We've got em! The Beatles Box sets are here...

[TomDac]

Interesting comment by one of my buddies on FaceBook:

"The story that I know of with Sgt. Peppers is that The Beatles (themselves) worked much harder on the mono mixes than they did the stereo ones. The stereo ones were left up to the engineers, because those would just be for the "audiophiles", and the mono ones were going to be on the radio and what "the kids" would hear. I would imagine with many of the other albums, the same was true. Therefore, the mono mixes are somewhat important, as they represent the more true vision of The Beatles."

 

[risabet]

Well, I've read the posts here and though I tried to avoid asking I need to know what is the big deal is. I appreciate the Beatles for their historical importance but I don't get the obsession with their music, I admit to finding it generally pedestrian with a few really good tunes. I was best friends with a guy who LOVED the Beatles, had every album and played them all the time so I heard them a lot. I didn't get it then and I still don't, please enlighten me.

 

[Mantana]

Well, I've read the posts here and though I tried to avoid asking I need to know what is the big deal is. I appreciate the Beatles for their historical importance but I don't get the obsession with their music, I admit to finding it generally pedestrian with a few really good tunes. I was best friends with a guy who LOVED the Beatles, had every album and played them all the time so I heard them a lot. I didn't get it then and I still don't, please enlighten me.

Many (myself included) think they were the best and most influential
band of the rock era. Sure, there were many other incredibly talented
musicians and bands, but the Beatles were so prolific and creative.
Some call the Stones, the greatest "rock" band, but the Beatles
were more interesting and diverse in their style. Imagine if
history could only record one of these artists' music. I think a
majority of critics and listeners would choose the Beatles.

 

[David Matz]

Well, I've read the posts here and though I tried to avoid asking I need to know what is the big deal is. I appreciate the Beatles for their historical importance but I don't get the obsession with their music, I admit to finding it generally pedestrian with a few really good tunes. I was best friends with a guy who LOVED the Beatles, had every album and played them all the time so I heard them a lot. I didn't get it then and I still don't, please enlighten me.

Risabet,

I am with you. Other than Sgt. Peppers and Abbey Road, I think the Beatles are weak and overhyped. Personally I think Paul Simon as a song writer and musician runs circles around John Lennon.

I am a bit curious about the album, but I am not dropping $200 bucks on it. I called my library instead and they will purchase it.

I guess it's kind of arguing about audio equipment, cars, ice cream or anything else experiential - everyone has their taste and opinion.

 

[tonepub]

Well, than neither of you will be wasting any money on the remasters, correct?

 

[David Matz]

Well, than neither of you will be wasting any money on the remasters, correct?

I did use up 4-5 minutes of cell phone time when I called up the library. And they will be spending my tax dollars for the purchase.

 

[Rich]

I didn't get it then and I still don't, please enlighten me.

If you didn't get it then and still don't, there isn't anything any of us can say to enlighten you. Either you appreciate their talent and style or you don't. If not, no big deal. Everyone's tastes are different. Personally, I agree with Mantana that they were one of the best and most influential of all the groups of the rock era. They had more songwriting and musical talent than most, and their music holds up over time.

The point is . . . many of us love their music and always will. But I have always been disappointed in the original digital masters and am really thrilled that this impressive catalog has finally been given its due with a quality remastering. That's what the big deal is. I am not sure what is so hard to figure out about that, even if you are not a fan of their music. I am not a huge Elvis fan, but I understand the impact and significance of his work and the many loyal fans it has generated, and I would understand the importance of a remastering of his entire catalog even if it didn't really matter that much to me personally.

 

[tonepub]

I think the other big deal with this release is that the Beatles catalog is one that is madly collected and the price of the early original LP's is quite high. If you've ever had a chance to hear the early stamper British pressings, they are a LOT better than what most of us ever heard.

The great news if you are truly a Beatles fan is that these remastered CD's come so close to the sound of the first stamper pressings, that you can now have a decent collection for an affordable price.

I would love to see this amount of care paid to a number of other releases that I really enjoy.

 

[Mantana]

If you didn't get it then and still don't, there isn't anything any of us can say to enlighten you. Either you appreciate their talent and style or you don't. If not, no big deal. Everyone's tastes are different. Personally, I agree with Mantana that they were one of the best and most influential of all the groups of the rock era. They had more songwriting and musical talent than most, and their music holds up over time.

The point is . . . many of us love their music and always will. But I have always been disappointed in the original digital masters and am really thrilled that this impressive catalog has finally been given its due with a quality remastering. That's what the big deal is. I am not sure what is so hard to figure out about that, even if you are not a fan of their music. I am not a huge Elvis fan, but I understand the impact and significance of his work and the many loyal fans it has generated, and I would understand the importance of a remastering of his entire catalog even if it didn't really matter that much to me personally.

I wasn't an Elvis fan growing up but I bought some cables from
Jerry Ramsey (of Audio Magic). He lives in Aurora CO, not far from
me. He turned me on to the following CD...The Essential Elvis, Vol. 6: Such a Night.
This recording is phenomenal and has a killer version
of "Fever" , in fact, i think it's the best i've heard. If you buy one
Elvis CD, this should be the one. I listen to this constantly.

