how the download generation could. I mean how could anyone get nostalgic in years to come about those first downloads!
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Shaky Fan



Joined: 11 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The good thing about downloads for me is that you can pick up tracks which are impossible to find on CD! It also means that you can "cherrypick" albums and pay a couple of quid for the 2 or 3 tracks you want rather than fork out for the full album.

7" singles are most definitely still being released. As well as the indie and unsigned (to major labels) artists that ron mentioned there are a few "pop" acts like McFly and Lily Allen releasing on vinyl - mainly picture discs. Total annual sales of the format had dropped to around 180,000 in 2002 but by 2006 they were back over the 1 million mark!
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Clive55



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 1336

PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Downloads can be handy for getting hold of clasic singles or tracks.
Before, it was a trip down to Beanos & forking out for one of their singles.
Now it is just a quick visit to i-tunes or whoever. And you can do it at 1 in the morning when the urge strikes!
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SantaFefan



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 11258
Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk

PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Clive55 wrote:
And you can do it at 1 in the morning when the urge strikes!


I often have an urge at 1am. Luckily we have an en-suite...
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Clive55



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PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What, behind a tree not good enough for you? Shocked
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