Do singles really matter that much anymore?
The charts are completely pointless (and Americanised), mass-manufactured nonsense, rendering it largely unimportant which songs are chosen for release, as well as increasingly irrelevant. I've always found choice of songs on Morrissey albums and the choice of singles for release to be puzzling. In 2009, we can download, upload to an i-pod, make compilations and buy up every b-side ever released, as well as many never released. Surely, therefore, there's little point in getting over-excited about singles releases these days? Isn't it better to debate which songs were best rather than which singles?
Isn't it a bit of a throwback to a bygone era when the charts were credible, singles mattered and - to some extent - were the making of an artist?
These days, albums and tours matter more. I think I prefer it that way in the present climate, so I have an excuse to leave the radio switched off and don't have to listen to chart music. I'm afraid the romance of the single is lost on me - I'm too young. However, the peerless quality of Moz b-sides does add something extra to singles releases; the trouble is, we're not really debating the b-sides are we?