While streaming may still be the preferred method of music consumption for most of us in 2024, recent years have seen a resurgence of vinyl, cassette, and even the long-unloved CD format. I am.
In fact, physical sales have been so strong that HMV has risen from the ashes and returned to its Oxford Street flagship store. And much of that is due to pop star Taylor Swift, who currently has seven albums on the record charts, including “1989 (Taylor's Version)'' and “Speak Now (Taylor's Version)''. )” and all the top three rankings up to “Midnight” are included.
Lawrence Montgomery, managing director of Rough Trade Record Stores, said part of Swift's success was due to appealing to younger fans by making her albums collectibles. She accomplished this through the release of multiple alternate album covers and disc colors.
When I went to HMV recently, I realized how true Montgomery's observation was. A large vinyl display features his three “special edition” albums 1989 (Taylor's version): “Rose Garden Pink,” “Aquamarine Green,” and “Sunrise Boulevard Yellow,” as well as a “Target Exclusive” LP. It had been. On sale for £39.99 each.
Further research uncovered eight limited edition color variations of her 2020 album Folklore and more than 20 versions of Midnight (2022), clearly making the album a collector's item. It became a dream. And Swift shows no signs of stopping.
Shortly after announcing the April 19th release of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, multiple special editions of the new album are now available for pre-order. With a suitably aggressive marketing strategy on social media, buyers were invited to “complete their collection” by purchasing three separate record releases within 72 hours via Swift's online store. Each includes a different “bonus track”.
A few days later, another special edition became available, including a fourth bonus track. There's no way to purchase the bonus tracks individually, and fans who want to get the full set will have to pay more than £135 to get the bonus, which Swift recommended.
something special
Of course it's not just Swift. Ariana Grande's album Eternal Sunshine, released in March 2024, was available on five CDs and six vinyl records, as well as a deluxe edition.
Harry Styles' 2022 album 'Harry's House' is available on standard vinyl, picture disc, limited yellow vinyl, as well as CD and limited edition yellow cassette from his online store.
In addition, K-Pop boy band ATEEZ's 2023 mini-album “The World EP2: Outlaw” comes with posters, stickers, photo books, stencil cards, trading cards, and temporary tattoo sheets on the CD, and the music It's more of a perk.
Perhaps the most troubling of all this is how children are being targeted as consumers of these expensive products. Researchers observed that Swift's 2019 album Lover focused on “tween identity.” Audience's 2022 report identified that 18.80% of Swift fans are between the ages of 13 and 17, and Sports Business Journal found that a huge number of Swift's fans are teenagers between the ages of 9 and 17. She states that she is a teenage girl.
A 2021 poll suggests that 67% of ATEEZ's fans are under the age of 17, with Grande's target market being 13-21 and Styles more popular among millennial fans. Although his appearances on the covers of Teen Vogue, Today, Teen, J14, and Seventeen magazines testify to his appeal to teenage readers.
Collection across generations
However, it's not just Gen Z viewers that are being targeted. Even millennials like me are fascinated by special editions.
I am a fan of the Beatles and Pink Floyd, and have not forgotten the many re-releases of both artists over the decades. I have three copies of Abbey Road, three copies of the White Album, three versions of Let It Be, and more McCartney editions than anyone could legitimately need. Just like these Swifties, I also bought his Swifties because of various reasons such as remixes, remasters, different formats, additional tracks, new artwork, outtakes, etc. Each one is different from the other. Because they are slightly different.
Just in the last year, fans like me have enjoyed various versions of the Beatles compilations Red and Blue (now expanded and with additional jacket notes), as well as Pink Floyd's seminal Dark “Side of the Moon” (remastered again and with added numbers). Various purchasing options are available, including a limited collector's edition vinyl picture disc). And yes, I bought them even though I already owned multiple copies of each.
I am completely drawn in and my world-weariness and cynicism knows no bounds. So what chance does a teenager in the golden early stages of fandom have? Fan loyalty has been exploited ever since big companies realized that music could be commercialized.
Do you really think the world needed 31 Elvis feature films? 20 compilations of Frank Sinatra's biggest hits? Or anniversary editions of Rumors, Thriller, and Graceland? Will it continue to increase? Well, supply equals demand, so yes, it seems that was the case. And that's an even more alarming thought than the fact that he owns 20 copies of the same Taylor Swift album. Especially since those albums have so many beautiful colors.
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