Consumerism was slower social media and streaming platforms didn’t exist yet, and listening experiences were intimate and thought-provoking.īut things have changed. They could be comprised of an artist or musician’s greatest hits they could be concept albums they could be a chance to experiment, but above all, albums were more cost-effective. Reel it back to the golden age of albums - think Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.” At the time, albums were the strategic move. Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me” was the second single from their 2014 album, “In the Lonely Hour,” accompanied by other heart-wrenching hits like “Lay Me Down” and “Money on My Mind.”īut we’ve reached a point where, in mainstream music, the smartest way to get traction is to release single after single until there are enough to compile into an EP. , released in 2011, attracted enough attention to make their 2012 studio album, “Some Nights,” a success. Singles were, of course, released in advance of full projects as a component of musicians’ marketing plan.

When I was younger, I would bite my nails in anticipation of Taylor Swift’ s next album. We’ve grown intolerant to full-length albums, deeming the intricate work of thoughtful musicians indigestible. We turn to singles and sub-half-hour EPs to satiate our hunger for new music - but our stomachs have shrunk. As for his Critics Choice win at the BRITs earlier this year, why are there so many mixed/negative reviews if he was the 'critics' choice? I personally find that it's not even proper critics that make the choice.A slow-burning virus has finally anchored itself: we lack the attention spans and patience to experience an album in its entirety. As much as this may not help, steer clear of this album, even though it'll probably be amongst the best selling albums of 2014 at the end of the year. I've heard a cover of the track 'Stay with Me' by Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine) and her version is better by miles. It just shows that **** over-hyped, pointless music sells. The opening track is quite possibly one of the worst UK number 1 singles ever. As much as this may not help, There's far too much hype about this album, it's all over nothing. There's far too much hype about this album, it's all over nothing.

In the lonely hour album itunes