Growing up, I was obsessed with listening to music and studying the liner notes to my favorites CDs and cassettes. I memorized song titles, track order, and length. There was so much to learn and take in: amazing illustrations, design, the folds and size of the booklet, typography, lyrics, and the personal messages to friends, […]


The post Lost Art of Liner Notes (GWTW304) appeared first on Chris Martin Studios.

Growing up, I was obsessed with listening to music and studying the liner notes to my favorites CDs and cassettes. I memorized song titles, track order, and length. There was so much to learn and take in: amazing illustrations, design, the folds and size of the booklet, typography, lyrics, and the personal messages to friends, family, and fans. To be honest, I’m a little sad at what’s lost in today’s world of on-demand digital music. I miss the intimacy of holding a small booklet in my hand as I listen to the music unfold in my sonic space. I miss the easy access to lyrics. And I miss those personal messages and acknowledgements—a time capsule of impact in the lives of the band. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore the concept of liner notes and how we could do something similar to our digital work in order to bring back a sense of community and longevity.


Seven ways to bring the liner note concept to the digital world:

The lyrics. The content, the transcript, the story behind the work.
The authorship. Who made this stuff. Know the entire team and their contribution.
The design. There was some unique work produced in the past. There was care and thought brought to the canvas.
The acknowledgements. Special messages. Support.
The fan club. This is a whole episode in and of itself.
The sponsorships. Who plays what. I learned a lot about guitars and amps looking at the sponsorships section.
The longevity. An eye for the future.

Show Links

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