Which Do You Think Is More Quintessential As An Artist- Album of Live Performance?
 

I've been thinking about this lately and really is more important to the essence of an artist and I've really been struggling with it.

I guess part of me wants to be absolute and chose one over the other. If I had to, I'd have to go with the album because without the album, there can't really be live performance. But then you have someone like Taylor Swift who produces decent albums but can't perform live worth ANYTHING........

So what do you all think?

Much Love,
Ethan

Well. You're certainly challenging the record for most questionable use of the word quintessential (and I should know- welcome to 1998!)

The root of "quintessential" is "essence". And what is the essence of a song that is widely publicly known? Its commercial release. Simple as that.

Are you listening or watching.....
 

Both are important - if I'm listening, I want the nuance and texture. FM is a great example of a band whose albums sound different in different environments - they sound different in my car than in my living room.
Live - I want a band to make the songs come alive - not necessarily just like the recording but reinterpreted to fit the venue, mood etc.
Both are separate areas - the great artists have something special in both areas.

Let the record reflect that The Beatles stopped touring after 1965, which is also when they started producing their greatest recordings.

Kate Bush has not performed a full concert since 1980, yet she is one of the most admired recording artists.

Barbra Streisand tours infrequently, but she has been astonishingly prolific in the studio throughout her five-decade career. And she possesses what is unquestionably one of the most exquisite voices in history.

On the flipside, there are just too many artists that tour incessantly but never put out new albums (sound familiar, Stevie?).

At the end of the day, regardless of whether you record, tour or do both, you've gotta be good at what you do. But if your recordings suck to begin with, it's a non-starter. I can't think of any artists that I admire that put out ****ty albums, but deliver great live performances. Well... perhaps Bruce Springsteen may be closest to fitting that bill. But, in general, if you can't deliver in the studio, you have no business being on stage.

depends on the artist