base talk ATRL Decides: Are Variants Embarrassing or Not?

[ShadeIena]

Bring back deluxe bonus tracks. Nobody gives af about which color or different cover does this album have , except the swifties that buy everything she releases only to accumulate in their homes

[Cloröx]

2 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said:

I don't really think it's fair to call the purchase of all variants "mental illness." There are collectors that have hundreds of records from The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc because collection is just a facet of human existence. Villainizing the hobbies of music enthusiasts is a little mean spirited when their actions are harming no one. 

This. Hating people for doing things they love is the real mental illness 

[glitch]

5 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said:

I don't really think it's fair to call the purchase of all variants "mental illness." There are collectors that have hundreds of records from The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc because collection is just a facet of human existence. Villainizing the hobbies of music enthusiasts is a little mean spirited when their actions are harming no one. 

Ok maybe I was a bit harsh, but I do think there's a distinction between music collectors and people who bulk buy albums off their faves primarily for the purpose of boosting their sales.

[PoisonedIvy]

3 minutes ago, ShadeIena said:

Bring back deluxe bonus tracks. Nobody gives af about which color or different cover does this album have , except the swifties that buy everything she releases only to accumulate in their homes

Why are you singling out Swifties? (1) I don't buy every variant she puts out, a lot of us don't. & (2) pretty much every other artist in recent years releases more variants than Taylor does. Either attack them all or attack none. 

[CécredSpaces]

54 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said:

Did you find it embarrassing over the course of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s when variant vinyls were introduced and popularized by consumers of previous generations?

The variants of the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s were mostly because of deluxe editions and reissues. Most of them were issued six months, one year or two years later to celebrate album milestones. Also, in those days, the industry was in the middle of format wars. Many albums and singles were issued in varying formats to satisfy market demands—and because there wasn't one set format to release in. Even vinyls came in different sizes, so did CDs. Casette was the only one that didn't change.

 

Additionally, because the available formats at the time didn't allow for many of the songs to be included, the special editions often came to add B-sides, outtakes, the rare C-side, and many others deemed unfit for the original release. It wasn't a cash grab "variant" release like the ones we have now. They were bound by limitations.

Edited May 23 by CécredSpaces

[PoisonedIvy]

Just now, CécredSpaces said:

The variants of the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s were mostly because of deluxe editions and reissues. Most of them were issues six months, one year or two years later to celebrate album milestones. Also, in those days, the industry was in the middle of format wars. Many albums and singles were issues in varying formats to satisfy market demands—and because there wasn't one set format to release in. Even vinyls came in different sizes, so did CDs. Casette was the only one that didn't change.

The market is ever changing, ever evolving. Labels find ways to generate revenue for an album over time. Artists often don't make these decisions themselves.
 

So everything you mentioned are just the time-specific explanations of why -those- particular variants came to be. Well, we have our reasonings for modern day vinyl variants. And someday in the future they will have their own artist-tailored reasonings behind whatever variant tactics are going on then.  None are any more or less valid than others. It's just the state of the industry and the factors that influence business decisions. 

[Achilles.]

I think it's a shady and stupid business practice utilized across the industry (by everyone from indie acts to superstars, current acts to those in their sixth decade) to pad their stats and grab cash by exploiting fans. It's a costly hobby and a wasteful practice, and I see no real purpose in owning multiple variants—if you're interested in the artwork, you could just buy posters… except that wouldn't effect the Billboard 200, so they don't sell posters.

 

Although the practice itself deserves to be criticized, the artists themselves only deserve lashings when they go around throwing shade and criticizing the practice whilst hypocritically engaging in it.  

[CécredSpaces]

6 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said:

The market is ever changing, ever evolving. Labels find ways to generate revenue for an album over time. Artists often don't make these decisions themselves.
 

So everything you mentioned are just the time-specific explanations of why -those- particular variants came to be. Well, we have our reasonings for modern day vinyl variants. And someday in the future they will have their own artist-tailored reasonings behind whatever variant tactics are going on then.  None are any more or less valid than others. It's just the state of the industry and the factors that influence business decisions. 

Colored vinyls aren't enough of a good reason to make these variants. These are blatant cash grabs. We're not limited by the amount of storage as they were in those days. Before K-pop made its way in the West, the "variantism" wasn't even this bad. Artists were content releasing a standard and deluxe edition, then sold that stock on the strength of their songs, celebrity or both. We don't need this. You're only defending it because Taylor is doing it. If she wasn't, I bet you would be on your high horse right now judging every pop girl.

