Steve Plunkett - Straight Up (New solo album drops July 19, 2024)
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· Boston - S/T (1976) – The earliest influence on my musical tastes was my father. He had a large vinyl record collection and one of the records he often played was the debut album from Boston. The guitars, vocal harmonies, and great melodies started me down the path of my love for melodic rock · The Cars – S/T (1978) – I enjoyed a lot of new wave/synth artists in the early 80’s and the Cars were one of my favorite acts from that genre, I still listen to this album regularly · Judas Priest – Screaming For Vengeance (1982) – melodic metal makes up a large part of my collection and Iron Maiden & Judas Priest have been favorites since the early 80’s · Def Leppard – Pyromania (1983) it perfectly combined pop and hard rock and has remained my favorite album of all time to this day · Van Halen – 1984 – Eddie Van Halen was my hero growing up, a soft spoken larger than life guitar icon whose riffs, solos and songs became a big part of the soundtrack of my youth. With 1984 it all came together from the hit songs to the unforgettable videos. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting him his passing felt like I had lost a longtime friend · Bryan Adams – Reckless (1984) – for me, no album epitomizes 80’s pop/rock like this album with big hooks, great production and radio ready songs; listening to it always brings me back to fun, carefree, summertime days · Guns n' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987) – what a year for hard rock with Hysteria, Whitesnake S/T and this album to list just a few; when I think of sleaze metal these guys set the standard for others to follow · Queensrÿche – Operation: Mindcrime (1988) – while I had never really gotten into progressive rock/metal up to that point in my musical adventure, my enjoyment of this album opened me up to exploring more from the genre · Savatage – Gutter Ballet (1989) – the band started their journey into more epic style arrangements with Hall of the Mountain King but for me they reached their peak with this release. The title track remains one of my favorite songs with that great piano intro and started my interest into symphonic and power metal for years to come · Dan Reed Network – Slam (1989) – I enjoyed several songs by Prince during the 80’s and could have easily placed one of his albums on this list, so when funk metal had its moment in the late 80’s/early 90’s I was all in. Slam has been one of my go-to albums ever since -
By CureTheSane · Posted
Maiden was pretty good last night. Solid show, some songs I hadn't heard, so will check them out more. -
By whiplash1972 · Posted
https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/09/cd-revenue-triples-album-sales-first-half/ CD Revenue Nearly Triples Digital Album Sales in First Half of 2024 Digital downloads are gasping for air while CDs rise from the dead. The Recording Industry Association of America’s mid-year report has revealed an unexpected comeback story. CDs, once thought to be on their way out, have not only held their ground but are now outselling digital albums by a 3 to 1 margin. This surprising shift might just be the final blow for digital downloads, as physical media strongly returns to the spotlight. The Numbers Behind the Trend Diving into the RIAA’s report, we’re seeing a music industry that’s not just surviving, but thriving. While digital album sales are dropping fast to $87.8 million in the first half of 2024, CD revenue is steady at $236.7 million. Sure, it’s only a tiny 0.3% uptick from last year. But, when you stack it up against the digital decline, it’s nothing short of remarkable. In terms of units, 16.8 million CDs were sold in the first half of 2024, which is a 3.3% increase from the previous year. This growth, while modest, is very different from the 15.7% drop in digital album units, which fell to 8.9 million. Looking at the bigger picture, the recorded music industry is on a roll, with total revenue hitting $8.7 billion – a solid 4% jump from 2023. And, physical products, including the resilient CDs and the ever-trendy vinyl, contributed a hefty $994 million to that pot, marking a 13% surge from the previous year. On the other hand, vinyl continues its own resurgence, with revenue growing 17% to $740 million and unit sales increasing 10.7% to 24.3 million. Digital and customized radio services like SiriusXM and internet radio stations are also growing, up 2% to $672 million. It seems there’s space for many different formats in today’s varied music scene. That is, except for digital downloads. Factors Driving CD’s Resurgence The unexpected revival of CDs is largely attributed to a surprising demographic: Generation Z. According to data from SNEP, the French record industry group, 43% of CD buyers are under 35 years old. But, this trend isn’t isolated to France; similar patterns are emerging globally. Several factors contribute to this renewed interest in CDs among younger listeners: Nostalgia and Novelty: For many Gen Zs, CDs are a physical link to a time they barely knew, creating a sense of both nostalgia and novelty. Artist-Driven Demand: Big releases from popular artists have made people interested in CDs again. For example, Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” sold 2.47 million CD copies in the first half of 2024. Physical Ownership: In a time when digital things can disappear, owning a physical copy of an album appeals to many music fans. Audio Quality: Some listeners prefer the uncompressed sound of CDs over streaming or compressed digital files. Affordability: Compared to vinyl, CDs are still a cheaper way to build a physical music collection. Are Digital Downloads Dying? The RIAA report suggests that digital downloads are indeed on their last legs. After 14 years of decline, they now make up only 2% of U.S. recorded music revenue. The numbers are grim: digital album sales generated just $87.8 million in the first half of 2024, an 18.5% nosedive from 2023. Individual track sales aren’t faring any better, tumbling to $81.8 million – a 16.1% drop. Add it all up, and the total digital download revenue (including albums, singles, and other formats) took a steep 15.8% plunge to $189.7 million. Even ringtones and ringbacks, once a cash cow for the industry, saw a 51.1% revenue drop. It’s a clear sign that music lovers are moving away from ownable digital formats. This downward spiral in digital downloads is very different from the steady sales of CDs and the rapid growth of streaming services. In fact, paid subscriptions to music streaming services grew by 4% to a staggering $5.7 billion, now accounting for nearly two-thirds of total mid-year revenue. (1) Facebook -
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In a word - Fantastic. Some huge songs on this and one of their best albums yet. Best album of the year so far. -
I was going to Journey/Cheap Trick but now the fuckers have cancelled, that's gone by the wayside Coming up though:: Firefest Friday - Can't make the rest of the weekend, but will be there for my old mates Heavy Pettin on the Friday Within Temptation/ Tarja - Wembley Arena Sleep Token - London O2 Crash Test Dummies - MK11 Cats In Space - The Stables MK
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The last few months purchases::- Fish - Vigil In The Wilderness Of Mirrors (Deluxe Box Set) Fish - Internal Exile (Deluxe Box Set) Leprous - Memeories Of Atonement (Earbook) 2 CD/Bluray David Gilmour - Luck And Strange Kisisn' Dynamite - (Deluxe Box) John Miles - The Albums 1983-93 (Box) Simone Simons - Vermillion RIO - Dangerzone (Melrock Classics) TOBB - The Original Bullshit Band TOBB - True To Our Sound Threshold - Wounded Land (Remixed/Remastered) Threshold - Psychedelicatessen (Remixed/Remastered) Blue Oyster Cult - 50th Anniversary Live: 2nd Night 2/CD/DVD) Palace - Reckless Heart Santa Ana Winds - Final Rendezvous Sundara Karma - Better Luck Next Time Meer - Wheels Within Wheels Dark Tranquility - Endtime Signals (Deluxe) Dark Tranquility - Moment (Deluxe) Dark Tranquility - Atoma (Deluxe) Cyan - The Guardian Mushroomhead - Call Te Devil Lord Of The Lost - Empyrean Whitesnake - The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition 2 CD/Bluray Ghost - Rite Here Rite Now Dixon Hous Band - Fighting Alone (Remaster) Mono Inc. - Symphonic Live: The Second Chapter (Fan Box) Orion - The Lightbringers
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Good song, although not their strongest and maybe a bit 'by numbers' for them....sounds like The Who on the main riff. The album is going to be great next month though.
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