Like many, I went online shopping last week. As it turns out, a certain band released a certain single named “Invisible”. If you’re already feeling lost, you need to turn around, go back and do your homework. Read last weeks blogs, watch a couple of videos, and get back to me.
The forthcoming album, out October 22 and available for pre-order right now, is titled Future Past. There is all sorts of the good buzz coming from every which way about this one! Fans are alight with joy at the thought of having a new vinyl to add to their collections by the end of October. I too, lit up like a Fourth of July sparkler when the album pre-order began last week. At the time, there were so many choices it nearly overwhelmed me. I felt the urge to click on “Super Deluxe Package” and just get it all. Luckily, the smarter half of my brain intervened just in time to see that I didn’t really need a cassette tape (I haven’t had a tape player in a remarkable number of decades). I settled on the CD/green vinyl album package after being disappointed by the nearly instant sell-out of the signed test pressings. You missed out on my $200, Duran Duran. Sure, I could act like they were too expensive (well, they were), but what an interesting collectible! Alas, the decision was made for me, and I went about my evening a little bummed, but with a little more money than I’d counted on!
No worries, Duran Duran….touring days are coming, and I’m pretty certain you’ll get my $200 (and then some)
In the days since that first frenzied shopping foray, there have been a number of other colors added to the mix on various sites. In my research today, I stumbled upon a now likely incomplete, but still organized explanation of the various vinyl editions available:
White vinyl is the standard version, red vinyl is the “indie” version, and green vinyl is the Duran Duran store exclusive. I believe there is also a lime green edition available at brooklynvegan.com, and just today I heard that there is perhaps also a clear vinyl edition milling about somewhere. This is still week ONE of pre-orders, mind you.
On top of those offerings, there is also the regular CD, and the deluxe version CD that contains three bonus songs. It is in the precise moment my eyes danced across the sentence regarding the deluxe version of the CD that the recognition that I must really have a problem began to dawn. My first thought was, “Only three bonus songs this time? Hmm. Seems kind of chintzy.”
Really, Rhonda Lynn? I’ve lost my mind. Obviously.
Joking aside, once again I’m feeling the need to create a spreadsheet with the various options and what songs (or amount of songs) each contains. I pray to the Duranie and BMG gods that they don’t put out different “deluxe” versions for each major retailer, because that is when I will truly lose what little sanity I’ve got left.
Let me be clear: I will buy whatever I need in order to have ALL THE SONGS. The trouble is, at some point, keeping track is confusing. I just need all of the music. ALL OF IT. Make it easy for me, dammit! Put it all in the same place. On the same CD, even. I know there are collectors out there that need the complete collection of vinyl. They want all of it. That isn’t me. I’m happy with just one great vinyl record for the collection. However, I need all of the songs. Not want. Noooooo. At this point, I think we’re past “want”. I need everything. All of them. Be it vinyl, digital, or CD. Just choose one format, put it all on there, and I will buy it. So will thousands of my friends!
I have been cautioned….warned….even encouraged(????) by news that BMG are big marketers. They like doing 10,000 different editions, and not just because they are sick and twisted people who like to see fans scramble like ants over the last sticky sweet crumb of a glazed donut. Let me put it this way: If you have 100,000 fans and they all buy one CD, then you’ve sold 100,000 CDs. Yay, good work band!! However, if you put out 10 slightly different, but compelling editions, and each one of your 100,000 fans feels compelled to buy each of those in order to own the complete collection of songs or album covers. Guess what? You’ve suddenly sold 1,000,000 records, band..and you’ve got a hit on your hands, because that album just went platinum (by US standards). That’s even before streaming. Woo-hoo!!! (and I do mean woo-hoo!)
Speaking of streaming, did you know that 150 streams of a single song is the equivalent of 1 unit being sold? In the US and Germany, streaming services like YouTube, VEVO and even Yahoo! Music are also counted. The formula used there is 100 streams = 1 download. Even ringtones count!
Get shopping and streaming, Duranies. We’ve got work to do!
-R
Hey Rhonda, maybe i’m wrong but I believe that the clear version of the vinyl will be the “sportify” limited version. But again, my main question is… will there be a “normal” black one or is the white one consider the “normal” one ?
that’s right, it’s a Spotify limited edition clear vinyl. Thanks!! -R