I am surprised by this. The band is taking money out of their own pocket by doing this. Double albums cost more to produce and mfg. Then of course they cost more for the consumer to purchase. This means less album sales. Some critics may call a double album self indulgent, but for fans who have waited a long time for material it is a pretty selfless gift from the band. The casual listener won't buy a double album due to cost, thus losing a large part of the buying public. The band must figure most of the money will be made on tour...so we can sacrifice a few dollars on the album side.
One other thought. A lot of talk about singles....but very important to remember the idea of a single has really changed. The chances of a Fleetwood Mac single charting on the Billboard top 40 are slim now. A single is really a track the record company will promote to Adult Top 40 stations, classic rock, and Adult Contemporary stations for airplay consideration. Radio has become much more genre oriented so a top 40 single is doubtful...However, what that does mean is you could hear more songs on the radio in different market segments...A classic rock station may play a different new tune than a AC station, etc.
|