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Why no download cards with Wilco vinyl?


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I have to say, I'm more than a little disappointed and annoyed at the lack of download cards in recent Jeff/Wilco vinyl. There doesn't seem to be a good reason for it. It's especially irritating for the reissues, as we've all bought these albums before, sometimes in multiple formats.

 

I hate to assume the worst, especially of a band that's meant so much to me for over 20 years and is usually so good and generous, but it seems to me the only reason for excluding download cards, especially as they've become standard, is the assumption that vinyl buyers will then also purchase the downloads or CD's.

 

I really hope this isn't the case, and would love to be proven wrong, but in the meantime my days of buying Wilco vinyl are over. And that hurts.

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Maybe it is not so standard any more. I know the Neil Finn album released a couple of months ago also did not include downloads with the vinyl. I can’t offer any additional evidence as I stopped buying vinyl a few years ago.

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Here is an article from a little over a year ago which seems to indicate record companies are losing interest in providing download cards because few people redeem them, and they prefer the vinyl buyers use a streaming service if they want to hear a digital version:

 

http://www.vinylmeplease.com/magazine/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-those-download-cards-in-vinyl-records/

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Maybe it is not so standard any more. I know the Neil Finn album released a couple of months ago also did not include downloads with the vinyl. I can’t offer any additional evidence as I stopped buying vinyl a few years ago.

 

It's one thing to not include a digital copy of the album (although they should) but, in the case of Being There, I am being denied a 20 track live concert that CD and digital purchasers receive. Vinyl purchasers are actually being denied content despite paying more than double for the product. Truth be told, I probably would have skipped the vinyl version this time around if I had realized when preordering that the Troubadour set would not be included.

 

I mentioned this when Together At Last was released. For a band that is one of the biggest supporters of the vinyl industry, not including download cards make it tough to keep buying it. I love the format but the reality is I listen to music a lot more at the gym, in the car or at the office...not in my living room with my turntable. 

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Sounds like you should’ve just purchased the CD version, then, if you self-admittedly don’t listen to vinyl much. Or at least checked to see if a download was available before purchasing.

 

Like I said, I would have skipped buying it on vinyl had I realized that 90 minutes of content wouldn't have been available to me with this purchase. I clearly didn't read carefully enough. That's my mistake. Regardless, anyone who purchased this, vinyl, CD, whatever should be able to agree that not including 30% of the content give or take is screwy.

 

As for how much I listen to vinyl, I assume that was the case for most people. Maybe I'm wrong, but I assume between commutes, 8 hours in the office, etc. that most people consume music on the go and that records were for those instances when you can sit down and truly enjoy the experience. I don't know. It's why that cartoon in the New Yorker is so true!

 CFo4WEjXIAAQqnE.jpg

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My band puts out records on vinyl. The cost in terms of both time and finances to get everything printed and pressed is pretty insane. The download coupon is comparatively nothing; it takes so little effort and money. The idea (especially for a high-priced deluxe release) that companies can't be bothered to include it seems ridiculous to me.

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For what it's worth, according to Discogs, I've bought 53 albums/boxsets released in 2017 this year (no one tell the missus that!). As far as I can recall, only 4 of those releases didn't have download codes, one was the most recent Bob Dylan boxset which had CDs instead, the other three were Together At Last and these two Wilco reissues.

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I wonder if one of the reasons for the vinyl not having a download code might have to do with a rights issue. Like perhaps they have secured the rights to issue the material on CD but not on vinyl, and maybe those are harder permissions to obtain? This is purely conjecture. I have no idea.

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Like I said, I would have skipped buying it on vinyl had I realized that 90 minutes of content wouldn't have been available to me with this purchase. I clearly didn't read carefully enough. That's my mistake. Regardless, anyone who purchased this, vinyl, CD, whatever should be able to agree that not including 30% of the content give or take is screwy.

 

As for how much I listen to vinyl, I assume that was the case for most people. Maybe I'm wrong, but I assume between commutes, 8 hours in the office, etc. that most people consume music on the go and that records were for those instances when you can sit down and truly enjoy the experience. I don't know. It's why that cartoon in the New Yorker is so true!

 CFo4WEjXIAAQqnE.jpg

 

Haha, that cartoon is great. Non-vinyl enthusiast friends always make those types of comments to me when I get to talking about it.

 

PM me.

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In this case I agree with the OP. It’s one thing to not include one on a regular priced LP, but on a Deluxe Box Set that costs much more than the Cd or Web versions , and is also missing 90 mins of content, is a bit shrewd.

 

They could at least include a download to just the missing content. That way you aren’t paying more for less content.

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  • 1 month later...

Maybe this is inappropriate, but could anyone PM a link to Together at Last and Mermaid Ave Vol 3?  I bought those vinyls this summer to round out the collection and due to the lack of DL card I can't get them on my ipod.  Again, I apologize if this is inappropriate but I have a hard time justifying paying for an album twice!

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Maybe this is inappropriate, but could anyone PM a link to Together at Last and Mermaid Ave Vol 3?  I bought those vinyls this summer to round out the collection and due to the lack of DL card I can't get them on my ipod.  Again, I apologize if this is inappropriate but I have a hard time justifying paying for an album twice!

 

PM'd you.

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  • 3 months later...

PM'd you.

 

Maybe this is inappropriate, but could anyone PM a link to Together at Last and Mermaid Ave Vol 3?  I bought those vinyls this summer to round out the collection and due to the lack of DL card I can't get them on my ipod.  Again, I apologize if this is inappropriate but I have a hard time justifying paying for an album twice!

 

Same here, just got my Together at Last vinyl, and am very excited! I listen to vinyl all the time, especially Wilco and Tweedy records -- which are so rewarding on vinyl. But I also like to have on my iPod. If anyone has a link I'd appreciate it...  :peace

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