Track Sequences that are Just Wrong

[Slade N]

helpful and enlightening. thank you. Up till now, I thought track orders were more of an Abrahamic religion thing

You might think it was based on some folks feelings about them

 

[winston]

These views; yours and the determiner of the running order, are subjective so they were put in the order they were due to that persons subjective opinion.

That's not the case if the album was released when LPs were the main format, there were physical considerations, too.
Due to limitations of the vinyl cutting process, louder songs work better toward the outside of the record and the ability to reproduce high end without distortion is reduced toward the center. Also longer running times mean lower overall volume levels.

But definitely not an issue for digital output formats.

 

[Slade N]

That's not the case if the album was released when LPs were the main format, there were physical considerations, too.
Due to limitations of the vinyl cutting process, louder songs work better toward the outside of the record and the ability to reproduce high end without distortion is reduced toward the center. Also longer running times mean lower overall volume levels.

But definitely not an issue for digital output formats.

Even if so, someone had to make the determination of is the technical reason you describe more important and given priority than an artist view of song flow/order. Someone made that call, no matter what the backing reasons.

 

[DirtDog]

The White Album should have been two separate releases; 1. A Beatles rock album and, 2. Macca solo album.

 

[Michedelic]

The White Album should have been two separate releases; 1. A Beatles rock album and, 2. Macca solo album.

I think there were four different solo albums going on(well, maybe three and a single).

 

[DirtDog]

I think there were four different solo albums going on(well, maybe three and a single).

Yeah, that’s another valid scenario! Single being Ringo’s?

 

[trevcda]

When did that happen? If a band got to the point where the label and producer would enable/indulge them to have a true “concept album” with a certain flow, the sequence would have been discussed and agreed upon. Whoever does the pressings doesn’t have the clout to make that call, unless you’re referring to 8-track tapes.

Specifically, I was thinking of Pink Floyd's The Wall on 8-track. That was just all kinds of wrong! But I seem to recall companies like K-Tel taking some liberties with track order on more than one occasion.

 

[callofcthulhu]

My old singer/songwriter agonized over track order sometimes. On one album, he recorded himself flipping a record and put it in the "negative time" before "Side 2" of the CD started. That way, if you listened straight through, you got the pause and sound effect telling you the mood was shifting. But, because it wasn't part of any proper track, you didn't get it if you listened on random.

That's shaging genius, stealing that idea.

How does that work when uploaded to streaming though?

 

[Michedelic]

Specifically, I was thinking of Pink Floyd's The Wall on 8-track. That was just all kinds of wrong! But I seem to recall companies like K-Tel taking some liberties with track order on more than one occasion.

Yeah, well, that’s 8-track for you…it was meant to be a convenience, not a supreme listening experience.

 

[Altitude]

Have to be honest, I was looking for an “Amen” on The Chain not being track one on Rumours.

 

[eeyorebass]

That's shaging genius, stealing that idea.

How does that work when uploaded to streaming though?

No idea. Streaming wasn't much of a thing at the time. I think you'd have to put the 'flip' at the beginning of the first track on 'side 2,' and it's always part of that track.

 

[callofcthulhu]

Have to be honest, I was looking for an “Amen” on The Chain not being track one on Rumours.

You gotta make em wait for it man, build up to it. You blow your load right away then there's no reason to stick around.

 

[Ostie]

At least the examples listed above are for the most part choices made by the artists and/or their producers or labels. What I always hated was when a third party pressing agent haphazardly rearranged the track order on a concept album to fit a format, because they didn't see it as anything but random bunch of songs.

Back in the days of vinyl LPs and later cassettes, the producers and/or artist had to account for the play time limit on each side.

 

[Ostie]

When I was in college I worked at the college radio station. Not as a DJ but in engineering. They had a huge library of album that I had access to. I would make my own cassettes (later to be called mix tapes) and I could arrange them as I saw fit, or leave out songs I didn’t care for. I was like a kid in a candy store. I was playing in a band and working at a radio station. Oh, and getting an education, too.

 

[PhR75]

On the Cars’ debut self-titled album, “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight”/“Bye Bye Love”/“Moving In Stereo” should have been the first three tracks. Instead they made them the side 2 lineup and kicked off the album with [what they probably expected would be] the three radio singles. Which was not a senseless choice but I think the album would have had more impact with my sequence.

I think "Bye Bye Love - Moving In Stereo - All Mixed Up" is a perfect ending for the album. All Ben Orr -sung a bit more darker/heavier tunes.

And notable ones that gave you all the good songs on A side:
The Police - Ghost in the Machine

"Omegaman" and "Darkness" are the best songs Andy and Stewart wrote for the band and "Secret Journey isn't shabby either.