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Post by Alan on Oct 19, 2024 19:06:46 GMT
That's the question. It rather seems like a Definitive Collection update also put on vinyl to me since it fits nicely on the 2 CDs and makes up for a good format there, where as 4 LP set is not well proportioned. Do you think so? I don’t know. The music industry is so geared towards vinyl these days, as the profitable format no matter how few units are sold, that I think they see the CD as an also-ran. I honestly think they’d do away with the CD if they could. As you say, the CD is just a rehash of Definitive/Essential but the title of the release seems to be a case of re-inventing the wheel. It hasn’t been done before on vinyl since The Singles 10 that they can pass it off as something new. Now fully expanded and now with Voyage. I agree though, it’s too bulky. The vinyl buyer may as well just get the 10-album box than a four-disc compilation (and how many times has a vinyl box been done? At least four?). The Singles 10 was a first in that it provided a chance for the 23 singles that had been released in most countries to be bought on one double album. The Singles 50 may offer 38 tracks but it’s too much. There have been many more interesting ways of accumulating these 38 tracks in one go over recent years. |
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Oct 20, 2024 8:24:11 GMT
That's just it. The sort of fan this compilation would appeal to is the sort who'd already have nearly all these songs in whichever format they prefer, be that vinyl, CD or just sticking to streaming. While they're all nice enough songs, is the average casual fan really going to be excited for songs like Love Isn't Easy, Hasta Manana, Just A Notion and Little Things?
All they had to do was replace 2 or 3 of the final songs with 2 previously unreleased tracks and then there'd be SOME justification for buying it. But right now the vinyl version in particular feels like you'd just be chucking money down the toilet.
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Post by Alan on Oct 20, 2024 11:06:27 GMT
Yeah, I guess you’re right clumsylikeaclown. I was just trying to see some justification in them doing it and the only thing I could think of is that it hasn’t been done on vinyl (in chronological order) since The Singles 10. Of course, we just don’t know if something unreleased was planned for it and then scuppered by Benny, and Universal decided to go ahead with it anyway. Maybe it was too far advanced. Perhaps two new tracks were planned for it in place of Little Things and No Doubt About It. It would still have met the 1972-2022 criteria as the songs would have been recorded in that period. Someone sent me a link to the Japan SHM CD issue. Looks slightly more interesting. Do SHM CDs sound better? And I’m intrigued by the “Waterloo EP”, though I’m guessing this is just a two-track 7” and not the four-track 10” issue. www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-80518Includes all the singles (38 tracks) released in their home country [*not actually correct*] on 2 CDs. Comes with the booklet containing many previously unreleased photos from the group's heyday. Features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format. 7inch cardboard sleeve packaging with a double-sided poster, a sticker sheet, and a disc holder featuring the single EP "Waterloo." Comes with lyrics and a description. |
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Post by rickyrocknroller on Oct 20, 2024 15:10:50 GMT
That's the question. It rather seems like a Definitive Collection update also put on vinyl to me since it fits nicely on the 2 CDs and makes up for a good format there, where as 4 LP set is not well proportioned. Do you think so? I don’t know. The music industry is so geared towards vinyl these days, as the profitable format no matter how few units are sold, that I think they see the CD as an also-ran. I honestly think they’d do away with the CD if they could. As you say, the CD is just a rehash of Definitive/Essential but the title of the release seems to be a case of re-inventing the wheel. It hasn’t been done before on vinyl since The Singles 10 that they can pass it off as something new. Now fully expanded and now with Voyage. I agree though, it’s too bulky. The vinyl buyer may as well just get the 10-album box than a four-disc compilation (and how many times has a vinyl box been done? At least four?). The Singles 10 was a first in that it provided a chance for the 23 singles that had been released in most countries to be bought on one double album. The Singles 50 may offer 38 tracks but it’s too much. There have been many more interesting ways of accumulating these 38 tracks in one go over recent years.
That's exactly what irritates me so much about it. When BAO released their greatest hits album "Bästa latarna" in 2019, it was conceptualized for vinyl, leaving a good third of the CD space unused. It works well for vinyl but leaves the CD as more a taster rather than a satisfying Greatest Hits. That's how things go nowadays - but that to me leaves exactly the question, who would come up with a 4 LP singles anthology priced at over 100£ in the first place? It's too much to comfortably sit in the compilations/GH department, but it's unsatisfactory as a complete-ish collection either. Whereas a 2 CD set, the discs well-filled in a flip-through digipack, priced at some 17-18£ (originally), sounds resonable at least. In the original vinyl days, a 4 LP set would have been a box set that came as four individual paper sleeves and one seperate booklet in a sturdy box that opens up once on the right. This 4 LP flip-through has an improvised and messy feel to me. It seems like an undisciplined compilation that was extended to an unhandy format instead of trimming the contents to suit it.
