In some markets like movies and TV, special edition releases of media have been an established part of the industry for many years. Music has always had a part in this as well, and it’s become more popular as distribution platforms for streaming and downloads have become the standard. Whether it’s special physical releases or exclusive digital versions, we’re looking at the positives and negatives of these for the artists themselves.
Positive Factors
Limited editions may also bring with them a number of complimentary items. And in the shortest possible terms, people like getting extra things and freebies, which has been well established across a wide variety of industries. In some cases, like with online casino or bingo games, availing of perks and bonuses has always proven popular. It’s why the ability to play Paddy Power bingo for free and similar offers from other casino sites have proven successful.
This applies just as well to music releases, and whether it’s extra songs, posters, a hard-case copy or signed memorabilia, fans are always happy to receive extras. The difference is that they are also much happier to pay a little extra for it, and artists can benefit from both extra revenue and often a boost to the overall sales records for the charts.
Past Issues
On the downside of limited editions, it comes down to the fact that exclusivity is also naturally exclusionary. Whether it’s in music or in products like watches and sneakers, those special versions often come with a massive price tag. The Dynasty Collection of Michael Jordan sneakers sold this year for a staggering $8 million for the set, and the solid gold Air Jordans went for $2.2 million alone.
While a higher price is to be expected, extravagantly high prices for access to things like signed memorabilia, exclusive songs, or commemorative merch often go too far for most fans. Particularly in the case of songs and artwork, there can be a great deal of discontent amongst those who can’t afford these editions, and there is a risk of alienating fans.
Finding The Balance
What it all invariably comes down to is, like most products, the balance between the added cost of the package against the perceived value of the contents. If a limited edition seems worth it, even fans who won’t be buying it are unlikely to be too offended. Hardcore fans are particularly going to be interested in more tracks and different versions of the same, which is why the 2021 release of the El Camino super deluxe edition from The Black Keys proved incredibly popular.
In that case, fans were able to get around 50 tracks across multiple vinyls, up from the original album’s 11, in addition to a photo book, a signed poster and more on top of that – all for close to $100. Given that many artists charge far more for just a concert ticket, the cost-to-value balance was great for fans.
Limited editions aren’t going anywhere in music, but the lesson is to not let them go so over-the-top that they become unreasonable. Some fans will certainly pay high figures for exclusive content and material, but those fans are always limited in number.
