Strange/unexpected Moz references?

SteveWS said:
Sorry - not sure where to place this post:

I went to HMV yesterday, and was aghast to see the prices of Smiths & Moz vinyl albums (and other artists too). I mean, £29-39 for 'old' albums which, on cd, could once have been bought for near-pennies!? Even the old Beatles 'Blue' compilation album was an incredible £74(!) Is it very expensive to make vinyl records, then, or is it all a rip-off?
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"...The level of greed is off the charts. Because it’s so hard to make money in music nowadays, the labels have decided to squeeze as much cash as they can from vinyl fans. This is one area where Spotify and Apple don’t call the shots, so why not charge twenty dollars for vinyl? Or maybe thirty dollars is better. Hell, let’s ask for forty, and see who will buy?

In other words, a technology that is 70 years old—and in which labels have invested almost zero additional dollars—is priced as if it’s a hot new innovation requiring billions of dollars in startup capital. This is like taking your old shoes, and trying to sell them for twenty times what you paid for them...

...The music industry could get rich by developing a next generation vinyl format. Let’s call if Super-Vinyl. It would have all of the advantages of the current physical products, but with better audio quality, durability, etc. Maybe it even comes with some digital or NFT twist. Let your imagination run wild.

This is the single biggest opportunity for record labels to take the music business back from Silicon Valley. Spotify and Apple wouldn’t have a clue how to respond to a high tech physical format in music—their business systems aren’t equipped to deal with that kind of competition.

The major labels could change the whole direction of the industry in their favor. But it would require vision, hard work, and investment. That was exactly how vinyl was developed in the first place, back at Columbia Records. It could happen again. The best approach would be a joint venture between several key record labels.

I would support a next generation vinyl-type product. Tens of millions of other people would do the same. Who in the music business is ready to step up and make it happen? I don’t see a single CEO in the industry with the vision and drive to do this, so I’m pessimistic. But I’d love to be proven wrong.

Meanwhile, I’m buying up more 40-year-old virgin LPs."

--- https://www.honest-broker.com/p/i-return-to-vinyl-after-34-years

AND , now it seems streaming is going the same way:

"This is the new normal. You will pay more for less.

And there’s not much you can do about it—except walk away from these platforms. They expect a few of you will do just that, but more will stay. These remaining loyalists will get punished for their loyalty.

That’s the new streaming business model in a nutshell.

But don't expect Disney, Netflix, Spotify, or anyone else to announce it in a press release. Watch what they do, not what they say.

Here’s a tiny glimmer of good news. As legacy businesses enter this endgame phase, opportunities emerge for indie operators and freelancers. Creativity won’t disappear—it will just change its location.

If you work in entertainment or media, you can still thrive. Endgame for some will be the beginning for many others."

--- https://www.honest-broker.com/p/why-streaming-subscription-prices
 
goinghome said:
"...The level of greed is off the charts. Because it’s so hard to make money in music nowadays, the labels have decided to squeeze as much cash as they can from vinyl fans. This is one area where Spotify and Apple don’t call the shots, so why not charge twenty dollars for vinyl? Or maybe thirty dollars is better. Hell, let’s ask for forty, and see who will buy?

In other words, a technology that is 70 years old—and in which labels have invested almost zero additional dollars—is priced as if it’s a hot new innovation requiring billions of dollars in startup capital. This is like taking your old shoes, and trying to sell them for twenty times what you paid for them...

...The music industry could get rich by developing a next generation vinyl format. Let’s call if Super-Vinyl. It would have all of the advantages of the current physical products, but with better audio quality, durability, etc. Maybe it even comes with some digital or NFT twist. Let your imagination run wild.

This is the single biggest opportunity for record labels to take the music business back from Silicon Valley. Spotify and Apple wouldn’t have a clue how to respond to a high tech physical format in music—their business systems aren’t equipped to deal with that kind of competition.

The major labels could change the whole direction of the industry in their favor. But it would require vision, hard work, and investment. That was exactly how vinyl was developed in the first place, back at Columbia Records. It could happen again. The best approach would be a joint venture between several key record labels.

I would support a next generation vinyl-type product. Tens of millions of other people would do the same. Who in the music business is ready to step up and make it happen? I don’t see a single CEO in the industry with the vision and drive to do this, so I’m pessimistic. But I’d love to be proven wrong.

Meanwhile, I’m buying up more 40-year-old virgin LPs."

--- https://www.honest-broker.com/p/i-return-to-vinyl-after-34-years

AND , now it seems streaming is going the same way:

"This is the new normal. You will pay more for less.

And there’s not much you can do about it—except walk away from these platforms. They expect a few of you will do just that, but more will stay. These remaining loyalists will get punished for their loyalty.

That’s the new streaming business model in a nutshell.

But don't expect Disney, Netflix, Spotify, or anyone else to announce it in a press release. Watch what they do, not what they say.