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Oct 20, 2024 19:17:42 GMT
They should have taken some cues from Barbra Streisand's Evergreens album released last year, which consisted almost entirely of deep cuts.
Do we really need yet another album of Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Mamma Mia etc.? All amazing songs, but EVERYONE has heard them all before.
Imagine how great an album of deep cuts would be. The songs a casual fan may never have heard before. Here's a hypothetical track list I cobbled together in 10 minutes presuming that only 1 LP is permitted.
If It Wasn't For The Nights
As Good As New
One Man, One Woman
Hey, Hey Helen
The Piper
I'm A Marionette
Soldiers
That's Me
Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)
When You Danced With Me
On principle I'd buy an album like that ten times over before even touching another 'greatest hits' style rehash.
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Post by Alan on Oct 21, 2024 11:42:38 GMT
SuperDeluxeEdition mentions the release in their reminder of new releases this week: “This new ABBA compilation uses 1982’s The First Ten Years as its starting point, but adds 10 extra tracks from the original era and, perhaps questionably, decides that all five singles from Voyage (half the album) are good enough to appear on a ‘best of’.” superdeluxeedition.com/news/out-this-week-on-25-october-2024/#comments-204719 |
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Post by richard on Oct 21, 2024 12:36:23 GMT
Couldn't agree more, clumsylikeaclown . And as I'm not a collector of ABBA recordings, and particularly not compilations, the only releases of theirs I'd want to buy now are either new or archived tracks or sonically enhanced Gold, perhaps. Or maybe an an album of remixes: pared-down versions, changed vocal highlighting, etc - if the available original multitracks allowed such a thing, of course. |
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Post by johnny on Oct 21, 2024 15:15:55 GMT
Clumsylikeacow
Your suggestion is what I have said too, a revamped More Gold with deeper cuts and songs given a new lease of life via Mamma Mia and Voyage
The Visitors - renix
Hole in Your Soul
Summer Night City - Live
Eagle - full version
When All is Said and Done - Voyage version
I Still Have Faith in You
Don't Shut Me Down
Slipping Through My Fingers - Live
When I Kissed the Teacher
The Day Before You Came
Etc
Alan - reading that full Super Deluxe Edition it says LAYLOM was part of Double A side with VV in some countries. No.
Five tracks from Voyage and 4 from Ring Ring are way too much
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Oct 21, 2024 20:24:42 GMT
Highlighting songs that Mamma Mia 2 showcased could be cool too.
Anecdotally I knew several ABBA fans who really liked I've Been Waiting For You and My Love, My Life and were surprised that those were songs that had existed for over four decades (albeit with heavily changed lyrics!)
Even though it's not the most beloved ABBA song, Tropical Loveland might be one to include too, if we were maybe making it a double LP. Just because it was a reggae flavoured song you'd not imagine then doing.
The general public, whether they like the band or not, have a very one-dimensional view of what the ABBA sound is like. It just feels like there's untapped potential in showing another side to them.
But then no doubt if they DID do this you'd get me and perhaps three other people buying it, so they're not going to change their strategy any time soon!
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Post by johnny on Oct 21, 2024 21:05:36 GMT
I've Been Waiting For You and My Love, My Life are good choices for deep cuts.
Also on the ballads front Soldiers and One Man, One Woman.
Uptempo songs could include Voulez Vous tracks - As Good as New, Kisses of Fire and If It Wasn't For the Nights...and B-side gem, Elaine.
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Post by johnny on Oct 21, 2024 21:20:17 GMT
My 20 track Non-Gold album
Ring Ring
Honey Honey
My Mama Said
I've Been Waiting For You
Bang a Boomerang
When I Kissed the Teacher
Why Did it Have to Be Me
My Love, My Life
One Man, One Woman
Eagle
Hole in Your Soul
Summer Night City
If t Wasn't fir the Nights
Angeleyes
Slipping Through My Fingers
The Visitors
When All is Said and Done
The Day Before You Came
I Still Have Faith in You
Don't Shut Me Down
1. I have excluded several singles
2. Included album tracks featured in Mamma Mia and Voyage
3. Renix or live versions could also be used.
4. Only 1 track from Ring Ring and the two best Voyage album tracks
5. There has got to be at least one random track - my choice, My Mama Said.
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Post by rickyrocknroller on Oct 22, 2024 1:27:36 GMT
clumsylikeaclown and johnny, I agree with the points you raised about deep cuts, Mamma Mia 2 showcases and introducing a more general public to a a more varied side of ABBA, plus the inclusion of remixes or live or Voyage versions for us fans. It's the opportunity that got lost here with The Singles 50, instead of creating a new and appealing ABBA Platinum.
