Active Member
It’s okay to punch nazis
Cool. CD people get fucked again. This has been my favorite band since 1994 so I’m not bitching here; I’d just love a physical release of what so far sounds like excellent score. How hard would it be to offer that option? It’s very frustrating.
(Unused symbol)
It's not that it's hard...it's just that not enough people buy them, unfortunately.Originally Posted by Swykk
Active Member
Yeah, it costs a certain amount just to design and produce each physical medium. If there's not enough demand for multiple media, they're only going to make one, and when Trent's involved, it's going to be vinyl.
Out of curiosity, @Swykk, if NIN is your favorite band, and they've made a strong case for why they prefer their music to be experienced on vinyl, why haven't you embraced the medium?
Active Member
I'm trying to FINALLY move away from buying CDs when I'm already usually buying the vinyl and digital, so this helps. Often I end up just ripping the CDs anyway...which is pointless considering it's on digital as well.
Hairy Member
This is the very thing I came to comment on. It's unfortunate.
I want to complain righteously that the lack of CDs is egregious, that I won't buy vinyl, that digital isn't good enough, but really now...
I have pre-ordered all three through Amazon, and I'm stoked. The music in the pilot was fantastic.
Last edited by ROFLRICK; 10-21-2019 at 11:55 AM.
(Unused symbol)
In fairness, favorite band or not, there are some pretty significant entry barriers to the medium. Cost of the albums themselves, a decent player that won't ruin your collection, the rest of the setup to get the sound from your player to your ears. Storage considerations of the vinyl itself, a place to put your setup in your house. Not to mention it can be somewhat intimidating / overwhelming for some new to the medium. This isn't an argument against vinyl but I can understand why some haven't jumped in.
pretty FART machine
Vinyl is great for the tactile experience, but if you're clumsy - fuck you.
Why they can't pull a "Welcome oblivion" (where the vinyl included a CD in an envelope) is beyond me.
Regardless, I love what I heard last night, but will wait to purchase since there aren't any exclusives the pre-order.
Active Member
all of that plus I usually listen to music while driving or moving around so 95% of the time I have headphones in. Until there's a portable record player I'm way happier with CDs that I can rip or audio files I can download.
Throbbing Member
CDs just aren't in demand right now. Target carries a handful of best seller titles, Walmart has new releases and discounted old releases, and Best Buy has stopped carrying CDs in store all together.
Most people prefer digital, and the collectors that prefer a physical format generally lean towards vinyl.
Most can't tell the difference between CD quality, FLAC or a high quality mp3, so at this day and age the CD is widely considered a redundant format.
It’s okay to punch nazis
I have spelled those reasons out on at least two occasions here. I’ll shorten it: space, my pre-existing collection, and hipsters’ “warmer sound” nonsensical rhetoric. I’m not interested in either conversion or arguing about which format is better or redundant.
Last edited by Swykk; 10-21-2019 at 12:27 PM.
Active Member
Yeah, makes sense. I grew up buying 80% CDs, 15% cassettes, and 5% vinyl, so CD is definitely the medium of my formative years, but once NIN released their vinyl statement, I bought an affordable turntable and have been enjoying building and showing off my collection ever since.
I guess I just feel that with so many ways to consume music these days, focusing on one medium is bound to lead to disappointment. If you don't have a turntable, listen on streaming. If you don't have streaming, download it digitally. If you want to listen on a CD or iPod, burn/transfer the files over to one. If you want to own a physical copy of the thing, buy the vinyl, stick it on your wall, and listen to the music on streaming or a burned CD. If you want specifically to listen to it on CD and for the specific CD you put into your player to be specifically an official one and not a burned one you made yourself – and that music comes from an artist who has pretty much dismissed CDs as a medium – I don't know, it just feels like asking for too much?
Granted, I know the above scenario is exactly how we consumed music 20 years ago, but I think part of Trent's philosophy comes from the fact that putting music onto a phone or CD is so easy, so anyone can listen via those options regardless of how something is officially released. Vinyl, on the other hand, is something you can't really fake, so prioritizing a vinyl release makes the most sense.
Active Member
Gotcha. I wasn't trying to start an argument about which is better – I don't have any strong feelings where that's concerned. Space makes total sense. I don't see how your pre-existing collection comes into play, though; it's not going anywhere. When I bought a turntable to start buying the new NIN vinyl in 2016, I also went back and completed my collection of the first 28 halos on CD.
Anyway, I don't want to get too off-topic, but I just find it surprising when people get frustrated by the lack of CD availability when it's quickly becoming the least popular medium out there.
(Unused symbol)
"I'd love to work on your ambitious story set in the world created by the most acclaimed graphic novel in history but I really have to get this Patriot's Day vinyl buttoned up." - not Trent Reznor, thankfully
Administrator
I don't think some people understand how precipitous CD's decline has been. In the US last year, CD revenues declined 34% to $698 million, its lowest level since 1986. If CD's continue their rate of decline, and vinyl continues its modest growth, vinyl revenues will surpass CD revenues next year.
Hairy Member
I know, your right, I shouldn't complain but I wish his past two previous scores were released in the way watchmen is right now: physical product/digital released simultaneously.
Throbbing Member
Patriot's Day and Quake vinyl releases will still happen, he did say "soon" and in NIN terms that's an estimate of anywhere from 30 days to 15 years.
