Physical albums come in a variety of tricks and are sold in conjunction with surrounding stars. Is the album selling strength or feelings?
In August of this year, Luo Dayou released the concept album “Love·River·Human·World”, and at the same time disclosed the physical configuration of this album – in addition to the common song book and physical cassette, there is also a customized cassette player.
According to the reporter of Beijing Youth Daily, it is not uncommon to see bundled sales similar to albums + peripherals, and the price of peripherals far exceeds the album itself. When a celebrity releases an album, do they sell their strength or their feelings?
The configuration of the physical album is full of tricks. Is it for fans or for ordinary listeners?
For Luo Dayou’s new concept album “Love·River·Human·World”, the limited edition first batch of “Collector’s Hardcover Edition Book Box” includes Luo Dayou’s nearly 10,000-character concept album composition songbook, physical cassette, and a customized cassette player. This set of concept albums is priced at NT$2,688, plus shipping and customs duties, equivalent to RMB 800.
In recent years, the appearance and configuration of physical albums released by many singers and artists can be described as various and expensive.
Liu Yuxin’s first personal physical album “XANADU” is divided into two versions: the regular album and the vinyl album: the regular album is priced at 233 yuan, and the vinyl record is 899 yuan. The prices of the physical album and the vinyl record are far beyond the regular price . The configuration of the album includes imitation silver case, “Xin” Logo CD, embroidery bag, lyrics poster, embroidery DIY experience package and photo album.
Similar examples include Wang Sulong’s official physical album designed in the shape of a crane machine; Ju Jingyi’s “IX” comes with a photobook, posters, small cards, growth calendar and badges; Yi Yangqianxi’s physical album “Liu Yanfen “The selling point is “three kilograms in weight, 136p photobook, solid wood board and other building materials”.
Such physical albums have achieved high sales and “conscience praise” among the artist’s fan groups. For example, Liu Yuxin’s fans commented, “How much does the number 233 carry, and the hard work behind it is needless to say”; “I I just want to know Liu Yuxin, can you get back the cost of your physical album at such an expensive price?” But ordinary netizens and listeners have a different attitude: some netizens said that they only want to listen to a song, but they have to sell so many unnecessary things. It’s really not worth it to buy it back.
Is the music attribute of physical records ignored? Consuming music or consuming stars?
Hu Yu, a senior planner of the record company, said that it is an indisputable fact that the record market is sluggish. When physical albums are sold, they are often bundled with auxiliary products. This situation is also very common. “Many physical records have long been ignored for their musical attributes.”
Examples in reality prove this point: some netizens who have been chasing stars for many years complained, “Buy hundreds of albums at a time, just for a small card and a photo album limited to the album. I have listened to the songs in the album online. After finishing the album, the extra CDs can either be sold at a 10% discount to get back the cost, or given to friends directly.”
Originally, the photo card was a free gift, but after hype, in the secondary market, some photo cards that came with physical albums were once sold for tens of thousands of yuan, and some photo cards were even priceless. Some media surveys found that the secondary market prices for other parts other than small cards are less than 10% off. Idol L’s 130 yuan album is only 5 yuan after removing the photo card; B idol group’s 139 yuan album, without the photo card version is 30 yuan free shipping.
This begs the question: Is the main consumer of the current music industry consuming music or consuming stars?
Cherry, the music director of Yuyue Company, believes that this is tapping into the pain point of the market. If the two kinds of consumption are evenly divided, it will enrich the music market economy. “If the balance is lost, then I think some return to simplicity is still needed. There are also types of music productivity. At least the two concepts of professional and non-professional still exist for the public. The natural methods of the two producers are different, because the focus The degree is different.”
Luo Dayou’s “Love, River, People, Room” adopts the method of tape and tape player. In addition to the bundled sales of albums and customized cassette players, the entire album includes seven songs, but except for “Love River, the World”, everyone Some of them are singles that have been launched three or four years ago. Fans think that it is not cheap in terms of market price, it is not friendly enough to fans, and there are some regrets in the repertoire. Some fans said that 800 yuan is not unaffordable, but if you really want to buy it, you feel very awkward. “A book, a tape, and a walkman that sells for tens of yuan on Taobao really make people feel unkind.” But Many fans also expressed that they would still buy because of their support for Luo Dayou. “This is the crystallization of Luo Dayou’s three years of art, and it is a collection that can be listened to, played with, and collected for decades.”
In the era of the digital music economy, if the scale of this kind of “involution” of physical album sales is not well grasped, it is easy for consumers and fans not to buy it. Because this marketing method is not aimed at physical collectors, but at the “fan circle culture” of fans.
Is there a reasonable existence of bundled sales of music albums or young harvest?
Liu Yuxin’s physical album “XANADU” is priced at 233 yuan, and JD.com’s pre-sale sales are 60,000 copies. The so-called high sales performance of many singers’ physical albums is due to the strong support of fans out of hobbies. Although fans claim that they have “conscience” and “great value” and think that their favorite singers “do not even make money”, the reality is that the configuration and price of the album discourage ordinary netizens and consumers. Does this mean that the “prosperity” scene of physical albums is showing a false fire?
Senior music critic Xiao Fei believes that since the high sales volume of the bundled albums for fans exists, it must be reasonable, but this does not mean that the music industry is going to be dominated by an excessively young consumer period.
Xiaofei said, “It’s not that I disagree with the form of packaged sales of music peripherals mentioned above, but I just hope that the balance of the business format will be better.” Xiaofei believes that for most people born in the 70s and 80s, music itself is a necessary spiritual food , so the sincerity of the melody and lyrics determine whether the singer’s works can be remembered by the public. Under such an era background, singers have resounded across the country with their musical strength. This is the format of music consumption. The threshold for musicians to release albums is high, and professionalism and creativity require time and skill. But now, relying on the blessing of technology, celebrities from all walks of life have become a kind of icing on the cake, even ordinary people and amateurs can release digital music. “So the packaged sales of music carriers bundled with peripherals is a kind of paid GIFT in my personal opinion, as long as the recipient is happy and willing.”
As long as it is within the scope permitted by laws and regulations, physical albums naturally have the right to fancy sales. However, the music value of more and more physical albums that meet listening needs is weakened, and the emotional value that fills emotional needs is magnified. Music carriers such as CDs, cassettes, and records have become the cheapest part of the entire physical album. This situation, in any case, is difficult to make music lovers happy.
Text/Reporter Shou Penghuan, intern Wang Jiayi
Coordinator/Liu Jianghua
