Buying Dream Theater Albums From WDADU to Self-Titled

[Calvin6s]

For a major label, major release, there is really no reason to pay more than $5.00 for a CD these days.   

Where did you pull the $5 max from?  What is this based on?

[ZirconBlue]

Do Columbia House or BMG Record Clubs still exist?

[Stadler]

For a major label, major release, there is really no reason to pay more than $5.00 for a CD these days.   

Where did you pull the $5 max from?  What is this based on?

eBay.  Here's my last couple purchases:
Daryl Hall, Sacred Songs:                               $4.68
Robert Fripp Exposure:                                 $10.00 (This is the double remaster from 2006)
Billy Joel, 2000 Years The Millenium Concert:   $0.99 (This is a double)
Billy Joel, 12 Gardens:                                   $4.36 (This is a double too)
Billy Joel, Shea Stadium:                              $15.20 (This is a triple set, 2CD/DVD)

Average price per disk:  $7.00, AND four of the five were double sets.   

[Anguyen92]

Just how much is it to actually create an album copy from getting the CD disk to getting the songs on it to getting it out to the stores like Target, Best Buy, etc?

[Calvin6s]

Just how much is it to actually create an album copy from getting the CD disk to getting the songs on it to getting it out to the stores like Target, Best Buy, etc?

I want to say not a lot due to mass production, but then again, I'm sure they don't mass produce them a fraction of what they used to.

I'm happy with downloads (FLAC, like HDTracks), which should at least knock a dollar or two of the cost of production, store display overhead, overproduction losses, etc.  For some reason, it costs more, and that's one reason I've stuck with CDs.  Having a backup copy somewhere gives some peace of mind.

As far as buying on eBay, you usually have to buy a lot or quite a few from the same seller to reduce shipping per.  Otherwise, the shipping can cost more than the CD.  (Although I haven't bought one off eBay in years).

[Stadler]

As far as buying on eBay, you usually have to buy a lot or quite a few from the same seller to reduce shipping per.  Otherwise, the shipping can cost more than the CD.  (Although I haven't bought one off eBay in years).

That's the one downside, and some seller's "use" that to their advantage; they "sell" a CD for $0.99, and charge $3.00 shipping (for a total of "$3.99") but the shipping is something less.  You don't get a refund.  Others are even worse, in that they don't combine shipping, so you are paying "$3.00 times x CDs" but all arrive in the same package. 

[ytserush]

For what it's worth, I just paid $2.99 plus tax for the soundtrack to Garden State on CD the other day at a CD store in Somerville.

[jjrock88]

Do Columbia House or BMG Record Clubs still exist?

no long gone

I know our local HMV always has a decent DT selection.  I check pretty often and they usually have around 8-10 albums, plus they have that box set from last year.

[TL]

Most of the cost of a CD has nothing to do with the physical production of the disc and case, or the shipping to the store. It's paying the people who were involved in creating the content on the disc in the first place. The musicians, the production techs, the people who own the studio, the cost of instruments and equipment, etc.

The mindset that $10 is too much to pay for a music album is pretty fucking insulting, to be perfectly honest.

[Prog Snob]

Lars?     

[Calvin6s]

Most of the cost of a CD has nothing to do with the physical production of the disc and case, or the shipping to the store. It's paying the people who were involved in creating the content on the disc in the first place. The musicians, the production techs, the people who own the studio, the cost of instruments and equipment, etc.

The mindset that $10 is too much to pay for a music album is pretty fucking insulting, to be perfectly honest.

Actually, most of the cost of a CD is to pay for all the losses with the 95% of CD releases that fail.  Last I heard, the artist sees about a buck for a CD.

[ytserush]

Most of the cost of a CD has nothing to do with the physical production of the disc and case, or the shipping to the store. It's paying the people who were involved in creating the content on the disc in the first place. The musicians, the production techs, the people who own the studio, the cost of instruments and equipment, etc.

The mindset that $10 is too much to pay for a music album is pretty fucking insulting, to be perfectly honest.

Actually, most of the cost of a CD is to pay for all the losses with the 95% of CD releases that fail.  Last I heard, the artist sees about a buck for a CD.

And yet vinyl is more expensive to produce........

[Cable]

Also perfect condition, or near perfect condition old CDs would be nice. Or brand new.

I've searched everything a few weeks ago. Everything used, has something wrong with it. Such as scratches on the cd, and so forth.

You want near perfect or new CDs, but your search has already led you to feel that anything used has *SOME* flaw.  So you are therefore asking for used CDs

[lonestar]

Now this has been a thoroughly entertaining read.

[SuperTaco]

Reasonably sure it's not just my personal opinion that one should recompense the artist whose fanatic one is of. I mean, it's pretty obvious how you will have listened to them up to this point.

This. While not directly stating it, he's still made it pretty clear that he's pirated all of DT's albums. Now he want to spend as little as possible for the actual discs.. Such is life in the digital age, I guess. With less and less fans supporting their favorite bands' albums, it seems like tour revenue is the true border between success and failure.

Think of all the man hours, the studio time, the amount of people that have to come together and create an album. The demoing, tracking, mixing, mastering, manufacturing, shipping.. Is that not worth a measly 10 or 15 dollars? People go out and buy 70 dollar video games on release day, yet they are the same people who refuse to buy newest CD of their favorite band. Why? Pirating.

Maybe he calls himself a fanatic, but a true fanatic would have bought the albums already.