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Post by johnny on Oct 23, 2024 10:29:24 GMT
There's a handful of songs from the Mamna Mia films that have done better than the original ABBA songs (in UK at least)
From Mamma Mia
Honey Honey - GOLD award (400,000 "sales") from cast but only Silver (200k) from ABBA
Slipping Through My Fingers - Silver both for Cast and ABBA but Soundtrack version got there first.
These are only non ABBA singles to get these sales awards.
Our Last Summer - Silver for Cast
From Mamma Mia 2
Why Did it Have to Be Me - Silver for Cast
When I Kissed the Teacher - Gold for Cast
I would imagine the Mamna Mia version of My Love. My Life will get Silver before ABBA.
Some People seem to prefer the film versions. Maybe some haven't even checked out the original ABBA versions.
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Post by rickyrocknroller on Oct 23, 2024 20:20:01 GMT
Could be they're listening to the MM sountrack albums, the songs thus collecting streams? Another reason to highlight MLML, STMF etc.
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Post by johnny on Oct 24, 2024 1:51:29 GMT
They are cherry-picking, as streamers generally do. That is why some MM film songs do much better than others.
Yeah, for sure some will stream/listen to whole albums - but generally not the case.
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Post by gary on Oct 24, 2024 14:00:37 GMT
For all we fans may knock Mamma Mia, it’s nice that such great songs are getting some exposure.
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Post by johnny on Oct 24, 2024 20:34:37 GMT
In the past I always wanted ABBA records to do well and follow their chart progress. Even singles I didn't like, even yet another compilation.
With this I actually want (and think it will be) a huge flop.
So pointless and a missed opportunity for something better, much better.
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Oct 24, 2024 20:55:24 GMT
If I was going to say something nice about this album, I appreciate it giving No Doubt About It some more exposure. I know not everyone will agree with me on this one, but for me it's really close to ABBA's 'classic' sound and could comfortably slot into many of ABBA's other studio albums. DSMD and ISHFIY are still the best two Voyage songs, of course, but No Doubt About It is a close third.
Love Isn't Easy making it through when The Visitors got cut is an actual injustice though.
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Post by Alan on Oct 24, 2024 22:20:04 GMT
Love Isn't Easy making it through when The Visitors got cut is an actual injustice though. Looking at it from a purely logical point of view, I can’t actually fault this choice in the tracklisting. It’s called “The Singles” and it’s been long-established that that means the “official” singles as released by Polar, in any Scandinavian country, and then a few significant non-Polar singles that were hits in major markets. The Visitors qualifies as being released in a major market (the US) but it failed to be a big hit, peaking at a lowly number 63. Only four non-Polar singles make it: Angeleyes, Lay All Your Love on Me (both big UK hits), When All Is Said And Done (substantial US hit) and… er… Hasta Mañana. I’m not sure how Hasta Mañana qualifies, other than that it was a top 20 hit in Australia in 1976. It was originally the b-side of So Long there, but apparently charted in its own right. However, like Rock Me, I think it may literally have been the exact same single flipped over. Or perhaps it’s included because it could have been chosen for Eurovision. Thankfully Waterloo was selected instead. No Doubt About It is the odd one out in that it didn’t get a physical single release anywhere. I would question whether it even counts as a single but it’s a grey area what does these days. The fact that No Doubt About It ends with the line “This is where it ends” sadly means nothing. If there was anything in it, it merely refers to the ongoing ABBA Voyage show that’s seemingly immortalised ABBA for ever. |
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Post by Michal on Oct 24, 2024 23:22:35 GMT
Thank God for No Doubt About It! Otherwise Little Things would be remembered as the last ever ABBA single and I cringe at that thought! NDAI cannot match the dignity of The Day Before You Came but Little Things would be a real shame...
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Post by bjorenny on Oct 25, 2024 7:45:04 GMT
I'm playing the new compilation on Amazon Music to see if there are any titbits that are even slightly different, and instead of playing SOS, it plays So Long, which had already played 2 tracks before (but states that it IS playing SOS). Good start!! 🙄
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Post by foreverfan on Oct 25, 2024 7:58:38 GMT
From what I can see…..