 

[timm]

nicely stated Rich. I am not sure how old all of you are - but, I was a kid in the 60's - and at the time I thought this band WAS something special...and it was a band where you could purchase any of their albums without a listen and know you were going to get something you liked. I used to think that people would always listen to their music - and 40 years later...here we are.
I can't believe they are still something people talk about when you consider the changes music has gone thru over the past 40 years.

name me an artist today that we will still be listening to in 40 years.. That is what the 'big deal' is all about.

 

[MiTT]

name me an artist today that we will still be listening to in 40 years...

Kanye West!



:ROFL:

 

[Rich]

Kanye West!

Brittany Spears?

 

[tonepub]

I still listen to KISS and VanHalen 30 years later....

Maybe U2? Maybe Radiohead? Good question.

 

[David Matz]

So those of you buying one or both of these, how many times will you listen to each disk? Or will you be playing a song here or there once every few months?

It would take a long, long, long time to listen to these over and over. Even if you truly love the Beatles, variety is a good thing. With 30 disks or so, I wonder if this is just a "gotta get more stuff" or a "collectible" item.

It would be nice to see some ipod-type play stats that show actual numbers after 3 or 6 months.

 

[kcl]

..name me an artist today that we will still be listening to in 40 years...

Queen. At the very least, "We are the champions" will still be played by the winners of big games for many years to come.

 

[timm]

Queen. At the very least, "We are the champions" will still be played by the winners of big games for many years to come.

Guess I was thinking of new artists going forward... Springsteen will be played 40 years after initial release as well - And yeah, I would love to see him do something like this with his 70's material.

The thing that I think is interesting about the Beatles is where music was when they entered the scene - and where it was when they left. There was quite an evolution in those 7 years and they evolved with it - or caused the evolution itself.

Would be interested in sales figures if anyone knows...

 

[risabet]

name me an artist today that we will still be listening to in 40 years.. That is what the 'big deal' is all about.

Recent artists that come to mind are Nirvana, pretty definitely U2, the still going strong Santana and Paul Simon is still active. If longevity makes it a "big deal" than Miles and Sonny, Coltrane and Satchmo, Ella and Billie are bigger than the Beatles by a long stretch. For me longevity isn't the end of the story, just the beginning.

 

[tonepub]

Here you go!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

According to Billboard.com, THE BEATLES catalog of albums - including those titles not part of its new reissue series - sold a combined 626,000 units in the US last week according to SoundScan. In the week previous (week ending Sept. 6), the band's collective albums sold just 21,000.

Up through the week ending Sept. 6, the Beatles' catalog had sold 635,000 in the U.S. this year, thus, with this week's haul of 626,000, that brings the Beatles' 2009 sum to 1,261,000. In the whole of 2008, the band sold 1,393,000 albums in the US.

Since SoundScan began tracking music sales in 1991, the Beatles have never sold less than 1 million albums in a year. The group's best year came in 2000, when the release of its hits package 1 helped the band sell a total of 7,289,000 in the US.

The biggest seller of the reissue series last week was 1969's Abbey Road, which moved 89,000 copies and debuts at No. 3 on the Top Comprehensive Albums chart. Abbey also starts at No. 1 on the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. It does not appear on the Billboard 200.

All of the Beatles' individual album reissues are eligible to chart on both the Top Comprehensive Albums chart and Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. The former houses all albums, regardless of their age, while the latter is for those 18 months or older. The Billboard 200 tally includes only current and new releases.

So, the band's two new boxed sets Beatles in Stereo and Beatles in Mono will chart on the Billboard 200, while the individual album reissues of the Beatles' catalog will chart on the Top Comprehensive Albums and Top Pop Catalog Albums charts.

While Abbey Road was the best-seller of the Beatles' reissues last week, the rest of the series did quite well. In order of the best-sellers following Abbey, we have: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (74,000), The White Album (60,000), Rubber Soul (58,000), Revolver (46,000), Help! (39,000), Let It Be (32,000), Past Masters Vols. I and II (31,000), Magical Mystery Tour (30,000), A Hard Day's Night (29,000), The Beatles in Stereo (26,000), Please Please Me (23,000), With the Beatles (22,000), Beatles For Sale (21,000), Yellow Submarine (14,000) and The Beatles in Mono (12,000).

The Stereo and Mono boxed sets will debut at Nos. 15 and 40, respectively, on the Billboard 200. On the Comprehensive Albums chart, Abbey will be joined in the top 10 by four other Beatles sets: Pepper's (No. 5), White Album (No. 7), Rubber (No. and Revolver (No. 10).

On the Top Pop Catalog chart, the Beatles will own nine out of the top 10 slots, with only MICHAEL JACKSON's Number Ones (No. 6 with 45,000) the lone non-Fab Four title.

 

[Len44]

I can't believe they are still something people talk about when you consider the changes music has gone thru over the past 40 years.

name me an artist today that we will still be listening to in 40 years.. That is what the 'big deal' is all about.

Well, there is that Presley kid... :music:

 

[Len44]

So, I gather that if one were to want the two or three premier Beetle's albums that Abbey Road, Sgt Peppers, and The White Album might be a good bet. But, which incarnation of each of these sounds the best?

Or should one just opt for the "Past Masters?"

So far, I think the Mono set is quite a disappointment...

And reading the reviews on Amazon indicates the Stereo Box is even worse -- with the old-style "Ping-Pong" effects passing for Stereo sound.

Surely there must be better sets out there by now...