Recording Academy Pushes For Digital Liner Notes
From the archive: published Aug 23, 2012, 14 years ago. Details may have changed since.
Are digital liner notes the wave of the future? The Recording Academy feels that music fans are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to liner notes. Since music fans are gravitating towards digital downloads, booklets containing information about those who worked on these projects have quickly become a thing of the past. The Academy doesn’t think this is fair to those who wish to connect with their favorite musicians, and they intended to do something about it as soon as possible.
According to Wonderwall, the Academy is quite interested in getting digital liner notes into the virtual hands of fans. Given that a plethora of information about bands, musicians, and singers is currently available online, these booklets seem a bit antiquated. The Recording Academy, however, has a different opinion on the subject, particularly when it comes to recognizing the unsung heroes of the industry.
Of course, there are more people working behind-the-scenes than the artist or artists releasing the music, and that’s precisely who the Academy wants to spotlight. On Thursday (August 23), the organization will launch “Give the Fans Credit,” a program designed to give digital music downloaders an opportunity to learn about the individuals who helped make a favorite song a masterpiece.
Academy President Neil Portnow wants folks to have access to digital liner notes, which will highlight the songwriters, non-featured performers, producers, and engineers who worked long hours to ensure that our favorite artist sounds the absolute best when they record a new track. That way, everyone who contributed to the album will get the credit they deserve.
In order to help get the campaign underway, a number of high-profile professionals will act as “honorary ambassadors” to those who distribute digital music. Included in this group are T Bone Burnett, Jimmy Jam, Sheila E, and producer RedOne.
Do you miss the days of liner notes? Would you be interested in reading digital liner notes if they suddenly became available?