“50” is not even shown on this weeks new releases on the Official Charts site…
That’s a great start.. have they given up before it’s even begun.
Anyone know if the streams are officially moving to 50?, personally I hope not, I’d rather 50 just totally flopped, did I actually say that…..
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Post by HOMETIME on Oct 25, 2024 8:28:55 GMT
I had a quick look at iTunes/Apple Music. The album is available to buy - but not to stream. It can be streamed on Spotify, though. Count me among the No Doubt About It Fans. It's a fun burst of energy on both sets. Thank God for No Doubt About It! Otherwise Little Things would be remembered as the last ever ABBA single and I cringe at that thought! NDAI cannot match the dignity of The Day Before You Came but Little Things would be a real shame... With The Singles 10, the last track was Under Attack - and I would rate No Doubt About It a good bit higher! A few social media accounts have posted shots from the booklet. There's a reason some of the images have not been published: they're goofy but unpolished snaps from well known shoots. Not sure how interesting they'll be to the completists who are trying to be sensible this time. |
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Post by gary on Oct 25, 2024 8:51:14 GMT
The idea that either Little Things or No Doubt About It is the last single is not a happy one. But if it has to be one of them, No Doubt About It beats Little Things hands down. I always quite liked The Day Before You Came being ABBA’s last recording.
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Post by gazman on Oct 25, 2024 10:13:21 GMT
Anyone know if the streams are officially moving to 50?, personally I hope not, I’d rather 50 just totally flopped, did I actually say that….. I would think there's a very high probability that the streaming sales moved over from 'Gold ' to '50' this morning. I do not think that Universal UK would want to see the two compilations competing on the chart - with, for example, '50' being at Number 20 on the album chart and 'Gold' at Number 25.... You'll likely get your answer on Monday evening when the chart update is issued. If '50' is anywhere in the top 30, and 'Gold' is languishing down at about number 96 (or even gone altogether) you'll have your answer! |
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Oct 25, 2024 11:15:28 GMT
@alan I can't fault your logic but The Visitors being cut just HURTS with how amazing a song it is.
As for Hasta Manana, it actually was a sizeable hit in select regions. You mentioned Australia already, it also hit #9 in New Zealand and #2 in South Africa. Still a clear odd one out but... eh, it's pleasant enough to listen to I suppose.
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Post by johnny on Oct 25, 2024 11:49:36 GMT
If streams are moved to 50, I think (hope!) it will be very temporary.
Given it is a Singles Album, does put on restrictions. Still no need for He is Your Brother or Love Isn't Easy despite them being official Polar releases.
I take Alan's point about The Visitors. It's not a Best Of title which would be more flexible.
I'd leave out Little Things too. A fan of No Doubt About It too. A fitting ending and it's 2022 "release" as a single with People Need Love kicking off from 1972, that's your 50 years.
I would also ditch Hasta Manana for Thankyou for the Music. This was a UK single albeit in 1983 and #2 single in South Africa in 1978.
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Post by gazman on Oct 25, 2024 12:54:08 GMT
If streams are moved to 50, I think (hope!) it will be very temporary. It's an interesting one... The record company could follow Fleetwood Mac, for instance - their 'Don't Stop - 50 Years' has been the designated compilation for a few years now and has charted quite highly throughout that time. 'Rumours' as a studio album also does well for them in streaming terms too. The oddity is that you can stream one track and it can count towards two chart albums...but those are the rules. Before that, Fleetwood Mac did have a quite satisfactory 'Greatest Hits' album, that can only count towards the chart now for physical sales. On the other hand, 'Gold' has been such a brand winner for ABBA - plus it will soon have its Dolby Atmos unveiling we assume - so would they really want to lose that momentum? Perhaps these things might be reviewed quarterly - for example... |
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Post by johnny on Oct 25, 2024 13:09:06 GMT
GOLD is the album with most weeks in UK album chart, 1172 weeks. Bob Marley not too far behind on 1156 weeks. Let's hope 50 doesn't become the Streaming album for too long (assuming it will be)
GOLD will drop out of the chart if 50 becomes the designated Streaming album. It only sells low hundreds each week now. It's 5,000 or so weekly "sales" are streaming based.
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Post by clumsylikeaclown on Oct 25, 2024 14:29:14 GMT
Funnily enough, I have no problem with Little Things being there. While ill-placed on the Voyage album itself, it's actually a sweet enough song and it's nice to have a Christmas record which so heavily bucks the typical 'Xmas track' trend and goes for something more understated.
Thank You For The Nusic not being there is 'meh' to me but surprising given its fame and popularity.
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