 

My fave is Beyoncé and I was f**king disappointed that she did the variant sh*t when she hasn't done that in the last 14 albums she released before Cowboy Carter.

Edited May 23 by CécredSpaces

[Wicked]

Yes. Standard and deluxe is really all that's needed (not counting remasters and rereleases), don't need several diff covers and color versions and ****. 

 

Just sell photocards or posters or something on the side. Everything else is doing too much and people crazy for trying to buy all of them. 

[PoisonedIvy]

1 minute ago, CécredSpaces said:

Colored vinyls aren't enough of a good reason to make these variants. These are blatant cash grabs. We're not limited by the amount of storage as they were in those days. Before K-pop made its way in the West, the "variantism" wasn't even this bad. Artists were content releasing a standard and deluxe edition, then sold that stock on the strength of their songs, celebrity or both. We don't need this. You're only defending it because Taylor is doing it. If she wasn't, I bet you would be on your high horse right now judging every pop girl.

 

My fave is Beyoncé and I was f**king disappointed that she did the variant sh*t when she hasn't done that in the last 14 albums she released before Cowboy Carter.

I don't judge other pop girls, ever, at all, actually. I wish more people were like me. There are things Taylor doesn't do that other girls do that I'd still defend. Taylor is not the star around which my life revolves  

 

Theres nothing to be disappointed about. These are pop stars in the music industry. They are literally brands. They're dolls, they're video games, they're toys, they're MEANT to become collectible commodities. If you don't like these practices, pop music is not where you are meant to be. (Honestly indie music has variants too so idk what direction to point you in)  

[Suilen]

I personally find variants with different bonus tracks to be anti-consumer (buying 5 versions of the same album to collect them all sounds awful). Sure, that's good for the artist, but what's in it for me? Especially when I live in a different country and have to pay extra for shipping on top of it all. It is more acceptable when everything's already on streaming (which was the case for Taylor), making it optional to buy those.

[hallucinate]

depends on the situation 

it becomes embarrassing when you continue to release variants weeks after, especially when your album is already doing well 

 

and yes those exclusive song variants are very embarrassing as well

Edited May 23 by hallucinate

[Rep2000]

1 hour ago, toxicgenie said:

Only variants that have exclusive or bonus tracks are embarrassing. 

 

Different vinyl colors or alternate covers are fine so fans can pick their favorite. Remixes or speeded-up/slowed-down albums are fine too.

Can't wait until this gatekeeping blows up in your (fav's) face. |
 

Also, speed up and low down version of the whole album is so low efforts it's crazy. All it takes is like 30 mins of waiting for the program to crunch it and that's it. And anybody can do it themselves, even with just Tiktok.

[James_Dean]

It's embarrassing when they are advertised as timed limited editions, only to be restocked several times, and later appear on all major retailers shelves 

[OrgVisual]

1 hour ago, dawnettakins said:

Discounts and remixes are one thing, but the cheap cash grab tactics by a certain artist with endless "editions" that have "exclusive" tracks only gatekeep and incentives blind consumption for the sake of egotistical desperation and greed and just hollow "artistry".

 

1 hour ago, toxicgenie said:

Only variants that have exclusive or bonus tracks are embarrassing. 

 

Different vinyl colors or alternate covers are fine so fans can pick their favorite. Remixes or speeded-up/slowed-down albums are fine too.

 

8 minutes ago, hallucinate said:

depends on the situation 

it becomes embarrassing when you continue to release variants weeks after, especially when your album is already doing well 

 

and yes those exclusive song variants are very embarrassing as well

 

4 minutes ago, James_Dean said:

It's embarrassing when they are advertised as timed limited editions, only to be restocked several times, and later appear on all major retailers shelves 

All these actually

 

I don't think you can lump "variants" together as a term when artists have used it in very different ways with different intentions. 

 

Like, discount is a general promotional tactic across every industry. But discounting your products to the point of negative profits just to boost numbers is embarrassing

[Bartender]

44 minutes ago, PoisonedIvy said:

People always say what Taylor does is taking it too far. The 4 variants of Midnights building a clock peeves everyone off too, despite none of those having exclusive tracks.