[Stadler]

Most of the cost of a CD has nothing to do with the physical production of the disc and case, or the shipping to the store. It's paying the people who were involved in creating the content on the disc in the first place. The musicians, the production techs, the people who own the studio, the cost of instruments and equipment, etc.

The mindset that $10 is too much to pay for a music album is pretty fucking insulting, to be perfectly honest.

Why would you say that?   It IS too much to pay.  If the artist was getting the $10.00, I'd have no problem (which is why in contrast to what I said earlier, I refuse to buy Fish or Ytsejam recordings from eBay).    But honestly?  I'm not interested in funding the Artie Fufkin's of the world, and in fact, I find THAT insulting.   I'd rather buy my CD used from eBay and go to the show and fund my favorite artists that way.   You wouldn't have Gene Simmons, Sammy Hagar, et al., publicly stating that it doesn't make any sense for them to make CDs at this point if they (the creative teams) were getting the bulk of the income.

This is an opportunity to speak with our wallets.   The record companies have manhandled and mismanaged too many catalogues to count, have repackaged things ad infinitum with marginal benefit to the consumer.   It is insulting to see Ozzy's team repackaging Blizzard and Diary as "definitive" packages but leaving out certain rare and difficult to find tracks. 

[Dave_Manchester]

First things first this is a superbly off-the-wall thread, I had a lot of fun reading this. Thanks, OP.

To your point, I echo the thoughts of a few earlier posters - if money is short, a bargain basement binge-shop for all their catalogue isn't a good idea. If you're a "fanatic" of the band, then surely you want your own new copy of the album, with a pristine booklet, shiny jewel-case and what have you. Pick them up one by one, when you have the funds, and spend time on each album. After all, since you already know of avenues where you can listen to the music at any time, why are you so keen to quickly have the physical albums? What will change for you by having them? Better, in my opinion, to do the real 'fan' thing, which is buy your own new copy at a reasonable price and take pride in your collection.   

[Rodni Demental]

While not directly stating it, he's still made it pretty clear that he's pirated all of DT's albums.

Why is it pretty clear? They could just have easily listened on youtube or something similar. I don't really see anything wrong with that, youtube if anything helps the band out and gives them more exposure. The issue is more the terrible audio quality in this case, but I don't think it's really a crime to listen to music on youtube. I guess I'm just giving the benefit of the doubt. Although I dunno, has no one here ever pirated anything before? Because we'd probably all be hypocrites then. Just because we don't agree with it when it comes to one of our favourite bands.

Maybe he calls himself a fanatic, but a true fanatic would have bought the albums already.

Meh, not necessarily. Someone could be completely obsessed with the band without owning any albums at all. Although these things might generally go hand in hand, the correlation doesn't imply you have to own the albums to be a fanatic.

[Cable]

Maybe he calls himself a fanatic, but a true fanatic would have bought the albums already.

Meh, not necessarily. Someone could be completely obsessed with the band without owning any albums at all. Although these things might generally go hand in hand, the correlation doesn't imply you have to own the albums to be a fanatic.

Yup. Echoing this, and this is just from what I have read and heard, think of fans in Japan. I feel they gobble up musicians, when others don't. DT for example can sell 10k plus seats to a show, where as in the US they are at times lucky to get 1k. Yet the US has at least double the population.

And the CDs there, at least from the US, would cost up to 30$ I feel. Thus why many artists created Japan versions with extra tracks to entice buyers.

While I myself would have paid that back in my disposable income days, today as a 33 year old, I probably would not. Or it would take me years. Also, people in other countries or even in the US might not be considered working class like me, and as such could maybe not afford a bunch of CDs.

Fandom has nothing to do with $$$ spent. Is the person who sits on the 50 yard line at a gridiron/American Football game a bigger fan then the fan in section 370, seat Z? The person at the Super Bowl who paid 1k for a ticket, or the person given a ticket from Pepsi because he is an executive for them making 1million a year. 

[SuperTaco]

Fandom has nothing to do with $$$ spent. Is the person who sits on the 50 yard line at a gridiron/American Football game a bigger fan then the fan in section 370, seat Z? The person at the Super Bowl who paid 1k for a ticket, or the person given a ticket from Pepsi because he is an executive for them making 1million a year. 

That's different because all those paid tickets provide support. Pirating doesn't, save for the very few people who buy albums after hearing them for free.

Anyway, my other post was kind of an angry morning rant so I apologize.

[Calvin6s]

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100712/23482610186.shtml

There's just one story on where the money from album sales actually goes.

It is also why as a very young adult I took a music business class, learned about the gimmickry, and decided as great as it is to do something "you love", it isn't worth being a virtual slave for it.

Touring is great and all, but it would wear most people down.  And it is probably "great fun" the first 500 shows, but I'm sure sometimes it must feel like pure tedium.  Even if you are just somebody that dabbled in the band scene, tell me you haven't been at band practice or even up on stage and zoned out.  You are still playing everything just fine, but you are more or less thinking about something totally different.  And the worst part is coming out of that mind float, realizing you are in the middle of a song and the jump back from autopilot almost makes you crash and burn (or does make you crash and burn).

DT has been around so long that even though they aren't the latest Top 10 hit, they probably have negotiated something more comfortable in their contracts.  But that is not the story for just about every other artist out there.

Quite frankly, I'd rather illegally download a FLAC version of a new DT album and PayPal the Majesty Corporation $10-$15 directly.  Of course that is illegal, so you can't.  So you just buy the new album and accept your financial support in that department is near meaningless.