Can Concept Albums Make a Comeback?

I remember not so long ago concept albums were really cool and exciting to listen to. It was like getting one of those old Russian Matryoshka dolls, you know, the doll inside the doll inside the doll. There was always a new story in each layer of the music and lyrics. But when the "Corporate Cannibals" started pushing bull shite, all we got was a conveyer belt of one hit wonders. But the factory has finally been shut down. There may be a few factories still running the cracked mold but it's pretty much done for them.

I don't know about ya'll, but I think we can definitely bring concept albums back. Today as an artist I feel totally free to do what ever the fire cracker (lol) I want to do!!!!

I've been working on my next project which is a concept album called, Surraeon (Surr-a - on) and I'm taking my time with it cause I want to give people their own Matryoshka doll!

Make it happen!

ar

Tags: Albums, Concept

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Permalink Reply by Golem_3 on June 16, 2009 at 8:31pm

you like "The Wall", huh?

Yeah, concept albums have already been making a steady come-back. Its only been on a non-mainstream level. Kinda under-the-radar.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Ray on June 16, 2009 at 9:00pm

Yea you're right, all the good stuff is always under the radar. And maybe, ppl will go back buying entire albums again.
I see you're a fan of Waking Life, that's one of my favorite films. You should take your goal and ride it into the sunset.
You would in your waking state! :-)

make it happen!

ar

Golem_3 said:

you like "The Wall", huh?

Yeah, concept albums have already been making a steady come-back. Its only been on a non-mainstream level. Kinda under-the-radar.

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Permalink Reply by Compound Egret on June 16, 2009 at 10:19pm

If by comeback you mean multiplatinum status, ala Tommy or The Wall, the answer is no due to the factory shutdown you mentioned in your post. The availability of cheap but quality recording equipment should hopefully result in more concept albums by allowing musicians to get as creative as they want without incurring as many studio costs. Good luck with yours.

A few that I dug on:
Venom's At War With Satan. The title track takes a whole side.
King Diamond-I think all of his albums are concept albums. Abigail and the one with Sleepless Nights are my favs.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Ray on June 16, 2009 at 10:56pm

Thanks!!

But yea I think it would be easier to do it now like you said and therefore would result in a increase of concept albums. But I can only hope so.

Compound Egret said:

If by comeback you mean multiplatinum status, ala Tommy or The Wall, the answer is no due to the factory shutdown you mentioned in your post. The availability of cheap but quality recording equipment should hopefully result in more concept albums by allowing musicians to get as creative as they want without incurring as many studio costs. Good luck with yours.

A few that I dug on:
Venom's At War With Satan. The title track takes a whole side.
King Diamond-I think all of his albums are concept albums. Abigail and the one with Sleepless Nights are my favs.

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Permalink Reply by Ghettopunkrocker on June 17, 2009 at 10:51am

It's a possibility. If the concept is strong enough and has a strong enough narrative, then it's possible.

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Permalink Reply by Golem_3 on June 17, 2009 at 2:20pm

Thanks for the encouragement, Amanda.
as soon as I get equipment, you'll see my work.
Apparently, "Waking Life" is a favorite of yours as well.

yes, King Diamond definitely had nothing but concept albums.
most of those albums were from his former band, Merciful Fate.
remember "Them"?
anyway,...
Prince Paul has some concept albums- "A Prince Among Theives" and "Politics of the Business".
really good, and its all humorous stuff (so, don't expect that kind of rap that takes itself seriously).

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Permalink Reply by Compound Egret on June 17, 2009 at 8:29pm

^^^^^
I think that kind of frees you up. No commercial success to worry about, no label, no studio, just you and your equipment at the pad. I guess it really comes down to how the artist wants to define their success.

Some other concept albums that are recent...
Hammers of Misfortune-The August Engine.
Mastodon-Blood Mountain
Both of these groups have several concept albums available, but these two are the ones I've heard
Judas Priest-Nostradamus
Yet to hear this one, but it's priest!

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Ray on June 17, 2009 at 11:32pm

Great points, but thank god we're no longer under the corporate and radio choke hold. I think people just want to hear good music that inspires and moves them. Now of course you have a lot of ppl who just want to hear 1 single and not care about the rest of the album and that's fine. But for those who are looking for something deeper, they'll have that also.
It's not always easy, but I try to give something to those who just want to hear something new and different, those who wanna hear something simple and those who need more substance and inspiration.

Marketing music today is a beautiful unpaved road. Radio is no longer the only place to break a new album , so with them out of the equation, you have to find a new way to do things. People are no longer sitting around waiting to be told who the next big artist is, they're choosing for themselves what 20 or 50 artists should be at the top. Until the internet, specifically Myspace, we really didn't know how many talented ppl there were in the WORLD!! We were made to think only a select few have talent and deserve to be on top. But I think it's great to have millions of talented ppl doing their thing, we can all get our shine on!!!! :-)

jahluv said:

One of the marketing problems with concept albums is the lack of "the hit single." How do you get the radio to play a cut from your album that generates interest, and turns into that interest into sales? Pink Floyd had 'em with "The Wall." Talking Heads' "Speaking in Tongues" and their video concert of that album "Stop making Sense" is another that comes to mind, but I'd be hard pressed to think of any others that radio friendly.

Albums - concept or otherwise is a dead format. The music business is going back to selling singles, but instead of 45s now, they're slinging $00.99 ITunes/MP3 downloads. Unless you're selling Jazz or Classical music, the days of the uber detailed liner notes, museum quality artwork on the cover, and Dolby etc are over.

Short of going on tour with a rock opera - and selling the soundtrack, I don't see where concept albums fit into today's marketplace.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Ray on June 18, 2009 at 11:50am

Here's a quote from my friend Kambui,

"The continued decline of music sales would not make me believe the lack of a hit single will be the answer to selling an album. There has to be more to the secret sauce.

Quincy Jones might have said it best: if you want fans to buy a whole album, stop putting fillers in the album...

I'm going to sound boring here but bear with me...I've never worked in the music business but I know a thing or two about how businesses create value. Concentrating on cranking out the hit single might enable short term profits (again, questionable given the current state of music sales) but it erodes long-term value creation. The **artist** is where the value is created, and not the **single.** Any pickle-faced teenager can download a single, but it's impossible (for the moment, at least) to download the artist. This is why concert ticket sales and merchandise have increased over the years when record sales have decreased. I also find that fans who are more loyal to the artist will buy the artist's albums. I see it in NYC Rock clubs all the time."