Comments on: Is the Soundtrack Market In Trouble? A Special Report http://soundtrackgeek.com/2008/01/21/is-the-soundtrack-market-in-trouble-a-special-report/ Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:01:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: admin http://soundtrackgeek.com/2008/01/21/is-the-soundtrack-market-in-trouble-a-special-report/#comment-123 admin Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:47:18 +0000 http://soundtrackgeek.com/2008/01/21/is-the-soundtrack-market-in-trouble-a-special-report/#comment-123 Well, it used to be a really profitable market. According to Billboard Magazine, the score to Titanic for example sold about 10 million copies. City Of Angels 50% score/50% songs sold 5.1 million copies. To be fair, Titanic was an exception, to be fair, but even my sister bought scores back in the day. She bought the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves score, my neighbor bought scores because when you went to the music shop, they had a huge selection, but look at it now. I think when you look at the trend of soundtracks, even Charlie's Angels sold 1.3 million copies and that was deemed a huge disappointment. Armageddon (the soundtrack, not the score) sold about 4 million copies. Consider Hairspray, the biggest seller in 2007 with not even a million copies and you can see the trend quite clearly. It's true like you say, the scores have never been a huge seller, but I would argue that a typical score now is selling maybe 3-5 times less than 8-10 years ago and for a market with already low sales, that is a huge impact. Top 10 for sales isn't what it used to be, but it will be interesting to see the sales numbers The CD is dying as a medium unfortunately. It's easier to buy digitally anyway (those lazy kids!). I think that it's just a matter of time before scores are only sold digitally if at all. Maybe the future will be full of bootlegs, ripped dvd scores, run by the real soundtrack geeks. Either way, it's a worrying trend... Well, it used to be a really profitable market. According to Billboard Magazine, the score to Titanic for example sold about 10 million copies. City Of Angels 50% score/50% songs sold 5.1 million copies. To be fair, Titanic was an exception, to be fair, but even my sister bought scores back in the day. She bought the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves score, my neighbor bought scores because when you went to the music shop, they had a huge selection, but look at it now.

I think when you look at the trend of soundtracks, even Charlie’s Angels sold 1.3 million copies and that was deemed a huge disappointment. Armageddon (the soundtrack, not the score) sold about 4 million copies. Consider Hairspray, the biggest seller in 2007 with not even a million copies and you can see the trend quite clearly. It’s true like you say, the scores have never been a huge seller, but I would argue that a typical score now is selling maybe 3-5 times less than 8-10 years ago and for a market with already low sales, that is a huge impact. Top 10 for sales isn’t what it used to be, but it will be interesting to see the sales numbers

The CD is dying as a medium unfortunately. It’s easier to buy digitally anyway (those lazy kids!). I think that it’s just a matter of time before scores are only sold digitally if at all. Maybe the future will be full of bootlegs, ripped dvd scores, run by the real soundtrack geeks. Either way, it’s a worrying trend…

]]> By: Fletch http://soundtrackgeek.com/2008/01/21/is-the-soundtrack-market-in-trouble-a-special-report/#comment-119 Fletch Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:40:26 +0000 http://soundtrackgeek.com/2008/01/21/is-the-soundtrack-market-in-trouble-a-special-report/#comment-119 Was there ever really much of a market for scores? Has there ever been a platinum selling movie score album (the only one I can think of that might have been is Chariots of Fire, and that was over 25 years ago). Soundtracks dominated the music charts for much of the late 90s/early 00s, but I too have noticed that trend flagging. Obviously, CD sales in general have been affected greatly by digital music, so it makes sense that movie soundtracks dominated by "singles" are not released, as people can buy single songs for 99 cents anywhere they please, making the need/usage of compilations all but moot. My guess is that scores weren't selling much before, and still aren't selling much, but soundtracks just aren't being released unless they are original music and/or hard to find music and/or unique (Garden State fits a couple of those criteria). Also, don't forget that the Juno soundtrack currently sits in the top 10 for CD sales and will almost definitely sell > one million copies. Finally - I'm like you as well when it comes to CDs vs. digital music. I have about 600 CDs, almost all of which are on my iPod, but I still barely buy digital music. I like have the tangible CD, and I like my bookshelf that was built with storing them in mind. I've bought probably less than 50 songs from iTunes, and most of the ones I did were with a gift card... Was there ever really much of a market for scores? Has there ever been a platinum selling movie score album (the only one I can think of that might have been is Chariots of Fire, and that was over 25 years ago). Soundtracks dominated the music charts for much of the late 90s/early 00s, but I too have noticed that trend flagging. Obviously, CD sales in general have been affected greatly by digital music, so it makes sense that movie soundtracks dominated by “singles” are not released, as people can buy single songs for 99 cents anywhere they please, making the need/usage of compilations all but moot.

My guess is that scores weren’t selling much before, and still aren’t selling much, but soundtracks just aren’t being released unless they are original music and/or hard to find music and/or unique (Garden State fits a couple of those criteria). Also, don’t forget that the Juno soundtrack currently sits in the top 10 for CD sales and will almost definitely sell > one million copies.

Finally - I’m like you as well when it comes to CDs vs. digital music. I have about 600 CDs, almost all of which are on my iPod, but I still barely buy digital music. I like have the tangible CD, and I like my bookshelf that was built with storing them in mind. I’ve bought probably less than 50 songs from iTunes, and most of the ones I did were with a gift card…

]]>