The first thing to think about when making this decision is what are your goals with CD? Are you self-releasing your very first full-length album? Or is this an EP? Are you thinking about starting your own record label? Distributing your album through a large retailer like Best Buy? Are you looking to get signed? Or is this a free give away to interest new fans or act as a promo disc for college radio?!

Once you decide what you are looking to achieve, it will become a lot clearer what options might suit you. For a free give away, a paper sleeve or simple printed jacket would probably work best, but if it is a promo item, perhaps with an accompanying DVD or multiple discs, you might want some type of digipak or printed wallet. If it is a demo CD that you are shopping to record labels then a tin jewel case would probably work best, you want it to look good and unless you think they’d prefer an album that is a finished product that looks completely sales-ready, you want to make sure it looks like it’s a demo so they don’t get confused and think you don’t need a record deal because you’ve got it all handled yourself. For an album you will have available for sale in stores, at online retailers like amazon.com or to take on tour with you and sell at shows, however, you can really be creative.

Image credit: ACDSleeve.com

While the ‘industry standard’ for albums is generally considered to be the Jewel case, the recording industry has completely flipped on its axis in recent years, making it anything but standard meaning that if you want to step outside ‘standard’ there’s never been a better time. Digipaks stand out for this very reason, in that they are a non-standard option that look great and are eco-friendly, and a printed wallet also equally eco-friendly makes a good option for something like an EP, ‘mix-tape’ or single should you decide to release something along those lines.

Cost-wise, the simple paper sleeve is definitely your most inexpensive option, but in a lot of cases where it’s not just a simple giveaway, you will get better results – sales or promo-wise, with spending a few extra cents on an option that is better suited to your needs, and leaves your CD looking great. Mixonic has cost-effective packaging options available for your short run project. Remember, these days when people are shelling out their cash on a physical object as opposed to buying it online, they want to get their money’s worth – so make it eye-catching, make it look as good as possible, as professional as possible, as unique as possible and you will get your CD into more people’s hands.

This is a guest post by Pandie Suicide) of Mixonic, a CD duplication service based in San Francisco.

The 145-page book contains the full tablature for all rhythm and lead guitar tracks on the album, expanded album artwork, track by track commentary and an introduction from the band, as well as a digital download of Cosmogenesis which includes isolated rhythm guitar and solo tracks, and more.

Obscura's Cosmogenesis cover

What gives a cool twist about this is all the added bonuses. The artwork on Cosmogenesis is incredible, and fans of the band should definitely check out the expanded artwork. The other huge bonus I like is the fact that a digital download of Cosmogenesis with isolated rhythm guitar and solo tracks is included. I mean, it really gives a complete package here.

The one thing I wish is that bass tablature would have been included somehow. Seeing the technical shredding death metal virtuosity that Obscura unleashes, each member brings such a unique talent, and if you listen closely, bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling really makes his bass a lead, counter attacking the guitars with such brilliance!

Anyway, all of you guitar players need to pick up this sweet deal, and shred along/attempt to shred along.

The thingy in question is a new single by French hip-hop producer Wax Tailor, released in a format aptly titled CD-Vinyl – which can be played in a CD player as well as on a turntable (the image above is quite explanatory). I have some doubts that you will take a “CD-Vinyl” hybrid out to play on a party, but it’s a funny gadget for sure (and a nice tribute to vinyl)!

Wax Tailor - Say Yes (feat ASM)

Also reminded me about this awesome album package by Moldover. One of the best CD covers I’ve ever seen.

So, the CD-Vinyl contains a Wax’ lead single off his third album, Say Yes, and is being packaged with the album at Borders retailers.

The artist’s audio album trailer is located at this location. All tracks’ preview in one MP3 is a handy solution by the way (sometimes it bugs me to download ten fifty-seconds preview tracks from an album if I just want to give the LP a brief listen).

You might have read about their The Latest album being released in such an archaic format back in July, but what wasn’t covered much in the media is the adventure’s outcome. Quite recently our (Ultimate Guitar) writer Joe Matera reached out to guitarist Rick Nielsen and asked him to comment on the buzz around the promotion.

Talking about the album, Rick mentioned a rather interesting fact.

Since we’ve always put out vinyl on every record we’ve brought out even when vinyl went away, we thought the 8-track format was also an appropriate thing, and also because we’re all from that certain era. The thing about the 8-track is, we’re number #1 in the world of 8-track sales right now. It may be a small market but you know… It’s really funny as they’re talking just as much about the 8-track than they are about anything else that we’re doing. Its technology that kids today may never even had heard of before. We are also trying to get an eight track player made with the Cheap Trick checkerboard art that is able to run on regular power and is USB powered also.

The band had picked up a media format that noone remembers or uses anymore, and became a number one hit with it. How many discussions has this release generated compared to the amount of people who actually own an 8-track player nowadays? That’s the point.

Cheap Trick: The Latest

Thinking different is not enough for implementation of your ideas though, which shouldn’t be ignored.

In Cheap Trick‘s case, as BoingBoing reported, it wasn’t easy to find a manufacturer for recording the 8-track version of the album. “There was a lot of looking under rocks,” said the band’s manager Dave Frey. “They’re expensive to make, and they don’t make very many at a time.”

Eventually the band found a small plant in Dallas, Texas. The cartridge is now sold for $30 (the CD is going for $12.99, the digital download is $8.99).

In addition to the $30 8-track, Cheap Trick is also selling golf balls, license plate frames, watches, backpacks and bandanas, but they all don’t come with music (unfortunately).

Canadian rockers Three Days Grace proved just that, destroying a bunch of electric guitars to include the resulted little nice fragments into limited-edition box sets. Each copy (available from the 3DG website) contains a CD with their new album Life Starts Now, a digital download, exclusive content, fan club membership, and “a piece of the rockstar experience” – a guitar part, hand-shattered by the band’s members. Watch the amoral for any guitar lover video below.

You can hear the band’s single with an appropriate title “Break” at this location. Life Starts Now was released on September 29th, and can be streamed on Ultimate Guitar.

Broken vinyls or, even worse, pieces of crushed Technics turntables, anyone?

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