The LP Returns?

Yes, it’s true, the “LP” is making a comeback re-branded as the “iTunes LP”. This new idea could revolutionize the music industry as far as I am concerned. It’s not just iTunes that are trying to prompt a new breath of life into the “digital album” either with EMI, Warner, Universal & Sony BMG bringing out their similar CMX digital music format in November.

I’ve just bought the “iTunes LP Edition” of the new Muse album “The Resistance” to give it a try. The download itself is (in this case) 215.8MB in size, not including the separate audio tracks which are a further 109MB. So, all in all we now have a 326.4MB album!

When the downloaded application is opened a splash page pops up, much like a DVD menu. To the left we can choose to play the album or click on the song list option below it, which gives you a track listing. When you hover the mouse over each track title there is a little summary written by vocalist/guitarist Matt Bellamy, and if you click on the song name you will find the lyrics page for it.

On the right side of the menu page is the bonus material, including photos (the photo slideshow is a bit dull and uninspired to be honest), videos and credits. The videos section contains 2 making of documentaries and a live performance of “Super Massive Black Hole”. There may be other content too… I’m hoping for DVD style hidden Easter Eggs, if not on this one on a future iTunes LP!

So what is the cost of all this extra material? It’s hard to tell at the moment, as this is the only version of the album I can find on the iTunes store to download, but compared to the “Amazon MP3” version of the album which is £6.95 (I think that is pretty cheap anyway!?) this extra enhanced version is only £7.99, pretty standard for any new album on iTunes regardless of bonus material!

My final thoughts after trying out this new format? Well, first of all it isn’t a new format. What we are getting is the same old iTunes digital album, a collection of AAC files downloaded to our music collection. Then we get a separate flashy extra application (which is HUGE) containing the album once again embedded into the file, and some nice extra content. So it’s not a revolutionary new product, more icing on the cake. But I do think it should become standard for all digital albums, whoever is selling them.

The consumer deserves more than a folder full of audio files and maybe a small thumbnail picture of an album cover and the "iTunes LP" shows us how we can get that full album experience on our computers exactly how the artist intends us to! It’s a pretty limitless idea too, but time will tell whether it will catch on and whether the artists and record companies will make the most of it!

- E.S.L. Kazraine Maars -

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Playlist for early to mid September:
05. I Belong to You by Muse from the album “The Resistance”.
04. Swede by King Hobo from the self-titled album “King Hobo”.
03. Nightmare Be Thy Name by Mercyful Fate from the album “Time”.
02. Fantasy Bar by Juliette Lewis from the album “Terra Incognita”.
01. Bonnie The Cat by Porcupine Tree from the album “The Incident”.