Now That's What I Call Indie Rock
We know that keeping up with the latest and coolest in indie rock can be really difficult -- and buying all those CDs can be really expensive! (Laughs.) Now what if we told you that you could get 20 of the hottest indie jamz by your favorite bands on one great CD, and at one great price? EW has the details!
EW has learned exclusively that a group of today's most prominent independent music labels are joining forces to produce a series of compilations much like the staggeringly successful Now That's What I Call Music series. Instead of pop hits by the likes of Xtina, Rihanna, and Hinder, however, this as-yet-untitled series will feature songs from artists such as Bloc Party, the Shins, Bright Eyes, Air, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, M. Ward, Ted Leo, Cat Power, Silversun Pickups, and the indie-in-spirit-if-not-in-label Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sonic Youth.Vice Records will put out the first installment, and Vice's voice of record and all-around indie rock spokesman Adam Shore made the case:
These bands' records sell really well to a particular audience...But even though these artists are getting all this media exposure, they're not necessarily crossing over to a very casual record buyer. We're partnering with MTV2, and the focus is going to be Walmarts, big box stores, red states, and TV advertising — to really go beyond.... We don't really expect indie-rock stores to support this record. It's for the casual fan.The first volume is looking at June release, and the comp will switch labels for each installment (Shore says Matador is interested in putting out number two, Sub Pop the third). The series is still "as yet untitled," but we're sure they'll have a few suggestions before the day is over....
The truth is, people are not buying records the way they used to. But the popularity of these bands is bigger than they've ever been before. So what we're trying to do here is give more people more reasons to listen to these artists.
Posted at 8:11 AM
The prospect of a Cat Power album in Wal-mart makes me a little uneasy, I'm not going to lie.
On second thought, this could be a great idea. Like they said, the "casual fan" probably won't know about these artists in any other way, and it's also a good way to get someone started if they want points of reference. It's helping people find good music without having to hunt for it. I am actually looking forward to it.
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I don't think it's a bad idea at all. I don't think it will sell for shit. But it's still a fine enough idea. I'm guessing the target market for this will be people like me who are trying to come up with something to give to family members that still insist on listening to Fall Out Boy and Nickelback.
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Mmm I guess exposure is all well and good....but really, "the casual fan"? People who buy maintstream pop/rock compilations make me angry. i'll teach them a thing or two about respecting the album as an artform...
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I hate compilation CDs of any type. But sure, I guess it's a good thing.
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Maybe it's just me, but aren't these going to just be label samplers that you'd usually get for free as promos?
That's what it sounds like anyway, but they want to make some cash from them...
If they'd put a selection of artists from different labels on each disc then it would seem to make a bit more sense, but instead it just comes across as the leap the indie labels want to make to try and join in with the major labels.
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Actually, each of these comps will include artists from a variety of indie labels. But different labels will simply take turns releasing them. So, Vice will release the first, which will feature plenty of non-Vice artists. Then Matador, Saddle Creek, et al will release future editions with similar variety.
I think the idea is to build some sense of community amongst these peer indie labels. This will also help prevent the comps from being branded with an individual label. Participating labels will share the work of compiling and promoting the comps, and naturally share in the benefits as well.
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"The prospect of a Cat Power album in Wal-mart makes me a little uneasy, I'm not going to lie."
Target were stocking 'The Greatest'. That's pretty much the same thing, right?
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Target and Walmart are different worlds, my brother.
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There is probably no way this will sell because everybody who already listens to these artists have the albums, and the people who buy compilation albums aren't going to be too excited to go buy an album with a bunch artists that aren't too popular or well known. It may be good to give to friends or family members who listen to more mainstream artists though like Adam said.
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You kidding me? This is a great idea. Middle schoolers will eat it up. Ya'll remember No Alternative? DGC Rarities Vol. 1?
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I used to work at Wal-Mart and they carried "The Greatest" so ..... too late?
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DGC Rarities Vol. 1... yes I do... still have the disk. I loved it at the time, except for me it was highschool.
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I'm not sure if middle/high schoolers these days will buy it because I think most know they can get free music on the internet.
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What's next? Indie Kidz Bop? (MM already got a piece of that action)
Who cares if a Cat Power is in Wal Mart. I'm sure Chan doesn't care, it puts food on her table. Starbucks wanted to put "The Greatest" in their stores but thought the gold chain looked too "hip hop". Matador soon repackaged and reissued it with her pic on the cover. Is she a big sell out? No. That was decided by her label and it does not effect her music in anyway.
Just get off this whole elitist attitude. If our music was mainstream, just think then what the underground stuff would sound like...
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as long as it gets people away from the mediocrity of today's radio... i'm all for it
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that actually makes me a bit sick... it can be a good and not so good thing at the same time...
I guess its good for the "indie" labels, though.
If the idea succeeds, then they won't be indie for too long, will they?
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It's all coming full circle...
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Many years ago, you would have never imagined seeing tons of metal-loving kids buying Metallica albums at Wal-Mart. Then, you would have never imagined seeing tons of gothed-out kids buying tons of NIN albums at Wal-Mart. Later still, you would have never imagined tons of kids buying tons of Jimmy Eat World albums at Wal-Mart... it all came to pass eventually.....Indie is just the new Metallica/NIN/Jimmy Eat World
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I'm working on this documentary film about teenagers in the midwest and the nerdlings are rocking Of Montreal in between FOB and The Used. I think it will appeal to burgeoning young music snobs in nowheresville and past-prime gen x snobbers looking to retain relevance by minimum of effort.