 

Personally I think the real issue people have is they don't like how well Taylor sells, but they'll get angry and bark at me that "not everyone cares about charts as much as you Swifties do!!!!1!" if I say that. When the reality is, if they didn't care about the charts & sales, they also wouldn't care what Taylor does in relation to them.  
 

 

The issue was track exclusivity, I could bet you she tacked the TTPD ones into The Anthology last minute just look at the tracklist 

 

The Midnights tactic was actually cute and genius and like it was meant generally for the fans for their own lil collect them all thing

 

It's just the idea of buying separate copies to experience a track that rubbed people the wrong way, though Taylor is known to be very smart with her selling tactics like look at the 1989 polaroids that's how you do that.

 

And before you throw that WAOLOM lyric, Olivia did it too but where she flopped, Taylor succeeded. 

[JT55331]

I hate variants with bonus tracks, hate the whole midnights clock thing and hate the slow down, speed up trend. Unless you're serving substantial remixes with DJs or features, keep it. The issue is music consumption by streaming does not pay well enough, so musicians are trying anything to claw back some cash, at the detriment of fans who spend their months rent on tour tickets 

[Blackout2006]

No. The movements within certain fandoms to buy multiple variants and attacking other artists who call it out are embarrassing though. You only need 2 vinyls max, and that's pushing it. One variant of your choice is enough (excluding collectors) 

Edited May 23 by Blackout2006

[Blackout2006]

15 minutes ago, OrgVisual said:

 

 

 

All these actually

 

I don't think you can lump "variants" together as a term when artists have used it in very different ways with different intentions. 

 

Like, discount is a general promotional tactic across every industry. But discounting your products to the point of negative profits just to boost numbers is embarrassing

Precisely. The poll dumbs it down to two extreme ends, which is why I didn't vote

[Both Sides Now]

In my book, coloured variants have been a feature of most releases for at least a decade. These releases have the same cover and tracklist. The only difference is the colour of the vinyl. 
 

There's a stark difference between that and purposefully gaming your fans to buy multiple copies. This is something on a handful of artists do - most notably Taylor. Some of those practises:

 

• Bundling 2 distinct magazines with albums so fans will buy multiple copies (Reputation). 
 

https://www.instagram.com/taylorswift/p/BYNz0dBHrSp/

 

• Bundling 4 distinct booklets with albums WITH unique audio clips so fans will buy multiple copies (Lover). 
 

https://store.taylorswift.com/pages/deluxe-us

 

• Releasing 8 distinct album covers on pre-sale just prior to Billboard rule-change to encourage fans to buy multiple copies (folklore)

 

• Releasing 4 distinct album covers (after Billboard's rule change) and encouraging fans to buy all to build a clock at the back (Midnights). 
 

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-midnights-artwork-clock-1235140079/amp/

 

• Releasing 4 distinct album covers each with a different bonus track to encourage fans to buy all versions (TTPD). 

 

…

In my mind there is a clear difference. There's nothing illegal with what Taylor is doing but it's not the same as, say, George Michael releasing Older on black, green or red vinyl.

[SwiftLover]

I just want a vinyl in a color i like - variety is appreciated 

 

[RT Air]

I'm all for having several variants available as long as it's not exploitation. If you get the same content with each option and you can just choose which cover to have it with, or to have it on a yellow / black / blue / etc. vinyl, then I see no harm, you're not being pushed into buying them all.

[cat1867]

physical albums are basically collectibles/ a nice thing to to decorate your room now. just like for collectibles, most people only buy the one that is most visually appealing to them while the rich, silly people buy several. 

 

different covers, colors and other gimmicks are in align with that concept.  however, i want the variants to each be visually appealing since that's their main appeal. 

 

bonus tracks that stay exclusive to the vinyl instead of going straight to streaming are annoying since I have to use an alternate method than streaming. different versions having different tracks matters less since since most listening to their vinyl pretty rarely and the extra tracks are usually just bonus tracks that people care about less than the standard track list.

Edited May 23 by cat1867

[KatyPrismSpirit]

they are embarrassing, unless you go toe to toe with taylord

Edited May 23 by KatyPrismSpirit

[watermelonshake]

I always just pick the one I like I don't feel compelled to buy multiple. So I just buy the one I find the prettiest, I like it. 

I do find it weird when people buy multiple copies and then complain about having bought multiple copies. Like saying they were robbed. Like sis YOU bought them. I just don't get it.