Active Member
Horrendously disappointed this is a vinyl-only release. No CD again. At least we're getting a digital option this time. Regardless, I'm boycotting this. £90 for this is insane, especially since TGWTDT OST on CD is only £16.30 currently on amazon.
Last edited by katara; 10-21-2019 at 04:27 PM.
(Unused symbol)
You're comparing three individual 180g vinyl releases to a 3 cd collecting dust in a warehouse since 2011?
Banned
Trent is too busy catering to hipsters with his all vinyl bullshit rule that he lives by. Why release a CD when you can release something on a format (vinyl) that was outdated and obsolete by 1979 and only brought back by revisionist hipsters......Trent seems to be oblivious that a lot of his fanbase would prefer physical format and would buy CD. I think Tool already proved CDs are still viable. If you are Taylor Swift or Teskashi 69 or Miley Cyrus and releasing disposable pop shit, then you cater to streaming. Big bands that have been around over 20 years still have a large fanbase that prefers Physical format. Unfortunately Trent is still listening to his suit friends from Apple Music who told him CDs are dead. They forgot to mention CDs are dead for pop singers/new hip hop artists....Not artists that have 20 years plus in the game..The kids man. The kids these days, they like to stream man...Guess what? The kids these days ain't listening to Nine Inch Nails or a fuckin 3 hour Trent Reznor instrumental film score.....Ask Tool if CDs are dead...Seems like they had some success selling CDs of their new album? Hmmmmm? Outsold the aryan princess T Swift if I remember correct
But this vinyl only release shit has been exhausting and tiring the last few years. Put out a fuckin CD. Even if its limited run. I GUARANTEE it will SELL OUT
Last edited by Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell); 10-21-2019 at 06:37 PM.
(Unused symbol)
Holy fuck this thread got stupid fast.
Active Member
I mean, from the looks of all the Fear Inoculum CDs I saw sitting around in record stores this past weekend...
I collect CDs still, but it's mainly to get stuff that's not available in high quality online. I've seen the CDs for the EP trilogy in stores and I've passed on them every time because...well...I have high resolution digital files at home. What do I need a CD for? So I can stick it in with the rest of my CDs that never get played? At least vinyl makes some sense, even if I don't listen to/collect them. That's something that takes commitment. You have to say "I'm going to listen to this album front to back, because I can't just hit the shuffle button". The quality of the packaging is certainly superior to CDs too (for the most part). Yes, vinyl is kind of hipster-y, but I'm starting to feel that way about people who obsess over something not being available on CD too (same with cassettes).
Last edited by BRoswell; 10-21-2019 at 07:19 PM.
Active Member
Not to mention cd was the ONLY physical format they released it on. If there was a vinyl option at the same time as the CD I would be interested in seeing the sales comparisons
Administrator
I’ll allow two more posts recycling the same complaints about vinyl before I start moving comments. We have had this argument over and over again and the end result is the same. Keep it on topic about the score.
Throbbing Member
Well. That escalated quickly.
This Cannot Continue
Soooo tempted to get the vinyls, but like all the other vinyls i have it'll just be for the artwork and they'll just gather dust under my bed as i don't have a vinyl player (or even the space FOR a player)...GAAAAAH!
Active Member
Yes, I am. CD is a much cheaper format monetarily. It wan't much more expensive than this when it was released.
In addition, CD quality is much better and the size is more convenient. Can't put a frisbee-sized record in my pocket. Vinyls often have bad presses, so it's a toss-up as to whether you're actually going to get something that sounds good. Deterioration is also an issue.
Only thing going for vinyl is large artwork. 'Warm' sound, my arse.
Edit: £90 is $115 US. Imagine paying over a hundred bucks for the regular edition of a new album! It's not even a deluxe package...
Last edited by katara; 10-22-2019 at 03:27 AM.
Throbbing Member
I'd understand all this grumbling if it was a vinyl-only release, but it isn't! They're also releasing files. Literally every argument that I've seen above in favour of CDs and against vinyl could be made more compellingly in favour of files against CDs (cheaper, better quality, take up less space). So if you think those arguments against vinyl are compelling (I don't, but whatever) then you're in luck, since files beat CDs on all of those fronts and the files are being released!
Active Member
When you own an album physically, it's something tangible you actually own in meat space, while a file just sort of floats in a virtual one. Psychologically, files on a computer feel throwaway. One can download 100 albums and feel no connection to them because there is no connection; it's just words and images on a flat screen rather than a printed object.
This whole conversation has come up every time a new TRAR/NIN release happens now, ever since TR's VINYL MISSION STATEMENT bullshit. It fucking sucks. Trent, you can do better for your fanbase than this.
As for Watchmen, I'm out. Will not buy. This goes for any future release from the band until they sort this mess.
Active Member
Wouldnt bank on it -- I reached out to Lakeshore multiple times since Patriots Day came out and they finally said that "it is out of our hands at this point"
Either meaning, it aint happening...or Trent is moving it to a different company. Downside is, the further we get away from the release date of Patriots Day and Bird Box, the less relevant Trent will see a physical release being. Case#27557: The Social Network has been out of print on vinyl since 2012...and the original pressing is famous for being such a shitty pressing and yet there has been ZERO talks or mention of a repress from Trent and Co.
I would put the following in the Tension2013 blu-ray bin:
Bird Box extended vinyl
Patriots Day vinyl
Gone Girl Outtakes vinyl
Posting Permissions
Likes: 
Faceplams: 
Reply With Quote