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Repackaged CDs - Is This a Good Thing? | |
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Lately, there have been several labels that have repackaged artist's CDs and re-released them, adding new tracks to the original album, or in the case of the Dixie Chicks, a disk of their videos. Is this a good thing? Do the fans really need to pay for the same music again, just to get these little "extras?"
Here are the cases that I can think of offhand.
So, now my thoughts on this whole business... I think it's silly to repackage the same music twice and make the fans pay twice just to get a new track or two. In the case of the Dixie Chicks you are getting several videos on a DVD disk, and that is cool, but why couldn't they have just released the videos separately, and not make you pay for the original songs from "Home" again? The Sheryl Crow version of "Landslide" is just a pop version of the song, so I really don't understand this. Chris Cagle's case was a new label, so that wasn't quite so bad, but still, fans had to pay the same amount for the same album, plus two new songs. In LeAnn's case, there were new songs and dance remixes of some of them, but again.. why not just make a new album, rather than rehashing the old stuff? Then, with Phil, same thing. He could have just released the two songs as a single, and people would have been able to have everything, instead of paying again for the original songs.
So, when it comes down to it, it's a case of money, pure and simple. The fans get shafted everytime. Especially the ones that are diehards and have to have all of their favorite artists' music.
What do you think about this repackaging of CDs? Vote in the poll on the right to let us know how you feel.
Chris Cagle - Play It Loud
Originally released on Virgin Records in October of 2000. When the label closed, Chris was moved over to Capitol Nashville, who repackaged the original album and added two new tracks and released it in June of 2001. The additional tracks were definitely a good thing for Chris, as he got his first No. 1 record with "I Breathe In, I Breathe Out."
LeAnn Rimes - I Need You
This CD was released in January 2001, in the midst of LeAnn's battle with Curb over the right to renegotiate her contract which was signed when she was 11. She felt since she was 18, she wanted to have more say in her career. Unfortunately for LeAnn, the courts ruled against her, and Curb released this album. In March of 2002, the label again released the album with new tracks, and bonus mixes of some of the originals.
Dixie Chicks - Home
After settling their legal battle with Sony, and being awarded their own inprint on the label (Wide Open), the Chicks released "Home" in August of 2002. In several weeks the album sold over 3 million copies, and became one of the Top Country Albums from the year on many people's lists (mine included). In November of 2002, the album was repackaged, and a bonus track of "Landslide" remixed by Sheryl Crow. Also, there is a DVD which includes videos for Landslide," "Long Time Gone," "Goodbye Earl," and "Wide Open Spaces."
Phil Vassar - American Child
The album was released in August of 2002, and according to reports of poor sales, RCA is repackaged it with his new single, "This Is God," plus a duet with Huey Lewis, "Workin' For a Livin'." The new version came out this week.