May 24, 2007
The traditional score soundtrack is dead. Sort of. What it desperately needs is reinvention. Fox Music president Robert Kraft, award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, Extreme Music and the gurus behind "The Simpsons" brand are trying to do just that.

The question is: If consumers aren't into little shiny round discs anymore, what will they buy? Digital downloads? Sure, especially if it's Green Day's version of the "Simpsons" theme. A digital score album? Perhaps. A very cool limited-edition Homer pink doughnut clamshell case with the score CD to "The Simpsons Movie" inside. Why not?

"We really wanted to think outside of the box," Kraft says. " 'The Simpsons Movie' was a perfect vehicle to try a new approach."

The idea largely was the brainchild of Kraft and Zimmer, who scored the film, which hits U.S. theaters July 27 via 20th Century Fox. "Hans has a great relationship with Extreme Music," Kraft says. "They are known for their creative packaging. The model of handing over a soundtrack or score to a traditional label and then hoping it does well is changing. This is a coordinated marketing effort of behalf of Extreme, the studio and Warner Bros. Records."

For the first time a film's music will be simultaneously released by three companies. On July 24, Warner Bros. Records will put out the Green Day single (the band appears in the film, and crazy things happen, but that's all I'm going to say because I don't want to ruin the surprise). Fox Music will make a digital score album available through its Web site and other outlets. And Extreme Music, usually known for its vast production music library, will release 25,000 pink doughnut cases to such specialty retailers as Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and Barnes & Noble. Just in case there are some traditionalists left, jewel-cased CDs also will be available.

And for the record, I'm all about the jewel cases!

--Brian

quote:

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Originally posted by Crono/Kyp:
Doesn't anyone listen to the Soundtrack.net Podcast. Zimmer IS using the theme, why would he not? It would just be silly.
--Brian

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Calm down Brian. Some of us have a life. Pick something more important to get in a tizzy about.

But it's been around now for what, 2 weeks?

And yes, I am very much aware that some people have lives. I know for a fact that I have nothing better to do with my time then spend every waking moment waiting for a new ST.net Podcast. It's my purpose in life.

--Brian

quote:

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Originally posted by Crono/Kyp:
I know for a fact that I have nothing better to do with my time then spend every waking moment waiting for a new ST.net Podcast. It's my purpose in life.

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(And if anyone gets the quote, I'll be impressed)