Top 10 CD Gripes
 

Does anyone else despise the following?:

(in no particular order)

1) Spoken interludes that either:

A) Are not listed as tracks on the liner notes. Therefore, you need to keep skipping around as the true album tracks are not in the numerical sequence listed.

B) Are tacked onto the beginning or end of the song resulting in the need to manually skip over the babble with the search function.


2) Glossy black liner notes that collect fingerprints like dust.

3) Digipacks, especially when they pass themselves off as limited editions (e.g., Blink 182). What's the advantage over a jewel case for the consumer?

4) Cheap re-issues that have inserts instead of booklets.

5) Fold-out booklets, especially those in poster format.

6) BMG Music Club, merely for the promo stamp they have on the back.

7) The lack of a singles market in the U.S. (should be #1 on the list). The Billboard Hot 100 is now so chaotic.

8) Mainstream U.S. artists that choose to release their album later in the U.S. than in Europe (e.g., Cher).

9) Lack of 80's soundtracks in print.

10) Constant re-recordings of original album tracks, only to find out the album you bought does not have the radio version that drove you to purchase the CD. This is especially difficult when the album is re-reeased with the radio version or bundled with a promo copy.


What other miscellaneous gripes are out there?

- Matt C.

Re: Top 10 CD Gripes
 

1A yes
1B yes

2. not really an issue for me

3. yes

4. yes

5. maybe

6. see "2"

7. see "6"

8. no :)

9. see "7"

10 don't understand gripe 10

<i>Other miscellaneous gripes are out there?</i>

11 too many <b>re</b>-releases i.e. first CD release; remastered version; extra tracks + original artwork version; "superbit remastered SACD/DVD Star Trek Beam Me Up Scotty version"

12 <s><strike>twickoff</s></strike>

You forgot to mention those magnetic security stickers that are sometimes put inside the jewel case where you have to pull the case apart to remove it.


As for your 1B, I bought "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill" after she won the grammy to see what the fuss was about, only to be turned off by the classroom talk that's placed between every track. I liked some of the songs but can't stand to listen to the CD anymore. But this sort of thing can be done well also, see Poe's "Haunted".

As for #6, the stamp is just in place of where a bar code would have been if you bought it at the store.

But Poe's Haunted falls under #10 -

the single was redone - and then later added back to the CD - if you bought it early it was a different version.

Also see Tenacious D's self-titled debut. ;)