Double dipping on CDs due to retailer-specific exclusive tracks?! (1 Viewer)

Mike Frezon · Oct 15, 2005

I find myself in a position I never thought I'd be in. That is: to double-dip on CDs that I've purchased within just the past few months.
I'm not talking about upgrading discs because of improved resolutions or re-masterings.
I am talking about buying the newest CD of a favorite artist only to find out that that same CD at another retail outlet contains "exclusive" bonus tracks.
For example, I recently purchased the CD Rock of Ages by Amy Grant when I accidentally discovered it while browsing at my local Borders. Looking now in this week's ~~Best Buy~~ Target flyer, I find out that BB Target has three exclusive songs on its versions of the CD! Aaaargh!
Jim Brickman has just released a CD of Disney tunes. The version at Borders has two tracks which cannot be found on the copies being sold at any other store. This I actually found out about ahead of time via an email from Borders.
This is a little different, but I also purchased Diana Krall's CD, The Girl in the Other Room, several months ago upon its release...only to find out later at another store that a dual disc version had been released for virtually THE SAME PRICE! I decided to purchase the Dual version to get the 5.1 mixes.
I know there have been other artists which have made similar arrangements with Target (Krall among them, I believe) which has resulted in exclusive bonus tracks available only at Target stores.
I guess I could research these things better to know about them ahead of time. And, I know I could just sell the other title if I do double-dip...
But, I feel that I'm getting gypped if I find out I have a CD that is missing tracks that exist on another version of the same title. For me, the practice ends up causing a loss of good will between the artist and his/her/their fan base.
Anyone else having issues with this?
EDIT** Another glance at my Target flyer shows a Martina McBride CD with Four Exclusive Songs.

AnthonyC · Oct 15, 2005

I absolutely hate the concept of exclusives, and this is one of the worst.

Probably the worst recent example would be Paul McCartney's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. If you bought the album at Target, Best Buy, or Circuit City, you would get an exclusive download. Not a big deal, except that each store has a different song. The BB and CC ones can be bought on import singles, but the Target one is the Japan-only bonus track that costs $50 at Amazon.

I got the BB one and I'm pretty pissed...what's worst is that I bought the deluxe version which should theoretically include all the songs, but it doesn't.

Mike Frezon · Oct 19, 2005

Anthony: Has there been any discussion/interest/anger among music customers about this practice?
Admittedly, my focus has been on DVD product more closely the past coupla years than CDs...but this seems like one of those dumb ideas that is just going to end up pissing off fans of the artist. Maybe, though, I'm just a johnny-come-lately to the discussion?!

AnthonyC · Oct 19, 2005

Well, I can't say music customers in general, but I know quite a few McCartney fans were upset that they couldn't get all three songs at once. There was a downloading ring at one Beatles site; prove that you had one of the songs (by giving the code that you used to download the first song) and you would get the other two through email.

John Milton · Oct 19, 2005

I'm not the upgrading type when it comes to music unless it's a remaster. I admit I was tempted to get the Killers: Hot Fuss Limited Edition for it's extra tracks but I passed. And I have no interest whatsoever in getting the new bonus track version of Mariah's latest. I regret buying the regular version. Her first two albums were solid but she's gone downhill since, with Mimi hitting rock bottom.

Mike Frezon · Oct 21, 2005

I'm not the upgrading type when it comes to music unless it's a remaster. I admit I was tempted to get the Killers: Hot Fuss Limited Edition for it's extra tracks but I passed.

But, John, doesn't it bug you at all that those tracks are on certain copies of the CD...but not the one you bought? That's my point. I feel gypped...and only because I supported the artist by buying their recording at one retail store...and not another (which he/she/they happened to strike some deal with).
It just seems like a really odd marketing practice.

Click to expand...

Mike Frezon · Oct 22, 2005

In this week's Sunday flyers:

Circuit City is advertising DualDisc releases for Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook ($12.99 compared to $11.99 for the CD-only release) and Aerosmith: Rockin' the Joint Live at the Hard Rock Hotel ($12.99).

Best Buy also has the DualDisc release for Aerosmith advertised as well as a DualDisc release of Destiny Child's #1s (both DDs are $13.99 compared to $11.99 CD-only releases).

