greencorn5: Do advance singles ruin albums?

botb 08.30.18	The only thing I don’t like to hear as an advance single is the closer. Otherwise it’s free game for me. I do get totally different impressions when I hear a song as a stand-alone single as opposed to the context of an album though. Sometimes a song that I think is boring as a single makes total sense in the context of an album.
DungeonBoy 08.30.18	I wouldn't say they necessarily ruin records for me, but they certainly can affect my expectations! Sometimes it works out like when Vektor released 4 singles that absolutely ripped for TR, I knew it was going to be a killer album, and it was. But then there's something like the new Nihls Frahm album where one of the singles was a very intimate piano piece, and I really was looking forward to the entire album, and it turned out to be much different and less enjoyable for me than that single.
greencorn5 08.30.18	I wouldn't mind it if it was one single but now it seems like we get at least a third of the album before it's released.
J() Alexander 08.30.18	Not for me.
JasonCarne 08.30.18	Nope, as someone who actually BUYS lots of music, it helps inform what I want to pre-order or purchase with more confidence. If the track sucks, I'm not buying the album (or at least waiting to see if the rest of it is better before doing so).
luci 08.30.18	I check out the first single to build expectations and avoid the rest. Hate the trend of releasing half the album before it's out, definitely ruins the first play.
J() Alexander 08.30.18	I don't see why would people have a problem with singles tbh. It's not like they always listen to the full album and never just one piece or something.
JustJoe. 08.30.18	If it's a 7" or 12" then no.
Divaman 08.30.18	Not for me, as I almost never listen to them until the album comes out.
dbizzles 08.30.18	On one hand, I really like a preview. On the other hand, I usually end up skipping the single the first few times when I finally get the full album. I try to just jam singles once or twice, but it can be so hard to do (ie. Jammed Thou and mwY's singles for their upcoming LP's several times.)
Larkinhill 08.30.18	Agree with Lucid 100%.
CygnusX1 08.30.18	Only if I overplay the single before the album comes out. I'll listen to a single a few times if I like the band, then not listen until the album is released. Also if a single is really good I might pre-order the album; if it's bad I know to lower my expectations. I don't listen to more than 2 singles of most albums, when a band releases 4 singles it's overkill. Unless it's Dance Gavin Dance on their last album where every song is super different and weird, and there's over 13 songs on the album so there's still plenty of songs left to hear
widowslaugh123 08.30.18	Nooo
TheGreatQ 08.30.18	2 or 3 singles, no. Once you start releasing half your album as singles, yes.
Davil667 08.30.18	"Only if I overplay the single before the album comes out. I'll listen to a single a few times if I like the band, then not listen until the album is released. Also if a single is really good I might pre-order the album; if it's bad I know to lower my expectations." ^ This pretty much.
J() Alexander 08.30.18	The only reason why I have a problem with releasing half of an album or something like that (even then it's not a big deal) is that I keep thinking "just release to whole thing already".
butt. 08.30.18	definitely prefer to hear the whole thing at once for the first time (see Science Fiction) since no individual song sticks out as overplayed or familiar already. This is especially true of concept albums or albums that are really just meant to be viewed as one cohesive unit. However, if a band I love drops a single, I simply can't ignore it.
Clumseee 08.30.18	Nah. Generally I think 1-2 are a good idea. 3 is pushing it and any more than that is just plain dumb. I'll usually listen to the singles a few times and then try to avoid them as much as possible so that I don't feel tempted to skip them while listening to the record in full.
Typhoon24 08.30.18	Depends on the album. Like for me, I enjoy albums most when I’m in the mood for it. I can’t get into a socially conscious rap album after 2 weeks of basic electronic. Having those singles out can evoke those serious emotions again and also they would act as time stamps on the album. On a side note, I’m always curious where in the track list artists decide to put the single
Log S. 08.30.18	Absolutely not - having a couple singles before album helps to have at least a little familiarity when diving into a full work of new stuff - it can definitely hurt interest if the lead single sucks but that’s more the artist’s problem
bgillesp 08.30.18	"definitely prefer to hear the whole thing at once for the first time since no individual song sticks out as overplayed or familiar already. This is especially true of concept albums or albums that are really just meant to be viewed as one cohesive unit. However, if a band I love drops a single, I simply can't ignore it." ^ this
ArsMoriendi 08.30.18	1? No 2? Maybe a little 3? probably 4 or more? fuck yeah
Log S. 08.30.18	"The Girl is Mine" was the lead single for Thriller so it can't hurt too much
greencorn5 08.30.18	I agree with most of the insights here. One of the "magical" moments for me though is when I first listen to an album and hear a great track and am able to juxtapose it against the rest of the album. Singles released months in advance of the album have robbed me of that because, yeah, I tend to overplay the single and then by the time the album drops it is no longer "new" to me.
greencorn5 08.30.18	The last year or so I have just used self-restraint to not listen until the album is out. I buy all the music I listen to for the most part; so sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. It's a gamble, but it's worth it if the album is excellent.
sonictheplumber 08.30.18	no
Morningrise767 08.31.18	1 or 2 singles I'm ok with. But releasing half the album before it's released can kinda kill the hype.
GreyShadow 08.31.18	3 at the most pre-release singles is fine I definitely try to avoid closer singles before the album. Why bands decide to do that is beyond me
GhostB1rd 08.31.18	No is the answer to your question.
Sinternet 08.31.18	no what the hell
Trophycase 08.31.18	Of course. If you value the experience of listening to an album for a very first time, being familiar with none of it, then you can't have such a experience. I'll never forget the first time I listened to something like Spiderland or LYSF and you basically can't have that if you ruin it listen to some portion of it beforehand because there is some sort of asymmetry in how familiar you are with each portion. That being said it also depends on the band/album. If it's a poppy album that more or less doesn't function as a cohesive work of art then it really doesn't matter. But for example Tim Hecker released a piece from his new album and I won't go anywhere near the video until the whole thing is released.