The Return of the Single?

About 20 years ago, I used to purchase cassette singles of my favorite bands of that time (e.g. Guadalcanal Diary, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Smiths, etc.). Typically these kinds of tapes had the top two cuts from the LP and/or a track that was not included on the final release. It was an inexpensive way for me to find new music without buying the entire album. But, most bands stopped producing singles in the late eighties, as there was more money in selling a full length CD instead. So like most everyone, I had to buy entire albums and would just skip over the songs I wasn't a fan of.

Thankfully digital music has changed that paradigm, providing music enthusiasts with the ability to pick and choose the songs he or she would like to purchase, once again providing an inexpensive way to find new music. Not surprisingly, when I look at digital sales reports for the bands I work with, one thing they all share in common is that the majority (about 90 percent or greater) of their total digital sales come from individual songs, and not complete downloads of their albums.

So what potential consequences does this have for the indie musician? First, mediocre or filler tracks on albums will not sell online as individual songs, and they may actually have a negative impression with someone that is just browsing your music online for the first time. So you may want to consider not selling those tracks you feel don't quite make the cut. You will generate far more excitement and momentum by releasing a fantastic 5 song EP, than an average LP with a few great tracks. Secondly, only your most loyal fans will purchase all of your songs from any given album. So, one suggestion would be to allow your fan club (i.e. those that subscribe to your mailing-list, blog, podcast, etc.) to download those tracks you feel are below exceptional for free as a "thank you" for their support. It's not to say that you are giving your loyal fans bad songs, but rather, you have decided not to sell those songs as part of the album. Thank of it this way, as an indie musician you have to do everything you can to make great initial impressions with people that are listening to your music for the first time, and this is just one way to do that. I realize some of this is subjective, and a few songs you think are average may turn out to be your biggest hits, and vice-versa. But, every band in history writes average music from time to time. The difference is that you now have control over how you promote your music. Let someone else sell average music. 

So this begs the question: Should musicians create singles instead of albums? Maybe, as Stephen Dubner seems to suggest. But, for many musicians, producing a single is not that much less expensive than producing a 10 song album, especially when their band is performing the songs live every week. Additionally, when recording albums your music often embodies thematic sounds that recording singles can't capture. However, releasing an album is a limited promotional event, especially in the digital arena. And as mentioned, albums typically contain a few average tracks potentially deterring people from championing your music. Whereas, a band could possibly generate more promotional momentum and awareness by releasing the best individual songs from the same recording over a period of time. So, there are pros and cons to both, but they are equally subjective. So the answer may be not in how the music is recorded, but rather, in how it is released - you have control; don't sell average, only exceptional!

Peace, and as always, I welcome your comments.