Target:

Destiny Child's #1 -- Dual Disc $12.98/CD-only $9.98

Bette Midler/Peggy Lee -- Dual Disc $12.98/CD-only $11.98

Aerosmith/Rockin' the Joint -- DualDisc $11.98/CD-only $9.98

Target is also advertising TWO Target-EXCLUSIVE songs on the Aerosmith CD and ONE EXCLUSIVE song on The Christmas Collection - Il Divo.

Does anyone know (not that I plan on buying it anyway) if the Aerosmith DualDisc would ALSO have the EXCLUSIVE tracks at Target? That seems like it takes it to another level of confusing.

I didn't mean for this post to turn into a mini-CD Weekly RoundUp or anything...I just took a close look at this week's flyers CD releases and don't like what I see.

I guess the bottom line is that the CD-consumer needs to be armed with as much knowledge as possible to make an intelligent purchase (as it is true with any purchase). I guess, though, I just think of CDs as impulse buys...and, until this practice began recently, it wasn't something I ever needed to worry about before. I guess the times they are a-changin'. I just don't always have to like it.

Must be gettin' old.

Todd Stout · Oct 26, 2005

Does anyone know (not that I plan on buying it anyway) if the Aerosmith DualDisc would ALSO have the EXCLUSIVE tracks at Target? That seems like it takes it to another level of confusing.

I just bought the Aerosmith - Rockin' the Joint DualDisc at Target today for $11.98. It does have the two bonus tracks (Livin' on the Edge and What it Takes) on it but they are only on the DVD side and not the CD side. That kind of ticks me off because now I can only listen to the bonus tracks in a DVD player. The CD only version tacks the bonus tracks on at the end of the disc but I'm not sure it they are part of the show or not.

Click to expand...

Mike Frezon · Oct 26, 2005

How stupid is that?

You can get the bonus tracks on CD if you buy the CD-only release. But if you buy the DualDisc release you don't get the tracks on the CD side? Wht possible sense could that make?!

Artists need to decide which songs to include on a recording...and stick to it...and make sure all copies of their recording have the tracks. Isn't there some kind of important artistic decision-making (part of the creative process) that decides which songs to include on an album and in-what-order??? If so, how can you justify screwing with it?

I know: it's a rather Pollyanna-ish idea to think that artists don't allow creative decisions to be based on $$$.

Mike Frezon · Sep 14, 2006

I can't believe its been nearly a year since I posted in this thread.
And I really can't believe this seems to be an issue which doesn't bother many people.
This issue came up again this week over in Coupons & Bargains (in the Weekly RoundUp thread). When I saw Diana Krall has a new CD releasing 9-19, I knew I had to look and see if any of the major retailers was issuing an exclusive track...and lo & behold, Target has one!
There have been numerous discussions in various DVD threads here in the HTF about the craziness that has turned into retailer exclusives on new release DVDs. Customers who don't have access to certain stores in their geographic areas...or who just don't want to run around from store-to-store each week to get the particular exclusive which they like are out of luck and will end up missing content on a favorite movie or TV show. To the consumer that is an aggravating situation and I'm not sure why the studios allow it.
It's good business for the retailers who are limited in their loss-leader strategies when it comes to low-balling popular new release DVDs. They want to get customers into their store.
But I think it's a practice that should create ill will between the artist and fan. Imagine if the Beatles added an EXCLUSIVE bonus track to Sgt. Peppers available only to shoppers who purchased the album at Montgomery Wards!

Or, the Beach Boys added an exclusive bonus track to Pet Sounds available only at Woolworths! Kinda strips away the "integrity" of the concept album, eh?

I don't know. Just seems like a big unnecessary hassle to me.

Chet_F · Sep 16, 2006

It used to bother me but now I just find the "exclusive bonus content" on the NON-exclusive internet. I know that's "wrong" but so is selling out your fan base for an extra buck.

Mike Frezon · Sep 16, 2006

Chet_F said:
It used to bother me but now I just find the "exclusive bonus content" on the NON-exclusive internet. I know that's "wrong" but so is selling out your fan base for an extra buck.

A case where two wrongs makes it right, eh, Chet?

Life would be easier if the entire practice just went away in the first place. I won't double dip again if I now find out I missed an "exclusive" track on a title. I won't give the artist/company the pleasure/$$$.

