Mercury

Which do you prefer?

From investment and entertainment standpoints I am conflicted.

STUDIO ALBUMS

Pros: They are complete representations of the artist during that particular intervel in their career. They're milestones. From beginning to end they tend to more uniform; more of a complete work of art; whole. They contain good songs that often don't make it to the greatest hits compliations. Studio albums can be considered "masterpieces", unifyig critics.

Cons: Often they contain "filler" songs and only spotlight a handful of real hits. The artist may have quite a bit of studio albums, thus you have to spend quite a bit to own a comprehensive collection. Maybe you end up never being in the mood to play a particular album.

GREATEST HITS

Pros: They have pretty much every good song from the artists career, giving you a broad perspective. They are economical, it costs less to buy a greatest hits set than it does to buy all the good albums. Also, fewer CD's containing more proven songs. Ease of use. Sometimes contain DVD's, booklets.

Cons: Almost always missing several songs that one might feel should have been included. Inconsistant mixing is usual, you could have one song from the 70's followed by another song from the 90's. That gives it a non-uniform artistic composition (i.e. no theme, message). Box sets can be very expensive.



The main reason I ask this is because I am unsure how to go about buying Beatles CD's. I've never gotten into the Beatles and I want to own some of their music, I'm just not sure if I want it in box set form or album versions. Shold I get the $125 complete collection or should I just buy Abbey Road, The White Album and Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club?

The same issue applies to most great bands (zeppelin, Aerosmith, carpenters).

What would/do you do?

crookedhatinator45

i find that greatest hits are often times pretty 'meh' and tend to be poor chronicles of artists' careers.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk3tchyD4ZO no doubt. the first place i had these was at Space Camp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Former President Hayes stfu with this pretend bullshit cutesy "lol @ bears" you don't know what its like to like in CONSTANT threat of bear attack.you don't even FUCKING KNOW.

Quote:

Originally Posted by v3d4 note to self: veda, you decided not to look at this thread anymore.

♫ılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲ ̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılı ♫

crookedhatinator45

PS- i'm an impulse buyer fo sho when it comes to buying records.. i'll go in to my record store not even planning to spend money and walk out poor.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk3tchyD4ZO no doubt. the first place i had these was at Space Camp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Former President Hayes stfu with this pretend bullshit cutesy "lol @ bears" you don't know what its like to like in CONSTANT threat of bear attack.you don't even FUCKING KNOW.

Quote:

Originally Posted by v3d4 note to self: veda, you decided not to look at this thread anymore.

♫ılıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲ ̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llılı ♫

Grieves

studio albums always...

i like b,c,d,e,f-sides...often more than the "singles"...

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Waves

i like them both.

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On this life that we call home
The years go fast and the days go so slow

verklingen

i dig albums for the most part. i feel bad skipping tracks, even

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“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

myxomatosis

As a general rule albums are the way to go and as was said greatest hits tend to be lacking. Some artists are better suited and/or just fine to be left at a greatest hits cd.

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oh sometimes the blues is just a passing bird
and why can't that always be
tossing aside from your birches crown
just enough dark to see
how you're the light over me

last.fm
blog deal (updated 12/22/11)

msicidron

dude come on i KNNNEEEWWWW this thread was gonna be from you when i saw the title

you kidding me?


greatest hits for the lose

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