Are preview tracks bringing down a release?

[JP Universe]

After listening to a couple of teaser tracks from Animals as Leaders - Weightless I was really excited but when the album came out I tended to skip past those songs and not listen to the album as a whole.... Looking back I think it may have hurt the album as I've come back to it after about a month and i'm listening to it from start to finish and i'm liking it a bit more I have to say....

The same thing has happened with the Meshuggah release with 'do not look down' being my favourite song on the album although I seem to be more inclined to skip it as it's not as fresh hmmmmm again if I just avoided listening to the teasers and album previews I think i'd be better off.

Both bands preview songs also seemed to be their best.

Hence to say I won't be listening to any 'teasers' or 'album previews' ever again after learning my lesson the 2nd time!

What do you guys think? Do you listen to the teasers? Does it hinder the full album experience?

[Furtive Glance]

When Systematic Chaos came out in 2007, just before, they released Constant Motion, Dark Eternal Night, and Forsaken within the span of 2-3 months. Granted, this was their first Roadrunner album and they were no doubt drumming up support. I listened to the first two a great deal (never liked Forsaken, eugh) and when I got the album, having heard a leaked copy of Prophets of War a few times too, it left about 50% of the material to digest. So yes, I skipped those tracks and I felt like I cheated myself.

Since then, I don't listen to any preview tracks at all. I like taking in the whole album for what it is. It gets really hard to not listen but it's worth it, like with A Dramatic Turn of Events, for instance.

[fps]

No-one's making you listen to preview tracks, I haven't been listening to advance songs from bands I definitely love for about 4 years at least, it lifts the lid and starts spoiling the music.

[svart]

to me personally it doesn't matter. a killer song remains a killer song, and a filler will remain a filler...

[Cheap Poison]

Maybe the more important question is to ask if maybe it isn't more natural to release just tracks whenever and not use the set value of an album.

I don't know but there is always a lot of talk about rethinking the business model for music so.

[leftyguitarjoe]

I think its just you OP. I dont like to listen to songs. I listen to albums. A preview track can help me decide to buy an album. After hearing Do Not Look Down, I immediately ordered Koloss. Anyway, previews help my make decisions and do not affect my music listening experiences at all.

[fps]

Originally Posted by Cheap Poison

Maybe the more important question is to ask if maybe it isn't more natural to release just tracks whenever and not use the set value of an album.

I don't know but there is always a lot of talk about rethinking the business model for music so.

It depends what you're trying to achieve. The business model for big bands now is touring, which means there are 5 year gaps between albums. When you think about it, that is flipping absurd in terms of artistic legacy. The Beatles' entire career spanned a couple of Tool albums.

Nowadays most non-headline bands should keep more active musically, because it just isn't going to last forever, you can't build that kind of massive status, and even if you do the dinosaurs of rock are blocking your path to ever truly making it to headliner status. Think of it this way, if Led Zeppelin were still regularly playing, they'd probably go above everyone else on the card, in the same way Black Sabbath were automatic headliners when the reunion was initially announced. Bands like Slayer sticking around helps nobody in terms of building up new acts.

I think they should release EPs more regularly. A lot of them seem to have given up on fans actually bothering to buy their albums. Maybe a more realistically priced product, or indeed more regular releases, would mean people felt a little more excited about following their favourite bands, rather than the big build-up to a release every 3 years and then a collapse in general interest while the band tours. Write on the road, get an EP out.

Korn are pretty good at doing two albums just about back to back, (Korn/Life Is Peachy, Follow The Leader/Issues, Untouchables/TALITM, whatever the ones after that are....) then taking 2-3 years before the next one. I like that approach.