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Say what you will about the folks over at Vice, but one thing they have down pat is marketing. I think this will probably be a success. And really, aren't the only people who don't like this idea the 'I don't want so-and-so listening to MY band' elitists?. And hey, I've been there.
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Could it get any lamer?
This kind of shit is for artists who make music just to make money, not for those who make music becuase they still understand that it is supposed to be an ART.
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Yay. This means 50cent and Chingy will finally die out.
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I agree wholeheartedly with Sean on all points.
If you're reading stereogum; if you still buy your music; and if you're always the first to share the latest indie treasures, the whole idea of Walmart selling your music rattles those of us who thrive on being in the know, and who don't want just anyone listening to "our" music.
But that's just silly nonsense, really. It should be about the artist - not our egos - and turning people on to great tunes.
I love VICE. Always have, always will.
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But that's been sorta done already by NME and Universal Music by putting out two relevant compilations entitled: "The Essential Bands".
They are not for "free" with the mag, as usual samplers and contain the most important bands' best singles, no fillers:
Kaiser Chiefs -I predict a riot
Franz Ferdinand - The Fallen
The Killers - When you were young
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Gold Lion
Wolfmother - Woman
Peter, Bjorn & John - Young folks
Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
and on...
The first Cd of each comp includes the most rock-danceable tunes while the second is more ballad-quite driven.
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Yeah I agree at the whole not wanting just anyone to listen to "my" music, but when I do go to Walmart I always pass through the CD's because I know I'm going to see alot of artists I love. Maybe It's just my walmart, but they always seem to have like one or two copies of the newest indie albums. Yeah, including Cat Power. I just always wonder who is buying these kinds od records at Walmart? They never have a very long shelf life. Keep in mind this is also a very small town in WV... so... yeah...
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um--what about this? hear music aka starbucks records putting out a compilation of songs by unreleased bands:
http://www.hearmusic.com/#PRODUCT268
is this good or bad? are any of these bands any good?
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Bryan wrote that these comps would be for artists who are just in it for the money and not for those who make music because it is an art. Hmm. So why would Win Butler and Arcade Fire even sign to a label, even as "indie" as Merge if they didn't want to have their music be distributed and make money from their art? Why wouldn't they just sell their cds out of their cars (even if they don't go)? You can buy Neon Bible at Wal Mart also. Good. Go buy that cd at wal Mart or wherever, then you are at least supporting the band instead of swiping all of the songs for free on mp3 blogs.
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Well... Chan Marshall did allow a song to be used in a DIAMOND commercial. If that's not an unethical industry, then I don't know what is.
But... yeah, this seems like a bad idea to me.
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This will only be for people who are passively or casually interested in indie or alternative music. Hipsters already have their resources for new music. If this gets people interested in indie music, then good - maybe that will keep bands like Fall Out Boy out of towns like Madison and Lawrence and maybe bring Voxtrot or Grizzly Bear there.
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My only fear is that these compilations will create morons out there that truly are stereotypical hipsters.
Plus I seriously doubt this will get anybody into indie, but rather skirt at the edge of it. Most of the music that'll be on these compilations will have to be marketable, indie-lite tunes, and face it, most indie isn't exactly marketable. So sure, you might get people clamoring over Rogue Wave and Apples in Stereo, but bands like Xiu Xiu and Panda Bear aren't even going to see any of this newfound "success".
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Hmmm... who cares, most bands out there don't care about selling out... they're probably just making indie music because it's 'so hip' and relatively easy to play
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It seems like a bad idea to me. It's good if it gets more people to listen to better music. (And if indie artists and labels and what not get to up their pie, compared to most mainstream acts, I guess.) But I don't really see it doing that.
If anyone buys it, unless it's all new, unreleased, and/or b-side stuff, yeah, it's going to be people who aren't already into the bands. I have a hard time seeing it actually garnering much music appreciation. "Oh, man, this Cat Power chick fits great in between my listens of Fall Out Boy." Weren't those OC mix tape things pretty darn similar (without the good intentions)? How many typical OC fan really changed their listening habits after Seth Cohen decided to be one real ironic dude.
Also, if, title, it's supposed to be the indie version of the Now! series, that's fucking awful. Now is just about novelizing 18 bullshit tracks that have been overplayed in the past few months. Nothing grand in album format. :/.
I really only skimmed the article. And I don't know the track listings to those OC tapes, or exactly why Seth Cohen is a real ironic dude. So, I'm guessing my argument has a few gaping holes. But, I still nay-say, mainly 'cause I just don't think it'll work out. I don't really think Walmart compilations are the way to takeover.
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Whoa, pretentious douche alert at bryan-o-clock.
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hee hee...Bryan...douche :)
(sorry Bryan, but you did it to yourself buddy)
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chief wiggly tripod say, "man who walk through airport turnstile sideways going to bangkok."
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blahgj, I think you may want to look into those OC soundtracks. Bloc Party & Death Cab both owe a fair debt to Seth Cohen being 'a real ironic dude'.
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I think the premise is good and the venue stinks. Why put it in walmart? Is that where everyone goes? I wouldn't step foot in a wall mart. Why not distribute it through some other venues like offering it to small retailers (like myself) or at least somewhat interesting retailers like urban Outfitters, Banana Republic or Zumies, even old navy and Target does a great job of being big box with decent design, etc. Any thing would beat feeding the beast at walmart.
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