Bob Lefsetz says the album is dead and we should all be focusing on singles now. Do you think he’s right?

This is something I’ve been thinking about for years, and something that nags at my soul every time Disc Makers sends me one of their slick drool-inducing catalogs. Sometimes it’s a reality I really don’t want to accept. No triple-gatefold artwork? No sequencing of songs? Just push the MP3 out and move on?

It feels…cheap. But also I know that’s just me getting old. CDs may not be in the grave yet, but I know that digital is where the real action is. Sometimes I think the “but people still want artwork and liner notes!” is a lie we musicians tell ourselves.

There’s a validation that comes from making an album (where “album” means both “physical product” and “collection of songs”). Artists want to release them because having an album still makes us feel legitimate. And that sucks, because it puts making a record into roughly the same category as buying a SuperBowl ad — it feels like you’re accomplishing something but what you’re really doing is showing how good you are at spending money.

Personally, I don’t have a lot of money, so my choice is obvious. But it’s hard to set aside that desire, especially when the rest of the industry (namely, press and radio) hasn’t really caught up and still expects albums.

Not that indie musicians should care much about “the industry,” right?

In other words, it used to be that you made an album for the fans, because it’s what they wanted and they didn’t have a choice anyway. Today you’re primarily making it for yourself, the “industry” and the dwindling population who still prefer albums.

Not sure if I’m making a point or just riffing here. Personally, I haven’t bought a physical CD in years.

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