"Why are the majority of DVD-Audio/SACD releases so AOR?"
 

For these two competing audio formats, why are the releases for the most part average, and predictable? In terms of DVD-audio, I am only interested in the Flaming Lips and the 'Greatest Hits' REM compliation. SACD titles in my collection are the Pink Floyd, Tommy's - The Who, and this Tuesday's Elton John "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" release. (Oasis' "What's the Story Morning Glory" negative reviews of the SACD desuaded from purchasing this title.)

From the UK, I have the SACD editions of Groove Armada "Vertigo" and "Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)".

An initally announced SACD edition of Sigur Ros' () has so far never materalized and a practically non-existent Cardigans "Long Gone Before Daylight" would have been great additions.

I really wish SACD and DVD-Audio would be a little more adventurous and aggressive in terms of expanding their catalogues with non-AOR (adult-oriented) music and start marketing to a more specific and younger consumer base.

Probably cause the key audience involved isnt into "younger consumer based" music...

I think its that simple of an answer...

How many 16 yr old kids do you know that have SACD or know what to do with DVD audio? Even if they did have a dvd player with surround sound, its likely their parents wouldnt let them playin Linkin Park or Hillary Duff blasting through the living room..

I agree Id love to some newer releases and even some older ones on dvd audio...but I dont think maybe 30-something and 40-something's want these title...they want the old classics..

I have nothing to base this on, but I would think that most of the early adopters of DVD-A/SACD would be middle-aged consumers with the disposable income necessary to purchase the players. It would only make sense to put out releases that appeal to the demographic, i.e. AOR.

But prices of players have come down. Yesterday, my 19 year old cousin just bought the $180 DVD-A/SACD hybrid player that was mentioned in another thread. He may not be the typical consumer, though, since he's a recording engineer student in Nashvegas. I would hope that as more younger people can afford players, there'd be more non-AOR stuff released. Is there any hip-hop released on any of the formats? Or electronic music other than Groove Armada?

Personally, I look forward to buying a player someday once prices go down a bit more and after I get a widescreen TV and 5.1 set up (whenever that may be).

Hip Hop in 5.1? hmm, now that would be interesting. Other than Groove Armada, I know of only one other UK 'dance' act that has had an album released as a SACD release: Kinobe "Versebridgechorus".

If and when Orbital gets around to releasing their next album, I would love for them exploit the 5.1 soundfield again since they had done one for the DVD of "The Altogether" (shamelessly never released stateside).

I wish they would focus on a broader range of music, but it's true, how many kids have an SACD player, or even know what one is. The sad thing is that I'm sure there are a lot of bands that would be interested in seeing their work in SACD or DVDA, but don't get the chance because the record label deems it non profitable.

What I wouldn't give to have the whole Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Pink Floyd (the rest of it), Primus, and countless other great bands in 5.1 Surround.

I own The Darkside of the Moon SACD and The Queen Night at the Opera and Metallica Black Album DVDAs.

Don't they generally do this with every new format?

Everytime a new format rolls out, the first albums released are always shit like "Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits."

Maybe it also has to do with the excellent engineering and production of some of those albums. "Ear candy." Many newer albums simply don't have the atmospheric sound quality to show off the hardware.

Even though I am one of those mid 40's targets mentioned earlier I have to agree that if these format don't start releasing newer more popular titles they won't catch on with the general public. A good case in point is the recent Pink Floyd Dark side of the moon SACD, it has been purchased by people who don't have SACD players. It helped make up my mind to buy a new Pioneed DV-563A multi format player. The lower cost and increased avalablity of these multi format players will help but they bring up another problem. During the big DVD/surround sound boom most new digital receivers came with only digital inputs (optical or coax) and because of the record companies great fear of copying they only connect via 6 analog cables. So many people who purchased a new DVD-A/SACD player found they couldn't hook them up to their surround sound systems (I already had a new 6.1 Manrantz receiver with 7 analog inputs).
These new format for all their advances just keep stubbing their toe. I do think that the future will be a surround type format but it may not be one of these current formats. As computers become a part of music reproduction the next big thing might be a purely digital and not disc based.
Greg

Agreed.

It's the Baby Boomers and X-genners that have the $$ to spend on the appropriate hardware and then the software.

No good marketing a new format to a demographic that doesn't have the cash to invest in it.

Hence they choose mostly proven titles. Usually AOR.

T

off the top of my head...

Linkin Park - Reanimator
Staind - 14 shades of grey
Missy Elliot - forgot the title; i think it's a single

i don't own any of the above though i do have the Staind album on CD since it came with a free DVD.

the ones that i have are Metallica, Alice Cooper, Motorhead, Led Zep, Oasis and Deep Purple :)

by the way, do u know of a good review site for DVD-A and SACDs?

:wave:

In terms of news and some reviews there is www.musictap.net

I agree that there needs to be more variety in terms of what is released on SACD/DVD-A...right now there's really not a lot of titles available that I'm particularly interested in...plus, some things that I otherwise would be interested in, such as the SACD Stones and Peter Gabriel remasters, are only in 2 channel, hence I'm waiting to see if multichannel mixes become available

As a member of the target demographic alluded to here, I doubt that my peers are clamoring for many hip-hop titles (I certainly have minimal interest) :D

Interestingly, much of what is currently available on SACD seems to be classical...somehow I doubt that's the way to go to develop a broader based acceptance of the format

All that said, one of my favorite hi-rez releases to date is Beck's Sea Change

I'm definately not part of the middle aged demographic(I'll be 23 in two weeks) but I like mostly older music. The High Res titles I have so far are all by older acts (Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, The Police, Donald Fagen) as are the ones I'm interested in getting next (Yes' Fragile comes to mind).
Having said that, there are some newer acts that would really shine on the format(Radiohead comes immediately to mind as does Coldplay). Either way, I'm very impressed with the sonics of high res audio and I'll continue to support it as long as they keep coming out with titles that peak my interest.

Unless they release more hard rock oriented material I refuse to buy into a format(s) that caters to mainly 50 year olds.

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/

a great DVD-A SACD news and review site

Terry

One man's shit is another man's gold.

Ask yourself WHY they release titles such as that 'shit' when trying to get a new format established. Of course we could flood the market with 50cent and Eminem DVD-A's and SACDs, cause 16 - 17 yr olds are just going to rush out and buy those titles up by the truckload - NOT!

To play surround music you need a surround set-up (or your parents do and they need to let you use it - not going to happen in my house while I'm around) and so my kids are not going to spend money on a DVD-A they are unlikely to hear very often. The market at this stage for DVD-A's and SACD is geared towards those with cash and access to systems that can play them...and that's mainly us old farts.

Us old farts don't get many breaks - but this is one.

T

It's just a matter of time before the record companies start branching out from the "safer" titles in these new formats. It all boils down $$$$ (usually) and what type of return they think they can get. Prices are dropping and sales are increasing though so the trend should slowly dictate an expansion of releases across the genre.

Recommended:

Tipper: Surrounded (DVD-A) 5.1

Without attempting to label this type of music, lets just say it makes full use of the 5.1 soundfield in a tasteful way that few artists have dared to even come close to. Not your parents music.

Dishwalla: Opaline (DVD-A) 5.1

Great alt/rock release from start to finish with amazing acoustics.

both releases can be heard on cdnow.com