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Posted by James W. Coates Jun 3, 2008 |
After a quick scan of the iTunes store this morning I noticed that a Greatest Hits collection by Radiohead features prominently on the top banner as well a new compilation Now 28.
Having been part of the record buying public long enough to remember 45’ singles, one question plagues me; are Greatest Hits albums necessary anymore?
Before the internet music explosion, a Greatest Hits album meant a collection of all an artist’s singles onto one disc, with the possibility of owning new tracks added for marketability.
These days club goers can hear a great dance track by Armin Van Buuren and download the song instantaneously. There’s no need to wait for a DJ compilation, artist album or Greatest Hits collections since most of the songs they would contain fill my mp3 player already.
Since getting an iPod, I rarely buy CDs anymore, opting for the more convenient (and greener) digital solution. And on the rare occasion that I do buy one, I simply rip it onto my computer and place the jewel box on the shelf.
Once a devoted album listener, I now play my entire library on shuffle or make playlists of my favorite tracks based around my personal themes. Buying a Greatest Hits collection of tracks I already own and listen to frequently seems absurd, unless it includes added incentives like new tracks or videos – and even then with the ability to download only those tracks, buying the entire disc adds up to a huge waste of time and money.
So while its great to see Radiohead on iTunes, it’s disappointing to see that there’s nothing new included to make me excited. Instead I’ll keep shuffling the tracks I own and mix them with the latest albums from Cyndi Lauper and Ladytron.