Listing Of Last Week's New RIAA Certifications

No, I do not like it, and I'm an "older" fan.

No, and you are completely entitled to your opinion, but I wanted to state that not all Elvis fans like the remixes. If the youth don't want Elvis for what he was, it's their loss. Why destroy what is good? And I don't care at all if other people like him or not.

TonyP, I agree... it is a very big picture you painted :-D. The whole point is that I don't give a damn if others like Elvis or not. In my ears the remixes are equivalent to rape, which is criminal. Compare it with painting a black pair of sunglasses on the Mona Lisa just because the youth might like it. I know people will say that we still have the original Elvis-versions, they are not damaged (like the painting in my example), but that's how *I* feel about it. We just have a different opinion, there's no need to tell me (and anyone else that disagree with you) I miss the big picture. I do not say you are insecure in your admiration for Elvis, so you need new people to underline your taste either.

Pharamond, what I am saying is that I don't need them to enjoy Elvis' music and that I do not enjoy Elvis' music being screwed. When I became a fan Elvis wasn't really hot either in Holland and I am sure every now and then somebody will see the light, without remixes.... but still... I don't really care about that, since I'll enjoy Elvis anyway.

So they remix a song and put it on a greatest hits comp. to boost sales. Great! I have no problem with that, but where does it end. Do they do a gospel remix? a Christmas remix? a ballad remix? One for each type of music Elvis ever recorded? Do they remix the entire catolog? I think not. I'm glad the remixes have introduced new, younger fans to Elvis' music, but at some point the younger generation has to accept his music in it's original form the way he intended or all is for not.

The reason why a remix "costs too much" has little to do with the actual production of the song. It has everything to do with the amount of money that a label has to pay Clear Channel and other radio station owners through "independent record promoters" in order to get on the airwaves. A hit song nowadays costs a million bucks in this semi-legal form of Payola. BMG doesn't want to pay that much money on a project that they already spend a lot of money advertising on TV ads in order to reach the Elvis fans.

I find it amazing that some fans don't seem to see the bigger picture in relation to remixes and the importance of attracting a new audience for Elvis. The value of remixes is their ability to catch the initial attention of people - particularly young people - who would otherwise not even bother to take the time to consider whether Elvis' music remains relevant or not. The hope is that once people take the time to listen properly to Elvis, they will then be prompted to explore further and the brilliance of his original work will get through to them. That will not happen in all cases of course or even in the majority of cases, but Elvis must have gained thousands of new fans through ALLC - people who otherwise never would have bothered looking into his work. It's easy to say 'if the youth don't like Elvis for what he is, it's their loss', but I don't think we should give up that easily. There are two reasons a remix can succeed better than an original release in gaining new fans: 1. Sadly, the release of an original Elvis song as a single is not going to receive enough support in the media to attract the attention of anyone but existing fans. A remix will get more airplay and more attention generally 2. We are all guilty of having a short attention span when it comes to unfamiliar music - dismissing it if on first hearing it doesn't immediately grab us. A remix is more accessible to the ears of those who listen primarily to chart music. A remix has been, and could continue to be, a powerful marketing tool for Elvis. As fans we will all know that once Elvis has your attention, he is more than capable of sustaining it. If remixes succeed in getting that attention from current non-fans, that can only be a good thing. Of course it has to be a good remix and the right song. Personally, I'm not sure Rubberneckin was the right choice.

could some body please explain to me how these old albums are being upgraded as you cant buy these titles anymore so how are more being sold to reach a gold record ?