Why Are They Labeled Soundtracks?- Page 2

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 10:43am

Any Marketing person will tell you that if cast recordings are mixed into the soundtrack sections, they sell better.

If they were isolated all by themselves in a corner somewhere, as some stores have tried, the sales fall dramatically... because only a handful of people care enough to look at that section exclusively. Virgin has tried it out here... and I understand they're switching back soon.

It doesn't sell... and that's a little more important than your "pet peeve" to them.

[DG]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 10:53am

I'm just happy that they still record and release them. What they call them doesn't matter much to me.

Although, I DID get to do a very funny monologue about this in PARTY - while portraying a drunken gay priest, no less!

[morosco]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 5:20pm

I've seen stores break their CDs into 2 categories, Stage and Film. But it never seems to work. Typically some of the Stage stuff gets filed in with the Film stuff so I end up having to browse both sections.

[mustard]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 5:54pm

This is a huge WHO CARES to me. I never even heard this debate until I started reading this board, and I've been in love with musicals my whole life. And I would never, EVER "correct" anyone for saying "soundtrack." It's obnoxious and ****ty, and it just doesn't matter. It makes YOU look bad to do something like that.

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 9:07pm

I think it bothers me more when someone calls a musical a play.

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 11:38pm

Technically, a musical is a play. Anyway...

Look at it this way, people. Next to me is my DVD rack. I see three of my favorite movies. "The Lord of the Rings", Hellboy", and "The Princess Bride". These movies have almost nothing in common, yet they are all in the genre of "Fantasy".Perhaps the day will come when I walk into Borders to buy the latest fancy edition in the latest media form, (not blu-ray) and I'll have to go to the Action-Fantasy-Drama-Literature-Epic section for one, the Action-Comedy-Horror-Fantasy-Comic-Book-Sci-Fi section for another, and the Comedy-Romance-Fantasy-Adventure section for the other. But right now, they're all just Fantasy.

So maybe someday, you can wander all over the store and pick up ACL for "Cast-Recording-Drama-Revival-70s-Theater" and then go grab The Nightmare Before Christmas" from "Cast-Recording-Original-Fantasy-Horror-Comedy-Movie-Derived-Hypothetical-At-The-Time-Of-This-Writing". But today, you can either campaign for a six thousand genre system, or accept that a CD that accompanies dramatic entertainment goes in the "Soundtrack" genre and get on with your life.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/11/06 at 11:46pm

"I think it bothers me more when someone calls a musical a play."

Now THAT is showing ignorance. A musical IS A PLAY. WITH MUSIC.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 1:47am

I accept the term soundtracks, because the albums are simple tracks of sound that accompany a piece of theatre.

This is where the interchangability of the terms falters. The tracks are NOT used in the theatre to accompany the show. The songs are sung and played live. Admittedly with sound mixing in theatres it is often hard to tell, but I was stunned a few years back when I realized that students attending shows in Toronto thought the casts was lip-synching to pre-recorded tracks and assumed the CD was just an edited version of those tracks.

Of course this is not a matter of life and death, but I would think (hope) that Broadway World members are passionate enough in their love for theatre that they would WANT to know and use the correct terms. For those who can't be bothered, the simple term CD will suffice..."Will there be a CD of [whatever show]?" or "Where can I find a CD of [show]?"

For those who feel it really doesn't matter, could you indulge those of us who do care by not using the word "soundtrack.”



As for sales, I would be interested in seeing data to back up the claim that separating shows from film scores causes sales to drop. Here in Toronto Sam's, HMV and Sunrise all maintain a separate section of "musicals" and sales have actually increased. As one manager told me it makes it easier for people to find the recordings they want.

[morosco]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:10am

"...I was stunned a few years back when I realized that students attending shows in Toronto thought the casts was lip-synching to pre-recorded tracks..."

I took a friend to Broadway who had never experienced live theatre and I too was shocked to learn that he thought they weren't singing live. I should add that the only live "theatre" he had experienced were drag shows.

[OasisBroadway]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:49am

I am on the side of those who believe that it is really no big deal. I use the correct term, but see no reason to get all bent out of shape when someone else does not. Sure, maybe I will mention it to him/her but I have seen people on this board get a little too fanatical about it.

And apparently it is not just the record stores. I often copy music from my CDs to my computer to listen to at work. Anyone who does this will know that the CDs themselves are programmed with the name of the disc, songs, etc. which become filed under their own folder on your computer. It is not uncommon for me to see a disc copy onto my hard drive under a new folder it creates itself called "Original Sountrack." The most recent case of this I have seen is 'The Drowsy Chaperone.'

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:12am

This topic comes up daily on here. What a lame argument. No one outside of this group even cares. I think they should all be grouped together, maybe it helps sales. God forbid Wal-Mart turns someone onto Wicked while they were looking for a Forrest Gump soundtrack. I will refer to theatre with terms like soundtracks, half time, and try-outs all I want. This snobbish elitism really turns people off from the medium. Musical Theatre is for the masses, stop trying to paint it like some high art form.

[MLE]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 5:39pm

I really don't think "snobbish elitism" is what turns people off to musical theatre. Most people are just ignorant and misinformed about it. They don't get it.

I agree with the other posters on here, they sell better when grouped with soundtracks. I live in Wisconsin, and most stores here don't carry that many cast recordings. I was at Best Buy a few days ago trying to find the new A Chorus Line album, and not only did they not have it, they only had about 4 different cast recordings. It wouldn't be practical to have its own section.
Side note, it always amazes me when I go to the compilation sections in places like Best Buy they have virtually every genre or decade on the planet and all they have for musical theatre are Andrew Lloyd Webber collections. WHY? But I digress....

It's not inappropriate to correct others when they say soundtrack, but it depends on the circumstances. Some people are "lost causes" for lack of a better term. They are the ones who are not knowledgeable at all about theatre and most likely won't ever be. It would do no good to correct them. However, those just discovering musical theatre or those who proclaim themselves to be fans should use the correct terminology.
It also baffles me that so many here seem irritated that others have this pet peeve. If you're passionate and/or knowledgeable about something, it's annoying when someone gets it all wrong.

People often use the word soundtrack like they use the word spatula. It's another pet peeve of mine when people incorrectly refer to pancake turners, pie servers, etc as spatulas. They're actually flat piece of metal that looks kind of similar to a butter knife. But what can I do? There are probably terms that I use incorrectly that bother others who are more knowledgeable in other areas.

In my opinion: Yeah, it’s annoying, but we can’t possibly re-educate the entire planet. But this is Broadway World, we should all be theatre fans, so I really believe that soundtrack shouldn’t be used to describe cast recordings here. Personally, I would rather be (politely) corrected than unknowingly sound ignorant to other posters.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 12:06am

While I agree there is no need to be nasty - its easier to educate people with gentle humour - I admit it does bother me that people seem to think it doesn't matter. For theatre fans, it should matter. For someone wanting to ensure they get the correct recording it should matter. (Do you want the cast recording or the soundtrack of RENT?)

But at the very least I would hope the people who think it is unimportant could simply say "cast recording" or even just "recording" (or "CD") and leave it at that.

But a very big thank you to everyone who uses the terms correctly.

[Julian2]

Posted: 10/15/06 at 12:54am

"God forbid Wal-Mart turns someone onto Wicked while they were looking for a Forrest Gump soundtrack."

Yeah, riiiiiight, because Wal-Mart just carries soooooooo many cast recordings . . . .

"But a very big thank you to everyone who uses the terms correctly.

Ditto, and your welcome.