The Short Song Syndrome: Exploring the Length Reductions in CD Albums of Old Music
The age-old debate in the music industry revolves around the length of songs on CD albums. While some argue that shortened song versions are a result of necessity and marketing, others wonder if there's more to the story than meets the ear. This article delves into the reasons why CD albums often cut short songs compared to their original counterparts, examining the practices and motivations behind these adjustments.
Understanding Shortened Song Versions
When purchasing a CD reissue of an original album, one might expect almost identical song lengths except for minor tweaks by recording engineers. However, many “Best of” and “Greatest Hits” compilations often include shortened versions known as radio edits, typically lasting around 3:00 to 4:30 minutes, compared to the original album’s versions which could span from 4:30 to 6:22 minutes.
The limitation of standard audio CDs, which can hold a maximum of 79 minutes of audio, leads to the inclusion of more tracks in compilations. Thus, a rational explanation is that including extended tracklists can make the consumer feel like they are getting more for their money.
Shovel Ware and Poor Quality Compilations
While some argue that extended versions of songs are the norm, there is a prevailing belief in the market of shovel ware and fly by night companies shoving as many songs as possible onto a disc with poor compression and incomplete tracks. These bootleg CDs are often sold in dirt mall bins and gas stations and are generally not worth the investment.
More often than not, when buying CD versions to replace old vinyl albums, one finds extended length songs or even added tracks that were not present on the original vinyl. This is due to the freedom CDs provide with extended track time. For instance, the CD version of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk features a shorter version of the song “Sara,” reducing it from 6:22 to 4:39.
Historical Context: Album Lengths Over Time
The question of why albums are shorter compared to their predecessors can be answered by examining the historical context of album lengths. In the 1950s and 1960s, albums typically ran around 30 minutes with some variation. By the later 1960s and 1970s, this increased to about 44 minutes. However, with the advent of CDs in the 1980s and adoption of varying CD standards that allowed for 60, 74, and 80-minute discs, album lengths quickly reverted to 50 to 60 minutes.
This shift can be attributed to the marketing strategy of cramming as many songs as possible into a single CD. For example, a double album might be compressed into a single CD, necessitating the shortening of certain tracks to maintain the album’s length.
Consumer Expectations and Quality Control
Consumer expectations play a significant role in the perceived quality of albums. Shortened songs can be perceived as higher quality, as they often sound more polished and professional. However, this comes at the cost of authenticity and the original artists’ vision. Fans of the original recordings may feel disappointed when they discover their favorite songs have been edited down.
Quality control is another factor. Shortening songs can sometimes be a way to ensure the best possible sound quality for the included tracks. Audio engineers might opt to reduce song lengths to focus on the most commercially viable versions of the tracks.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the reduction of song lengths in CD albums of old music is a multifaceted issue influenced by market forces, consumer expectations, and technological constraints. While some practice is justified to fit more songs on a disc and provide better deals to consumers, others may find such edits disappointing. Ultimately, the balance between creative freedom and commercial success often determines how songs are presented on modern music formats.