How do you size up an album?

[Vodka 4,478]

So let's have it. What makes you like, or dislike an album? What keeps you coming back or keeps you away? Is it based on sound?

Do you base it on visuals, track themes, cohesiveness, or just right off the sound of the music? What do music videos do for you, and performances? Does the artist's personality influence how you enjoy the music? Interviews? What other factors might there be? How does everything resonate with you?

For me, regardless of whatever I'm listening to, I take the time to listen to the entire album, from start to finish all in one go, then explore the particular space the artist's trying to create and convey. I check lyrics and try to understand each track from the singer's perspective first from different angles, then play around with how it ties to everything else about the album as a whole. Visuals help a lot, and kinda plays off as a nice backdrop to what the music's trying to say.

It's an artist's work, and how they display it, regardless of what I might feel or not, that I appreciate. I end up focusing on what they're trying to say first, and how. I go from there.



Wbu? Let's talk about it
 

[EdgeofTeeth 1,934]

Sound and lyrics come first (the best music is music that combines amazing sound with great lyrics, obviously), and then comes cohesiveness. I love when an album is cohesive, it makes it a real listening experience. Visuals can enhance the listening experience too if a song has a really great video to visualize and remember in your head while you're listening to it.

[Robagaga 9,345]

what makes me like and album is different than what makes me listen to it. What makes me listen to one is catchy bullshit that I play on repeat, what makes me like it are lyrical composition, musical composition and quality of the production.

[Vodka 4,478]

5 minutes ago, Robagaga said:

what makes me like and album is different than what makes me listen to it. What makes me listen to one is catchy bullshit that I play on repeat, what makes me like it are lyrical composition, musical composition and quality of the production.

Noted, checked.

I get what you're saying. 

[ENlGMA 5,311]

Music videos and performances. Specially music videos can change my mind about song. If it's really telling song's story. 

[TheJackMonster 1,857]

99% of the time the music on it's own. I rarely ever watch music videos/performances/interviews. Dunno why I just never felt compelled to. 

[DeanWinchester 41,390]

The first two options. I like Joanne a lot and still listen to it but I'm currently bored with her era right now. It's almost like we're in a blackout. I know we had the Superbowl but it just petered out after. i dont watch the drag race thing so yea

[AlexanderMagno 10,746]

Sound first.

 

And when the sound doesn't satisfy me, I try to complete it with music videos and performances.

 

And when neither the sound or visuals are enough... If I stan for the artist(s), I'll try to stan for it 

[PerfectIllusion 6,616]

The music itself!

But the performances and music videos are also important beacause they can significantly change my opinion on songs.

[Lucas 26,700]

From these options it's the sound but it's more like 80% sound 20% visuals/performances etc

[YeehawKylie 7,817]

Typically sound. Consistency is very important to me and I also really need that consistency to flow from sounds to visuals, so album art and packaging and music videos are very important as well. 

[juju 18,907]

I like cohesiveness; reasons why BTW is my favorite Gaga record, it all generally flows as an album (as opposed to ARTPOP, in all honesty, which is all over the place but still amazing). A central theme or common ground is also nice - L.A.M.B. being mostly an 80's inspired record that experiments with different types of pop music. I also judge a piece on how different it is than its predecessor; this is my main reason for not stanning Lana Del Rey; she literally releases the same record every other year. I like to chart the artistic evolution of an artist, to see how they evolve from release to release. Even if its somewhat of a subtle step in a new direction, I'm here for it. 

Then the promotional shoot and videos are a nice accent to the album's identity. Same with performances and interviews and general promo.

[PeterPan 0]

Just the sound. Could care less about the message, lyrics or visuals. If I can enjoy it, I like it. Simple as that. With that said, I barely watch music videos. I'm so behind on those. I think I have probably seen less than anyone else on this forum. 

[Jewels n Drugs 4,629]

Sound first. Then when i see the performances/videos/interviews/promo etc, thats when i can stan for it a little bit more provided i like what i see.

Like when i discover an old album i really enjoy, I go back and find some performances and look at the videos and wish I could have been around for the era

 

[alejandreaux 1,053]

Definitely the sound of the album, the melodies and production specifically. I would listen to an entire album about eating a ham and cheese sandwich if it had consistently catchy melodies and/or interesting production. lyrics and meaning are usually very secondary for me when it comes to listening to music the first time.