Philip Hamm · Sep 18, 2006

It's frustrating. I bought the latest T-Bone Burnett record three times. Being a long-time (and long-suffering) fan, I pre-ordered it months before it was released, as soon as it was available for pre-order at Amazon. Then when it came out, there was a DualDisc also released that I hadn't seen so I wanted that also. Plus, if you ordered the CD between certain dates at Amazon you got three downloaded bonus tracks. So I was actually penalized for pre-ordering from Amazon; because my order was too early for the promotion I didn't get the bonus tracks. Which ended up not mattering because Itunes had four bonus tracks if you bought it on Itunes. So I bought the preordered CD, the DualDisc, and the album on Itunes. The scheme definitely worked on me.

The record is so brilliant and fantastic that I don't mind having three copies. Actually four copies because I made an audio CD-RW of the bonus tracks from Itunes, ripped it, then burned a CD-R of the album with the bonus tracks attached. Zany, huh? Two of the bonus tracks are easily as good as any of the songs on the record, and better than most. Definitely worth it.

Mike Frezon · Sep 18, 2006

Philip Hamm said:
So I bought the preordered CD, the DualDisc, and the album on Itunes. The scheme definitely worked on me.
The record is so brilliant and fantastic that I don't mind having three copies. Actually four copies because I made an audio CD-RW of the bonus tracks from Itunes, ripped it, then burned a CD-R of the album with the bonus tracks attached. Zany, huh? Two of the bonus tracks are easily as good as any of the songs on the record, and better than most. Definitely worth it.

I don't doubt for one second that the extra cuts are worth it, Philip. But isn't is still aggravating-to-the-max that all those songs from T-Bone could've been on ALL those releases...leaving you with just one (or maybe two with the dual-disc release) purchase to make.
That's how I feel about Diana Krall. When I found out that some of her previous albums had bonus tracks, I went nuts and jumped through hoops to secure those tracks. I've also double-dipped because of the dual-disc releases....AND because of DVD-A releases, too!

Different formats are one thing, though. But exclusive bonus tracks are another altogether. Bad news.

I feel like I'm turning into Johnny one note on the subject though with very little new to add. I have absolutely no idea about how to have any real impact on the practice--especially since I have heard few others with similar thoughts on the subject.

kamyiu · Sep 18, 2006

And they wonder why people download music...

EricSchulz · Sep 18, 2006

kamyiu said:
And they wonder why people download music...

Even that has a similar problem (assuming we are talking about legal downloading)...there are "exclusive" (usually live/acoustic) songs on Napster AND iTunes that are not available on the competitors' site. I know that there are ways around the incompatability issues, but it's still a pain.

Tarkin The Ewok · Sep 18, 2006

I don't mind the retailer-exclusive practice too much if the bonus content is limited to one retailer. It's when different retailers have different exclusives that I start getting angry. For example, Rascal Flatts' Me and My Gang had different sets of live tracks on the Best Buy, Target, and Walmart versions. Personally, I only bought the one that had the best bonus songs, but I'm sure that there are collectors that bought three versions so they could have everything. That is gouging the fans, plain and simple, and I hate that.

EricSchulz · Sep 20, 2006

OK, Mike....I thought I could stay out of this discussion since I no longer work for Target, but it looks like STARBUCKS is now getting into the game! On October 3rd, we are offering an exclusive Barenaked Ladies CD called "BNL Are Men" which only apparently has two of the tracks from the "mainstream" edition of the CD with same name but has TWELVE unreleased tracks that Starbucks has exclusive rights to through 02/07! At least you only "double-dip" on two tracks! More details as they become available....

Mike Frezon · Sep 20, 2006

Hmmmm. I HATE the practice of exclusive tracks. I LOVE BNL. I have a Starbucks about to have its grand opening near me.
What's a fella to do?!

WadeM · Sep 23, 2006

Best Buy had an exclusive song on Aerosmith's Just Push Play album--and it turned out to be one of the best songs on the CD! I wasn't even looking out to buy that CD, but I just happened to be at Best Buy and saw that they had the exclusive, so I got it. So, I didn't have to double-dip, just by chance.

Yes, this bothers me, but I guess it's no worse than when they release a CD in another country a few weeks after a CD is release in the USA and they wind up getting 2 or 3 extra songs--it's maddening. It just depends on where you're at at the time, and if you do any research before buying a CD--and then deciding, in some cases, which extra song you want!

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

Double dipping on CDs due to retailer-specific exclusive tracks?! (1 Viewer)

Second Unit

Screenwriter

Supporting Actor

Stunt Coordinator

Supporting Actor

Supporting Actor

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Forum statistics