Here’s a tiny glimmer of good news. As legacy businesses enter this endgame phase, opportunities emerge for indie operators and freelancers. Creativity won’t disappear—it will just change its location.

If you work in entertainment or media, you can still thrive. Endgame for some will be the beginning for many others."

--- https://www.honest-broker.com/p/why-streaming-subscription-prices
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There is already a product called Super Vinyl ............... Mofi have been doing super vinyl for years. I have quite a few in my collection.

Vinyl prices for new pressings (re-issues) have got out of hand though, but to manufacture an LP is not a cheap process and requires labour more so than pressing the silver spinners (CDs). A lot of people have to be paid, mastering engineers, the labels and the rights have to be bought to do so, and of course the physical materials on top - producing the jackets and vinyl itself.

Analogue Productions pay big money to get the rights to do so.
There is a whisper that "The Queen Is Dead" may be a future project for them.
That would be exciting if they did, to have that album spread over two 45rpms would be superb - they did a wonderful job of Phil Collin's Face Value under the Atlantic 75 re-issue campaign.

I do not buy many CDs as the Vinyl format is my preferred way of listening to all my music, I do not stream or subscribe to any streaming services. I will use free spotify sometimes if something comes on my radar and if I like it, I will seek out the vinyl pressing. But this is because that is how I prefer to consume my music. Of course nothing wrong with streaming either, convenience alone is a winner there let alone being the least expensive.

Most of my records though are original pressings but I do buy new sometimes - but I admit the prices over the last 3 years have doubled & I am not sure this is really in line with inflation or the record labels taking the Pi$$ out of collectors such as myself. I guess it is a combination of both :unsure:
 
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The Alchemist said:
Seemed like she was trying :ROFLMAO:
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well they’ve seem to have edited it, so, just not sure, maybe they recorded it before his donation was made public. Still surprised Marr hasn’t chipped in, maybe should have said yes to that reunion if he’s skint.
 
 
April Snow said:
There is already a product called Super Vinyl ............... Mofi have been doing super vinyl for years. I have quite a few in my collection.

Vinyl prices for new pressings (re-issues) have got out of hand though, but to manufacture an LP is not a cheap process and requires labour more so than pressing the silver spinners (CDs). A lot of people have to be paid, mastering engineers, the labels and the rights have to be bought to do so, and of course the physical materials on top - producing the jackets and vinyl itself.

Analogue Productions pay big money to get the rights to do so.
There is a whisper that "The Queen Is Dead" may be a future project for them.
That would be exciting if they did, to have that album spread over two 45rpms would be superb - they did a wonderful job of Phil Collin's Face Value under the Atlantic 75 re-issue campaign.

I do not buy many CDs as the Vinyl format is my preferred way of listening to all my music, I do not stream or subscribe to any streaming services. I will use free spotify sometimes if something comes on my radar and if I like it, I will seek out the vinyl pressing. But this is because that is how I prefer to consume my music. Of course nothing wrong with streaming either, convenience alone is a winner there let alone being the least expensive.

Most of my records though are original pressings but I do buy new sometimes - but I admit the prices over the last 3 years have doubled & I am not sure this is really in line with inflation or the record labels taking the Pi$$ out of collectors such as myself. I guess it is a combination of both :unsure:
Click to expand...
Thanks, April Snow.

The possibility of something new being done with The Queen Is Dead will cause ears to prick up.

On Super Vinyl already existing, how does that work? Presumably the turntable must be 'smart'? And the records have somehow been digitally enabled? I'll have to snoop more closely next time I'm in a sound store!

Other issues have indeed been identified in relation to the high vinyl prices, with supply chain troubles getting mentioned but in particular, a constantly rising demand that the industry wasn't prepared for.

"...The rising cost of vinyl isn’t just about greedy execs trying to squeeze more pennies out of our pockets. It’s a complex mix of factors that’s driving up prices such as:
  • Production costs have increased significantly. The raw materials, especially PVC, have seen huge price hikes. Add to that the labor-intensive nature of vinyl production and a shortage of skilled workers, and you’ve got a recipe for higher manufacturing costs.
  • There’s a severe imbalance between supply and demand. The vinyl comeback caught the industry with its pants down, leading to a shortage of operational pressing plants. This bottleneck allows existing manufacturers to charge premium prices, and who can blame them?
  • Vinyl is now treated as a premium product rather than a mass-market item. Many of us view vinyl as more than just a way to listen to music – it’s a collectible, a piece of art. Because of this, labels now use better materials and fancier packaging, which are just additional costs.
  • The market has shown a willingness to bear these high prices. Despite the price hikes, sales are still increasing. So, labels and retailer don’t really see a reason to tone it down, yet..."
- https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/08/issue-stopping-vinyl-revival-reaching-peak/
 
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