Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
In the early to mid seventies we only really had the Old Grey Whistle Test on TV and a few enlightened radio presenters (John Peel, Alan Freeman) who allowed a small window into progressive music as it was known then (non pop), plus of course reviews in the music press. I used to buy an album most weeks and it was based on some limited knowledge, but if you didn’t like an album first time around, you kept playing it until you did lol 😂
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
They had listening booths in the record shops. But they wouldnt let you listen to more than a couple of tracks, as I recall.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
I don't think it's that ridiculous tbh.
Ridiculous is perhaps too strong a word, but I don't think the same drivers any more.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
In the early to mid seventies we only really had the Old Grey Whistle Test on TV and a few enlightened radio presenters (John Peel, Alan Freeman) who allowed a small window into progressive music as it was known then (non pop), plus of course reviews in the music press. I used to buy an album most weeks and it was based on some limited knowledge, but if you didn’t like an album first time around, you kept playing it until you did lol 😂
Without meaning to be pompous I think that is an important point. A good band challenged you and forced you to grow by taking you out of your comfort zone. If we never did that we would all still be listening to "twinkle twinkle little star" and great classical music would not exist...
For all you rock fans there’s a very good documentary about the making of the Paranoid album on Amazon. (Black Sabbath).
I bought their first album when it came out. Wish I’d kept it as it’s worth a few bob now. Can’t think of a really disappointing album…ah yes, I bought a Bjork album which I really didn’t like, so took it back. Can’t remember which one. I think it was on blue vinyl. Don’t know why I bought it.
Also bought Exodus Dub by Chalawa. It wasn’t a dub album, it was just an instrumental version of Exodus recorded in Canada. No dub effects at all. Very disappointing.
Bought "Spangle maker" by Cocteau Twins, it never wore out any HiFi needles, neither did "Heaven up Here" by Echo and the Bunnymen.
It was disappointing when you bought a wrong un, but occasionally you bought a album and were totally surprised I can think of two the Rubinoos first which I bought on the back of "I think were alone now" (NOT Tiffanys version some years later" and the Yellow B52s.
The worst album Christmas present, I asked for one by the Cardigans from my parents, and got a Cardigan from M&S!
I used to love Ultravox, and their U-Vox album was the epitome of a band that had run out of ideas - to this day I don't think I have played it all the way through as it was just so pointless. Construction Time Again by Depeche Mode was another terrible record I wasted good money. More recently I bought James graetest hits on the back of two singles I liked, only to find they were the only two songs of any merit on the album.
Bought "Spangle maker" by Cocteau Twins, it never wore out any HiFi needles, neither did "Heaven up Here" by Echo and the Bunnymen.
It was disappointing when you bought a wrong un, but occasionally you bought a album and were totally surprised I can think of two the Rubinoos first which I bought on the back of "I think were alone now" (NOT Tiffanys version some years later" and the Yellow B52s.
The worst album Christmas present, I asked for one by the Cardigans from my parents, and got a Cardigan from M&S!
Funnily enough, Heaven Up Here is one of my favourite albums, certainly my favourite Bunnymen one. I was 16, and everything felt like it was grey, miserable and overcast. I still regularly listen to it.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
I don't think it's that ridiculous tbh.
Ridiculous is perhaps too strong a word, but I don't think the same drivers any more.
I would automatically buy my favourite bands records back in the day. I cannot remember the last time i purchased a physical album.
I kind of miss those days. Streaming just isn't the same. I have absolutely no idea when bands release new music these days either. In the old days it would be in NME.
Part of the biggest issue before streaming was no real try before you buy so you went off the strength of reviews or hearing the odd song. This led to purchases of albums by The Twang and Glasvegas. Neither of which i managed to get past the first couple of songs before ditching.
Who would buy an album before listening to any of the songs?
Good question, and it seems ridiculous to do so now. Back in the old days though, all you had to go on was what was what they played on the radio and that would usually just be singles, so unless a mate had the album in question there wasn't much choice. It made it a gamble, but it was great fun bringing an album home when you'd only heard two of the ten songs on it.
I don't think it's that ridiculous tbh.
Ridiculous is perhaps too strong a word, but I don't think the same drivers any more.
I would automatically buy my favourite bands records back in the day. I cannot remember the last time i purchased a physical album.
I kind of miss those days. Streaming just isn't the same. I have absolutely no idea when bands release new music these days either. In the old days it would be in NME.
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Shite!
Can’t think of a really disappointing album…ah yes, I bought a Bjork album which I really didn’t like, so took it back. Can’t remember which one. I think it was on blue vinyl. Don’t know why I bought it.
It was disappointing when you bought a wrong un, but occasionally you bought a album and were totally surprised I can think of two the Rubinoos first which I bought on the back of "I think were alone now" (NOT Tiffanys version some years later" and the Yellow B52s.
The worst album Christmas present, I asked for one by the Cardigans from my parents, and got a Cardigan from M&S!
I cannot remember the last time i purchased a physical album.
I kind of miss those days. Streaming just isn't the same. I have absolutely no idea when bands release new music these days either. In the old days it would be in NME.